Union is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Franklin County,

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') 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 border ...

, United States. It is located on the Bourbeuse River, southwest of St. Louis. The population was 12,348 at the 2020 census.

History

Union was founded in 1826 and designated as the county seat in 1827. The city is named for the ideal of political unity. A post office called Union has been in operation since 1827. Early German settlers established themselves in and around Franklin County, including what would later be known as Union. German architecture, culture, and especially surnames are still prevalent around Union and surrounding areas. Depending on the definition, the city is within or near a region known as the Missouri Rhineland.

Geography

The city is located on the northwest side of the Bourbeuse River. US Route 50 passes through the city and I-44 is approximately five miles to the east. Washington, on the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

, is seven miles to the north on Missouri Route 47. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 12,348 people, 4,686 households, and 3,023 families in Union. The population density was . There were 5,035 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 89.66% (11,071)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.51% (187) black or African-American, 0.42% (52) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.57% (70) Asian, 0.04% (5)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.91% (112) from other races, and 6.89% (851) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 2.2% (263) of the population. Of the 4,686 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18; 41.4% were married couples living together; 34.7% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 28.3% consisted of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.0. 25.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 91.1 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $54,585 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,873) and the median family income was $63,345 (+/- $8,741). Males had a median income of $36,124 (+/- $2,199) versus $31,443 (+/- $5,041) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $34,505 (+/- $2,581). Approximately, 7.8% of families and 9.2% 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 ...

, including 14.6% of those under the age of 18 and 9.4% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 10,204 people, 3,902 households, and 2,612 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 4,226 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.1%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 3,902 households, of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.14. The median age in the city was 31.9 years. 28.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.1% were from 25 to 44; 21.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 7,757 people, 2,940 households, and 2,002 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,133 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.44%

, 1.43%

, 0.30% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population. There were 2,940 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were

living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.10. The median income for a household in the city was $39,596, and the median income for a family was $44,474. Males had a median income of $31,852 versus $22,924 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,885. About 4.2% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the

, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The City of Union is a 4th Class City with a City Administrator form of government. The elected, policy-making body of the City consists of a Mayor and an eight-member Board of Aldermen. Union is divided into four wards and each ward has two aldermanic representatives. Municipal elections are held on the first Tuesday of April every year.

Transportation

Rail

Missouri Eastern Railroad, a division of Jaguar Transport, provides regular freight rail service to industrial customers located in Union. MER operates the far eastern segment of the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway's St. Louis to

Kansas City 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 t ...

main line that was constructed in 1870. The active portion of the former CRI&P line runs from the north side of St. Louis, where it connects with the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis and

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

, and now terminates in Union, Missouri.

Roads

Union is located on the junction of US Route 50 and Route 47. I-44 runs east and south of Union. A proposal for an expressway to bypass the junction of US 50 and Route 47 was cancelled due to complications. There is another proposal to make US 50 from Union to I-44 four lanes and eventually through the rest of Franklin County.

Education

The only public secondary school is Union High School (The UHS Wildcats), which enrolls ninth through twelfth grades. There is one public middle school (The UMS Wildcats) serving sixth through eighth grades, and two public elementary schools (Central Elementary and Prairie Dell Elementary, also the Wildcats) with both serving kindergarten through fifth grades. Union also has one private Catholic school, Immaculate Conception (Serving Pre-K to eighth grade). Union is home to East Central College, which offers two-year degrees and certificates. Central Methodist University has an extension on the ECC campus. Union is also home to an extension of Missouri Baptist University. Union has a

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

, a branch of the Scenic Regional Library System.

Economy

The Missouri Meerschaum company, founded in 1869 is the first and oldest manufacturer of corn-cob pipes. With the introduction of the railroad in the late 1800s, Union saw an increase in population which in turn, increased the need for job opportunities. In 1907, The National Cob Pipe Works was opened to help fulfill the need for jobs in the area. In less than 10 years, it became one of the largest corn cob pipe manufacturers in the world, producing at least five million cob pipes a year. By 1925, there were almost a dozen corn cob pipes spread across Franklin County. The only surviving corn cob pipe factory left is the original Missouri Meerschaum Company located in Washington, Missouri. Presently, there are over 300 businesses in Union, including the presence of manufacturers such as the Esselte Pendaflex Corporation and Silgan Plastic Containers.

Notable people

* Antonina Armato (1968-), songwriter and record producer, born in Union * Paul J. Mueller (1892–1964),

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

personnel * William L. Nicholson (1926–2020),

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

general * Kenneth Roderick O'Neal (1908–1989), architect, born in Union

References

External links

*
Union Area Chamber of Commerce

"Historic maps of Union"
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection,

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...

{{authority control Cities in Franklin County, Missouri Cities in Missouri County seats in Missouri 1826 establishments in Missouri Populated places established in 1826