Editing Hamilton, Missouri

{{For|the community in St. Francois County|Hamilton Town, Missouri}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Hamilton, Missouri
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = 
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = Caldwell_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Hamilton_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250x200px
| map_caption              = Location of Caldwell County
| 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        = [[Caldwell County, Missouri|Caldwell]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = <!-- 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           = 3.82
| area_land_km2            = 3.80
| area_water_km2           = 0.02
| area_total_sq_mi         = 1.48
| area_land_sq_mi          = 1.47
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 1690
| population_density_km2   = 444.32
| population_density_sq_mi = 1150.44
<!-- 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             = 991
| coordinates              = {{coord|39|44|38|N|93|59|56|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 64644
| area_code                = [[Area code 816|816]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 29-30034<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              = 2394277<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394277}}</ref>
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
}}
[[File:NewMuralHamilton.png|thumb|Historical Downtown mural]]
[[File:HamiltonDepot.png|thumb|Mural of Hamilton depot]]
[[File:JC PennyLibraryHamilton.png|thumb|J.C. Penney Library & Museum]]

'''Hamilton''' is a city in northern [[Caldwell County, Missouri|Caldwell County]], [[Missouri]], and is within the United States. The population was 1,690 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2930034|access-date=2021-12-27|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> It is known as the hometown of [[James Cash Penney]], who built a large apparel-related business, [[J. C. Penney]], and the hometown of [[Jenny Doan]], who has built a large [[quilting]]-related business, Missouri Star Quilt Co.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303277704579349133544709954| title = Jenny Doan Stitches Together a Quilting Business in Missouri - WSJ}}</ref>

==History==
Hamilton owes its existence largely to the [[Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad|Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad]].<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite book|title='History of Livingston and Caldwell Counties, Missouri|year=1886|publisher=Higginson Book Company|pages=345–355}}</ref>
Prior to 1854 the area around Hamilton was unsettled prairie land belonging to the U.S. Government. With the coming of the railroad, the Hamilton Town Company was formed to develop a tract of land along the rails.

At first, the name Prairie City was intended for the new community.<ref name="Hamilton"/> However, Albert Gallatin Davis, a key member of the Town Company, chose Hamilton instead, in honor of two early Americans, [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]] and first [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Treasury Secretary]] [[Alexander Hamilton]], and Joseph Hamilton, an early American lawyer and military leader killed at the [[Battle of the Thames]] during the [[War of 1812]].<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.caldwellcountymissouri.com/history_hamilton.htm|title=Our History-Hamilton|publisher=Caldwell County Development Group|year=2010|access-date=24 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026032350/http://caldwellcountymissouri.com/history_hamilton.htm|archive-date=26 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1916 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ/page/n34 266]}}</ref>

The first house in Hamilton, fittingly, was built by Davis in the summer of 1855, as well as the first business, a general store, in 1857. The store would serve as Hamilton's first post office and Davis as the first [[postmaster]] in 1858.<ref name="Hamilton"/> The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad was finally completed on February 14, 1859, and the first train arrived that day. A railroad depot was constructed by the fall of 1859, with Albert Gallatin Davis appointed the first railroad and express agent.<ref name="Hamilton"/>

By the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], Hamilton consisted of about 25 homes and businesses. The town saw little involvement in the war, despite northwest and north-central Missouri being a hotbed of [[guerrilla warfare]]. The majority of the towns residents held strong pro-Union sympathies, with the few pro-Confederates among the populace forced to take an oath of allegiance.<ref name="Hamilton"/> Being on the rail line made Hamilton a tempting target for Confederate "[[bushwhacker]]s", so beginning in the fall of 1861, a company of the [[50th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment|50th Illinois Infantry]] arrived to help the local [[Home Guard (Union)|Home Guard]] unit defend the town.

Once the Civil War ended, Hamilton experienced a period of rapid growth, and was incorporated in 1868.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Hamilton-Missouri.html|title=City Data Hamilton, Missouri|publisher=City Data.com|year=2012|access-date=24 November 2012}}</ref> At that time several new sections of land had been annexed into the original town plat and the population grew to several hundred. After a brief slowdown caused by the [[Panic of 1873]], growth resumed. By the mid-1880s, Hamilton had two newspapers, the ''Hamiltonian'' and the ''News-Graphic'', as well as two banks, two hotels, flour mills, grain elevators, and other businesses supported by a population of around 1,800.<ref name="Hamilton"/> [[Coal mining]] became of some importance to the town's economy in the early 1880s. The Hamilton Coal Company was organized in the spring of 1882 and began mining operations the following year about two miles outside of the town. A railroad spur line was constructed to connect the coal field to the Hannibal & St. Joseph main line.<ref name="Hamilton"/>

