Editing Alton, Missouri

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Alton, Missouri
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Oregon County MO Courthouse 20151021-020.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Oregon County Courthouse
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = Oregon_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Alton_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250x200px
| map_caption              = Location of Alton, Missouri
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Missouri]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Oregon County, Missouri|Oregon]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| established_title        = Incorporated
| established_date         = 1929<ref name ="GR5" />

<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 4.10
| area_land_km2            = 4.06
| area_water_km2           = 0.04
| area_total_sq_mi         = 1.58
| area_land_sq_mi          = 1.57
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 707
| population_density_km2   = 174.01
| population_density_sq_mi = 450.61

<!-- General information -->| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 748
| coordinates              = {{coord|36|41|24|N|91|23|41|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 65606
| area_code                = [[Area code 417|417]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 29-00964<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2393937<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2393937}}</ref>
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
}}
'''Alton''' is a city and the county seat<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> of [[Oregon County, Missouri|Oregon County]], [[Missouri]], United States. The population was 707 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2900964|access-date=2021-12-26|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

==History==
Alton was [[plat]]ted in 1859.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_oregon.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071842/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_oregon.html | archive-date = June 24, 2016 | url-status = live | title=Oregon County Place Names, 1928–1945 | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri| access-date= November 24, 2016}}</ref>  The city was named after [[Alton, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xcxWsmxRzVEC&pg=RA1-PA5 | title=Missouri Roadsides: The Traveler's Companion | publisher=University of Missouri Press | author=Earngey, Bill | year=1995 | pages=5| isbn=9780826210210 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfAuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA337 | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1917 | pages=337}}</ref> A post office has been in operation in Alton since 1860.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Oregon | title=Oregon County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=4 April 2015}}</ref> Alton was incorporated as a city in 1929.<ref name ="GR5">{{cite book|last=Hellmann|first=Paul T.|title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA609|date=14 February 2006|publisher=Routledge|isbn=1-135-94859-3|page=609}}</ref>

[[Greer Mill]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2005.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.59|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.57|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.02|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-07-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Alton, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1962–2014)
|single line = Y
|width = auto
| Jan record high F = 76
| Feb record high F = 82
| Mar record high F = 90
| Apr record high F = 92
| May record high F = 95
| Jun record high F = 101
| Jul record high F = 107
| Aug record high F = 109
| Sep record high F = 103
| Oct record high F = 96
| Nov record high F = 85
| Dec record high F = 76
| year record high F = 109
| Jan high F = 43.8
| Feb high F = 48.6
| Mar high F = 58.3
| Apr high F = 68.7
| May high F = 75.8
| Jun high F = 85.0
| Jul high F = 88.3
| Aug high F = 88.1
| Sep high F = 80.8
| Oct high F = 70.2
| Nov high F = 56.7
| Dec high F = 45.9
| year high F = 67.5
| Jan mean F = 33.1
| Feb mean F = 36.9
| Mar mean F = 46.0
| Apr mean F = 56.0
| May mean F = 64.5
| Jun mean F = 73.4
| Jul mean F = 77.1
| Aug mean F = 76.1
| Sep mean F = 68.1
| Oct mean F = 56.5
| Nov mean F = 45.0
| Dec mean F = 35.8
| year mean F = 55.7
| Jan low F = 22.4
| Feb low F = 25.1
| Mar low F = 33.7
| Apr low F = 43.2
| May low F = 53.1
| Jun low F = 61.7
| Jul low F = 65.9
| Aug low F = 64.2
| Sep low F = 55.4
| Oct low F = 42.8
| Nov low F = 33.2
| Dec low F = 25.7
| year low F = 43.9
| Jan record low F = −18
| Feb record low F = −10
| Mar record low F = 1
| Apr record low F = 15
| May record low F = 28
| Jun record low F = 40
| Jul record low F = 46
| Aug record low F = 45
| Sep record low F = 31
| Oct record low F = 16
| Nov record low F = 1
| Dec record low F = −6
| year record low F = −18
| precipitation colour= green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.96
| Feb precipitation inch = 3.39
| Mar precipitation inch = 4.45
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.66
| May precipitation inch = 5.57
| Jun precipitation inch = 3.31
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.01
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.92
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.46
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.77
| Nov precipitation inch = 4.44
| Dec precipitation inch = 3.29
| year precipitation inch = 47.23
| Jan snow inch = 1.7
| Feb snow inch = 0.8
| Mar snow inch = 0.9
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 0.0
| Dec snow inch = 0.8
| year snow inch = 4.2
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 6.4
| Feb precipitation days = 6.8
| Mar precipitation days = 9.1
| Apr precipitation days = 7.9
| May precipitation days = 9.9
| Jun precipitation days = 6.8
| Jul precipitation days = 7.2
| Aug precipitation days = 7.1
| Sep precipitation days = 5.4
| Oct precipitation days = 6.3
| Nov precipitation days = 7.4
| Dec precipitation days = 6.6
| year precipitation days = 86.9
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 1.1
| Feb snow days = 1.0
| Mar snow days = 0.3
| Apr snow days = 0.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.0
| Dec snow days = 0.4
| year snow days = 2.8
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name = NOAA >
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=sgf
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = August 3, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00230127&format=pdf
| title = Station: Alton, MO
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = August 3, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 76
|1880= 127
|1930= 439
|1940= 576
|1950= 571
|1960= 677
|1970= 715
|1980= 721
|1990= 692
|2000= 668
|2010= 871
|2020= 707
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08}}</ref> of 2010, there were 871 people, 352 households, and 213 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|554.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|258.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.64% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.46% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.69% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 3.21% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 1.38% of the population.

There were 352 households, of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.5% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 39.2 years. 28.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 16.9% were from 45 to 64; and 25.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.7% male and 54.3% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 668 people, 321 households, and 188 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|797.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 364 housing units at an average density of {{convert|434.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.01% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.30% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.95% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 0.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 0.60% of the population.

There were 321 households, out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.70.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $16,667, and the median income for a family was $21,667. Males had a median income of $21,184 versus $13,929 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $10,071. About 18.0% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 33.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Alton R-IV School District operates Alton Elementary School and Alton High School.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/alton/alton-r_iv-school-district/schools/ | title=Alton R-IV School District | publisher=GreatSchools | access-date=17 March 2018}}</ref>

The town has a lending library, the Alton Branch Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.publiclibraries.com/missouri.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610012728/http://www.publiclibraries.com/missouri.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 June 2017 | title=Missouri Public Libraries | publisher=PublicLibraries.com | access-date=17 March 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|United States}}
* [[Irish Wilderness]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{wikivoyage inline|Alton (Missouri)|Alton, Missouri}}
* Historic maps of Alton in the [http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/sanborn.htm Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723065708/http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/sanborn.htm |date=July 23, 2013 }} at the [[University of Missouri]]

{{Missouri county seats}}

{{Oregon County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Oregon County, Missouri]]
[[Category:County seats in Missouri]]