Editing La Belle, Missouri

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = La Belle, Missouri
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = 
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = Lewis_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_La_Belle_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of La Belle, 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        = [[Lewis County, Missouri|Lewis]]
| 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           = 1.77
| area_land_km2            = 1.76
| area_water_km2           = 0.01
| area_total_sq_mi         = 0.68
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.68
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 664
| population_density_km2   = 377.18
| population_density_sq_mi = 976.47

<!-- 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             = 738
| coordinates              = {{coord|40|17|00|N|91|54|53|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 63447
| area_code                = [[Area code 660|660]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 29-39512<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2395561<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395561}}</ref>
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
}}
'''La Belle''' is a city in western [[Lewis County, Missouri|Lewis County]], [[Missouri]], United States. The population was 664 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2939512|access-date=2022-01-04|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> It is part of the [[Quincy, Illinois|Quincy]], [[Illinois|IL]]&ndash;MO [[Quincy micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
A post office called La Belle has been in operation since 1856.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Lewis | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=26 October 2016}}</ref> The first permanent settlement at La Belle was made in 1857, and the town site [[plat]]ted in 1871.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_lewis.html |title=Lewis County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived) |publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri |accessdate=26 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624070552/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_lewis.html |archivedate=24 June 2016 }}</ref> La Belle is derived from the French meaning "the beautiful", and the settlement was so named from its scenic setting.<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/n82 185]}}</ref>

The city of La Belle was incorporated in 1872, although it had been a village and stage coach stop much earlier.<ref>"LaBelle's Historical Collection", Mary Jane Pinson Ott. 1992. Henington Publishing Company. pg 1-2.</ref>

==Geography==
[[image:State Street LaBelle Missouri.jpg|thumb|[[Missouri Highway 6]] (State Street) through La Belle Missouri]]
La Belle is located at {{coord|40|6|56|N|91|54|57|W|type:city}} (40.115624, -91.915919).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=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|0.68|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<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]] |accessdate=2012-07-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

La Belle is located on [[Missouri Route 6]], which is collinear with State Street throughout much of the city.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 341
|1890= 702
|1900= 966
|1910= 1017
|1920= 878
|1930= 820
|1940= 833
|1950= 840
|1960= 866
|1970= 848
|1980= 845
|1990= 655
|2000= 669
|2010= 660
|2020= 664
|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|accessdate=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]]|accessdate=2012-07-08}}</ref> of 2010, there were 660 people, 277 households, and 149 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|970.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 351 housing units at an average density of {{convert|516.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 92.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], and 1.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 277 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.2% were non-families. 42.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 3.03.

The median age in the city was 43.3 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 22.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 669 people, 282 households, and 159 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,052.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 338 housing units at an average density of {{convert|531.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 92.08% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.83% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.15% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.05% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.90% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.79% of the population.

There were 282 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,477, and the median income for a family was $24,000. Males had a median income of $26,917 versus $16,136 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,424. About 21.2% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Recreation==
[[File:Johnson park LaBelle MO.jpg|thumb|Johnson Park in LaBelle Missouri]]  La Belle has a city park (Johnson Park) located at the intersection of Wood and Main Street. A baseball field is located on the west end of town, off Highway 6. It hosts summer games for several leagues.   
During hunting seasons many hunters come to La Belle and the surrounding area to hunt white-tail deer and turkey.  The Missouri Department of Conservation operates a {{convert|112|acre|km2|adj=on}} lake south of La Belle.  This lake served as a drinking water reservoir for the city of La Belle from 1980 through 2003.<ref>[Missouri Department of Conservation http://www.mdc.mo.gov/] website retrieved April 28, 2009</ref>

There has been a branch public library in La Belle since 1935.  It became part of the Northeast Missouri Library Service in 1964.<ref>"LaBelle's Historical Collection", Mary Jane Pinson Ott. 1992. Henington Publishing Company. pg 135.</ref>

==Education==
Public education in La Belle is administered by Lewis County C-1 School district.  Students from La Belle attend Highland Elementary School and Highland Junior-Senior High School in [[Ewing, Missouri]].

La Belle has a [[public library]], the Labelle 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 | accessdate=2 June 2019}}</ref>

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

==External links==
* Historic maps of La Belle in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138847 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]

{{Lewis County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Lewis County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Quincy, Illinois micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]