==Geography==
Hamilton is located at {{coord|39|44|38|N|93|59|56|W|type:city}} (39.743791, -93.998765).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.41|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.40|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.01|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}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Hamilton, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1954–present)
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 72
| Feb record high F = 78
| Mar record high F = 86
| Apr record high F = 92
| May record high F = 97
| Jun record high F = 102
| Jul record high F = 109
| Aug record high F = 108
| Sep record high F = 100
| Oct record high F = 96
| Nov record high F = 82
| Dec record high F = 72
| year record high F = 109
| Jan high F = 35.2
| Feb high F = 40.2
| Mar high F = 52.3
| Apr high F = 63.3
| May high F = 73.1
| Jun high F = 82.3
| Jul high F = 86.8
| Aug high F = 85.5
| Sep high F = 78.0
| Oct high F = 65.9
| Nov high F = 51.5
| Dec high F = 39.8
| year high F = 62.8
| Jan mean F = 25.4
| Feb mean F = 29.9
| Mar mean F = 41.2
| Apr mean F = 51.7
| May mean F = 62.4
| Jun mean F = 72.0
| Jul mean F = 76.4
| Aug mean F = 74.6
| Sep mean F = 66.0
| Oct mean F = 53.9
| Nov mean F = 40.9
| Dec mean F = 30.0
| year mean F = 52.0
| Jan low F = 15.6
| Feb low F = 19.6
| Mar low F = 30.0
| Apr low F = 40.2
| May low F = 51.7
| Jun low F = 61.7
| Jul low F = 66.0
| Aug low F = 63.7
| Sep low F = 54.1
| Oct low F = 41.9
| Nov low F = 30.3
| Dec low F = 20.1
| year low F = 41.2
| Jan record low F = −27
| Feb record low F = −27
| Mar record low F = −17
| Apr record low F = 7
| May record low F = 25
| Jun record low F = 34
| Jul record low F = 43
| Aug record low F = 40
| Sep record low F = 27
| Oct record low F = 14
| Nov record low F = −10
| Dec record low F = −27
| year record low F = −27
| precipitation colour= green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.10
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.64
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.81
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.99
| May precipitation inch = 5.78
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.96
| Jul precipitation inch = 3.86
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.27
| Sep precipitation inch = 4.25
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.29
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.25
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.72
| year precipitation inch = 39.92
| Jan snow inch = 2.9
| Feb snow inch = 1.5
| Mar snow inch = 1.0
| Apr snow inch = 0.1
| 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 = 0.5
| Dec snow inch = 1.6
| year snow inch = 7.6
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 5.8
| Feb precipitation days = 5.7
| Mar precipitation days = 7.9
| Apr precipitation days = 10.1
| May precipitation days = 11.3
| Jun precipitation days = 9.8
| Jul precipitation days = 8.2
| Aug precipitation days = 8.1
| Sep precipitation days = 7.7
| Oct precipitation days = 8.1
| Nov precipitation days = 6.4
| Dec precipitation days = 6.0
| year precipitation days = 95.1
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 1.2
| Feb snow days = 1.3
| Mar snow days = 0.4
| Apr snow days = 0.1
| 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 = 0.3
| Dec snow days = 1.0
| year snow days = 4.3
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name = NOAA >
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=eax
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = August 2, 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=USC00233568&format=pdf
| title = Station: Hamilton 2W, MO
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = August 2, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=right
|1870= 975
|1880= 1200
|1890= 1641
|1900= 1804
|1910= 1761
|1920= 1689
|1930= 1572
|1940= 1655
|1950= 1728
|1960= 1701
|1970= 1645
|1980= 1582
|1990= 1737
|2000= 1813
|2010= 1809
|2020= 1690
|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 1,809 people, 719 households, and 460 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1292.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 802 housing units at an average density of {{convert|572.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 719 households, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 38.1 years. 28.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.5% were from 45 to 64; and 18.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,813 people, 744 households, and 482 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,327.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 829 housing units at an average density of {{convert|607.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.62% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.11% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.06% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.06% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.10% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 0.44% of the population. There were 744 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,972, and the median income for a family was $32,560. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $17,083 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,484. About 13.4% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 20.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Public education in Hamilton is administered by Hamilton R-II School District, which operates one elementary school, one middle school, and [[Penney High School]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/hamilton/hamilton-r_ii-school-district/ | title=Hamilton R-Ii School District | publisher=Great Schools | access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref>

The city has a lending library, the Hamilton Public 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=2 June 2019}}</ref>

==Religion and philanthropy==
The largest church in town is United Methodist, located just north of downtown, with outreach programs including a large thrift store.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.umchamilton.net/content.cfm?id=321|title=Thrift Store|website=Hamilton United Methodist Church|language=en|access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref> Various churches help with utility emergencies, and the city hall (200 S. Davis) facilitates help given by Community Action Partnership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capncm.org/|title=Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri|website=Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri|access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref>

