Richmond is a city in
Ray County,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, and part of the
Kansas City metropolitan area
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...
within the United States. The population was 6,013 at the
2020 census. It is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Ray County.
History
Richmond was
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...
ted in 1828. The community was named after
Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
, image_map =
, mapsize = 250 px
, map_caption = Location within Virginia
, pushpin_map = Virginia#USA
, pushpin_label = Richmond
, pushpin_m ...
. A post office called Richmond has been in operation since 1828.
Geography
Richmond is located in south central Ray County at the intersection of Missouri routes
10 and
13. The west fork of
Crooked River flows past northeast of the city.
Lexington in adjacent
Lafayette County is on the south bank of the
Missouri River eight miles to the southeast.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 5,797 people, 2,430 households, and 1,475 families living in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 2,777 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.7%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 3.2%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.4%
Native American, 0.4%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.3% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 2,430 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were
married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.3% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 18.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 6,116 people, 2,488 households, and 1,579 families living in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,062.7 people per square mile (410.0/km). There were 2,651 housing units at an average density of 460.6 per square mile (177.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 94.29%
White (U.S. Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States census, defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the United States Census Bureau, are the self-identified categories of race or races and ethnicity chosen by residents, with whi ...
, 3.73%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 3
Native American, 1
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.38% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.29% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 2,488 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were
married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,514, and the median income for a family was $45,186. Males had a median income of $34,500 versus $20,772 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $18,021. About 8.1% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Museums
The Ray County History Museum houses both the Ray County Historical Society and the library of the Ray County Genealogy Association. The large, two-story red brick building was built in 1910 as the Ray County Poor Farm with separate wings for male and female residents, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum's many rooms are filled with themed exhibits displaying artifacts from the Civil War, World War 1, World War 2, Mormon history, and local artifacts illustrating life on historical homesteads. According to local lore, the museum building is a site of suspected paranormal activity.
Visual and performing arts
The Farris Theatre, which was designed by the prominent Kansas City architects Shepard and Farrar, and originally opened as the Dougherty Auditorium in 1901, is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
. Today it is owned and operated by the Friends of Farris Theatre, Inc, a non-profit that organizes both live performances and showings of digital cinema movies. The theater is located within the Farris Arts District. The Arts District also includes the Hall for Arts Education and the Gallery and Museum for Fine Arts, which are housed in historical buildings originally built for the
Order of Knights of Pythias and
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington, by a group of six theater owners including John Cort (the first president), brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harr ...
.
Parks and recreation
The city has approximately 60 acres of parkland distributed across five public parks. Southview Park is the largest city park with 35.3 acres, and its facilities include a public outdoor swimming pool and a community amphitheater. Cevie Due Park is the site of the city's skate park. The centerpiece of Maurice Roberts park is a decommissioned
Lockheed T-33
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then d ...
jet trainer airplane on outdoor display. Hamann Park is the newest park in the system, and is currently under development; plans include a nature walk through the mostly wooded six-acre site.
In addition to parks, the city operates a gymnasium. Now part of the city hall complex, it was originally built in 1955 as a gym for the Richmond High School.
Richmond is home to a semi-private 18-hole golf course. The well-regarded course was designed in 1969 by Chet Mendenhall, who was a founding member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Richmond is served by the R-XVI School District. The district operates four public schools: Dear Elementary School, Sunrise Elementary School, Richmond Middle School, and
Richmond High School.
Libraries
The Ray County Library was officially formed by voters in 1946, and has been at its present location of 215 East Lexington St since 2004.
The facilities include a genealogy room, a community room and a computer training lab.
The Ray County Genealogy Association maintains a library within the Ray County Museum.
Notable people
*
"Bloody Bill" Anderson, Confederate guerilla leader, was killed here and is buried nearby
*
Aaron H. Conrow
Aaron Hackett Conrow (June 19, 1824 – August 15, 1865) was a Congress of the Confederate States, Confederate Congressman and soldier during the American Civil War. He was murdered by bandits after moving to Mexico after the war's end.
Early ...
, attorney and
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
representative during the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
*
Alexander William Doniphan, 19th-century soldier and political figure who spent his last years in Richmond
*
Lenvil Elliott,
NFL player for
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
champion
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
*
Robert Ford, the man who shot
Jesse James
*
Austin Augustus King
Austin Augustus King (September 21, 1802 – April 22, 1870), also known as Austin A. King and Austin King, was an American lawyer, politician, and military officer. A Democrat, he was the tenth Governor of Missouri and a one-term United Sta ...
, Governor of Missouri 1848–1853
*
Michael Letzig, professional golfer
*
Charles H. Mansur, U.S. congressman and second Comptroller of the Treasury
*
Jacob L. Milligan, U.S. congressman
*
Maurice M. Milligan, U.S. attorney who successfully prosecuted Kansas City political boss
Tom Pendergast
Thomas Joseph Pendergast (July 22, 1872 – January 26, 1945), also known as T. J. Pendergast, was an American political boss who controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, from 1925 to 1939.
Pendergast only briefly held elected ...
in 1939
*
John Rooney, radio and television sportscaster
*
Forrest Smith
Forrest Smith (February 14, 1886 – March 8, 1962) was an American politician who served as the 42nd governor of Missouri. He was a Democrat.
Personal life
Forrest Smith was born February 14, 1886, near Hardin in Ray County, Missouri. After ...
, Governor of Missouri 1949–1953
*
Beryl Wayne Sprinkel, economist
*
David Whitmer
David Whitmer (January 7, 1805 – January 25, 1888) was an American Mormon leader who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's golden plates.
Early life
Whitmer was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvani ...
, mayor of Richmond
References
External links
City of Richmond Official WebsiteRichmond Area Chamber of CommerceRay County Historical Museum & Research Library* Historic maps of Richmond in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collectionat the
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...
{{authority control
Cities in Missouri
Cities in Ray County, Missouri
County seats in Missouri
1828 establishments in Missouri