Holt County, Missouri

History

The original area of Holt County was much larger than its present area. When it was first organized it comprised the current Holt County boundary, all of Atchison County, that part of Nodaway County west of the Nodaway River, and the aforementioned claim extended ten miles north into southwestern Iowa; An area more than 1,350 square miles in all.

The first Post Office in Holt County opened in 1839 and was located on Thorp's Creek near Oregon. It was known as Thorp's Mill and closed in 1841.

In 1972, the Holt County Historical Society was established.

Holt County was impacted by the 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods. About 30,000 acre of the 95,000 acre that flooded in spring 2019 were still underwater in late October. Some of the floodwater was expected to freeze in place over the winter.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 sqmi, of which 463 sqmi is land and 7.7 sqmi (1.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Atchison County (north)
• Nodaway County (northeast)
• Andrew County (southeast)
• Doniphan County, Kansas (south)
• Brown County, Kansas (southwest)
• Richardson County, Nebraska (west)
• Nemaha County, Nebraska (northwest)

Major highways

• [[File:I-29 (MO).svg|frameless|20x20px]]Interstate 29
• [[File:US 59.svg|frameless|20x20px]]U.S. Route 59
• [[File:US 159.svg|frameless|20x20px]]U.S. Route 159
• [[File:MO-111.svg|frameless|20x20px]]Route 111
• [[File:MO-113.svg|frameless|20x20px]]Route 113
• [[File:MO-118.svg|frameless|20x20px]]Route 118
• [[File:MO-120.svg|frameless|20x20px]]Route 120

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 4,223. The median age was 48.4 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.6% of the population.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,795 households in the county, of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Racial and ethnic composition

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,351 people, 2,237 households, and 1,503 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 /mi2. There were 2,931 housing units at an average density of 6 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 98.47% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Approximately 0.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,237 households, out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.80% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 21.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,461, and the median income for a family was $35,685. Males had a median income of $26,966 versus $17,846 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,876. About 10.50% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

School districts include:

• Craig R-III School District
• Mound City R-II School District
• Nodaway-Holt R-VII School District
• South Holt County R-I School District

Public schools

• Craig R-III School District – Craig
  • Craig Elementary School (K-06)
  • Craig High School (07-12)
• Mound City R-II School District – Mound City
  • Mound City Elementary School (PK-04)
  • Mound City Middle School (05-08)
  • Mound City High School (09-12)
• Nodaway-Holt R-VII School District – Maitland and Graham
  • Nodaway-Holt Elementary School (K-06)
  • Nodaway-Holt Junior/Senior High School (07-12)
• South Holt County R-I School District – Oregon
  • South Holt County Elementary School (K-06)
  • South Holt County High School (07-12)

Public libraries

• Mound City Public Library
• Oregon Public Library

Points of interest

• Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge (formerly Squaw Creek)
• Big Lake State Park on Big Lake
• St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Corning, Missouri

Communities

Cities

• Craig
• Forest City
• Maitland
• Mound City
• Oregon (county seat)

Villages

• Big Lake
• Bigelow
• Fortescue

[[Civil township|Townships]]

• Benton
• Bigelow
• Clay
• Forbes
• Forest
• Hickory
• Lewis
• Liberty
• Lincoln
• Minton
• Nodaway
• Union

Unincorporated communities

• Forbes
• New Point

Extinct places

• Corning
• Curzon
• Kings Grove
• Napier
• Nichols Grove
• Richville
• Whig Valley

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Holt County.

† county seat

Notable people

• Frank McGrath - actor, born in Mound City in 1903
• Charles C. Moore - 13th Governor of Idaho; born in Holt County.
• Roger Wehrli - NFL athlete inducted into the Hall of Fame, born in New Point

Politics

Local

The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Holt County. Republicans hold all but one of the elected positions in the county.

State

All of Holt County is a part of Missouri's 1st District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Allen Andrews (R-Grant City).

All of Holt County is a part of Missouri's 12th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby).

Federal

All of Holt County is included in Missouri's 6th Congressional District and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Political culture

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Main article: 2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary, 2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary

U.S. Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 283, than any candidate from either party in Holt County during the 2008 presidential primary.

References

References

1. "Explore Census Data".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (March 19, 1911). "Disappearing Missouri Names". The Kansas City Star.
4. Eaton, David Wolfe. (1916). "How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named". The State Historical Society of Missouri.
5. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
6. Williams, Walter. (1915). "A History of Northwest Missouri Volume I". The Lewis Publishing Company.
7. "Holt County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived)". The State Historical Society of Missouri.
8. "Home".
9. Associated Press. (October 28, 2019). "Prolonged Missouri River flooding could last all winter".
10. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
13. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
15. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
18. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
19. "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Missouri- Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980".
20. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Missouri: Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
21. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Holt County, Missouri".
22. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Holt County, Missouri".
23. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Holt County, Missouri".
24. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
25. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
26. not an option in the 1980 Census
27. not an option in the 1990 Census
28. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
29. Geography Division. (January 12, 2021). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Holt County, MO". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
30. Breeding, Marshall. "Mound City Public Library". Libraries.org.
31. Breeding, Marshall. "Oregon Public Library". Libraries.org.
32. "2023-2024 Official Manual of the State of Missouri".
33. "Idaho Governor Charles Calvin Moore". National Governors Association.
34. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".