[[File:World's largest spool of thread.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55|World's Largest Spool of Thread]]

== Businesses==
[[Missouri Star Quilt Company]] was founded by the Doan siblings in support of their mother [[Jenny Doan]]'s dream, and in tribute to her talent as a quilter on [[YouTube]]. It has grown into a $20,000,000 per year business that owns 26 buildings in Hamilton and is part owner of three restaurants.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/your-money/philanthropy-town-makeover.html|title=When Your Fixer-Upper Is Your Hometown|work=The New York Times |date=13 April 2018 |access-date=2018-11-29|language=en|last1=Sullivan |first1=Paul }}</ref> The business brings as many as 8,000 quilters to Hamilton in a month.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.forbesindia.com/article/cross-border/missouri-star-quilt-co-the-disneyland-of-quilting/50373/1|title=Missouri Star Quilt Co: The Disneyland of quilting {{!}} Forbes India|website=Forbes India|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-29}}</ref>  Missouri Star has become the largest employer in Caldwell County, with 450 employees.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> The Doan siblings were named the Missouri Small Business Persons of the Year in 2015,<ref>[https://ithinkbigger.com/missouri-star-quilt-co-named-mo-small-business-year/ Missouri award. Accessed 16 October 2016.]</ref> and were named by the federal government's [[Small Business Administration]] as the national Small Business Persons of the Year.<ref>[https://www.sba.gov/blogs/missouri-siblings-named-2015-small-business-persons-year US Small Business Administration. Accessed 16 October 2015.]</ref><ref>[http://www.inc.com/diana-ransom/missouri-star-quilt-company-sba-small-business-of-year-2015.html Inc.com Accessed 16 October 2016.]</ref>

[[File:Jc-penny-home.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|J.C. Penney's boyhood home]]

== Attractions ==
The active quilt business has inspired the construction of The World's Largest Spool of Thread. At 22 feet tall and 8 feet wide, the spool was unveiled in September 2019, containing 1 million yards of Aurifil thread. Located at 300 East Bird in Hamilton the spool rests on the corner of the Missouri Quilt Museum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yellowpages.com/hamilton-mo/restaurants|title=Restaurants in Hamilton, Missouri with Reviews - YP.com|website=www.yellowpages.com|language=en|access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/quilt-town-unveils-monument/article_92fe6f54-37c0-5cec-827f-5ac1b38df247.html|title=Quilt Town unveils monument|last=Now|first=Lauren Kahl News-Press|website=News-Press NOW|language=en|access-date=2019-10-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.missouriquiltmuseum.com/|title=Missouri Quilt Museum {{!}} United States|website=Quilt Museum|language=en|access-date=2019-10-07}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Jenny Doan]], quilter
* Dorothea Daley Engel, (1916-2004): her [[Battle of Bataan]] experiences as a U.S. Army nurse inspired [[Claudette Colbert]]'s film role in [[So Proudly We Hail!]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Heroic Nurse's Husband is Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/951855313/?match=1&terms=%22Dorothea%20Daley%20Engel%22%20 |access-date=8 July 2024 |publisher=Lake Shore Visitor |date=September 7, 1945 |location=Erie, Pennsylvania |pages=12}}</ref>
* [[Dandi Daley Mackall]], a 2012 [[Edgar Awards]] winner for mystery fiction, one of her 500 books was adapted for the [[Hallmark Channel]] film, [[My Boyfriends' Dogs]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Virtual Buckeye Book Fair to highlight 115 Ohio authors |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/691126800/?match=1&terms=%22Dandi%20Mackall%22%20 |access-date=8 July 2024 |publisher=The Cincinnati Equirer |date=November 1, 2020 |location=Cincinnati, Ohio |page=A15}}</ref>
* [[James Cash Penney]], (1875-1971), founder of [[J.C. Penney]]; his farm home has been moved to town and is a museum.
* [[Zack Wheat]], (1888-1972) [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]] baseball player for the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]].

==Gallery==
{{Gallery|title={{big|Churches in Hamilton, Missouri}}<br />{{small|''Select to enlarge''}}|width=200 |height=130|state=expanded| File:HamiltonBaptist.jpg|Baptist Church|File:HamiltonChurchChrist.jpg|Church of Christ|File:Federated Church.jpg|Federated Church|File:HamiltonCathCh.png|Sacred Heart Catholic Church| File:HamiltonUMethodist.png|United Methodist Church}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* Historic maps of Hamilton in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138814 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]

{{Caldwell County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Caldwell County, Missouri]]
[[Category:1855 establishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1855]]