Editing Moberly, Missouri

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Moberly, Missouri
| settlement_type                 = [[City]]
| official_name                   = City of Moberly
| image_skyline                   = 
| image_caption                   = 
| image_flag                      = 
| image_seal                      = <!-- Maps -->
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = <!-- Images -->
| image_map                       = Randolph_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Moberly_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 250x200px
| map_caption                     = Location within [[Randolph County, Missouri|Randolph County]] and [[Missouri]]

<!-- Location -->
| coordinates                     = {{coord|39|25|04|N|92|26|11|W|region:US-MO|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Missouri]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Randolph County, Missouri|Randolph]]

<!-- Government -->
| established_title               = Founded
| established_date                = 1866
| established_title1              = [[Municipal incorporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date1               = 1868

<!-- Area -->
| seat_type                       = 
| seat                            = 
| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = [[Council-manager government]]<ref name="MOMunicipalities">{{cite web|title=Forms of Government for Missouri Municipalities|url=http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.mocities.com/resource/resmgr/publications/forms_of_government.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516003746/http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.mocities.com/resource/resmgr/publications/forms_of_government.pdf |archive-date=2013-05-16 |url-status=live|publisher=Missouri Municipal League|date=2007|access-date=2015-06-12}}</ref><ref name="CityWebsite">{{cite web|title=City of Moberly Website|url=http://www.moberlymo.org/|publisher=Moberly, MO|date=2013|access-date=2015-06-12}}</ref>
| leader_title                    = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name                     = Brandon Lucas
| leader_title1                   = [[City Manager]]
| leader_name1                    = Michael Bugalski
| 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                  = 34.24
| area_total_sq_mi                = 13.22
| area_land_km2                   = 34.13
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 13.18
| area_water_km2                  = 0.11
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.04
| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft                    = 873
| population_total                = 13783
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_density_km2          = 403.85
| population_density_sq_mi        = 1045.99

<!-- General information -->| population_est                  = 
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
| pop_est_footnotes               = 
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 65270
| area_code                       = [[Area code 660|660]]
| website                         = [http://www.moberlymo.org/ moberlymo.org]
| footnotes                       = 
| timezone                        = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 29-49034<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                     = 2395362<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395362}}</ref>
}}

'''Moberly''' is a city in [[Randolph County, Missouri]], United States. The population was 13,783 as of the 2020 census.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Moberly city, Missouri |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/moberlycitymissouri/PST045223 |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref> It is part of the [[Columbia metropolitan area (Missouri)|Columbia metropolitan area]] and the 9-county [[Columbia, Missouri|Columbia]]–[[Jefferson City, Missouri|Jefferson City]]–'''Moberly''' [[combined statistical area]] that has 415,747 residents.

==History==
[[File:4th Street Theater.jpg|thumb|The facade of the historic 4th Street theater in downtown Moberly. Built in 1913; is the oldest vaudeville theatre in Mid-Missouri.]]
Moberly was founded in 1866, and named after Colonel William E. Moberly,<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=1917 | page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ/page/n115 344]}}</ref> the first president of the Chariton and Randolph County [[Rail transport|railroads]].

Moberly, which gained the nickname the "Magic City" because of its explosive growth in a railroad boom, grew from the town platted by the [[North Missouri Railroad]] (later part of the [[Wabash Railroad]]) in 1866 to a transportation center with a 6,070 population by 1880.  The North Mo. acquired the site when it took over the Chariton and Randolph R.R. after the Civil War.  In 1860, the C.& R. had planned a road west to Brunswick from this point on the North Mo. then reaching toward Iowa.

The Chariton and Randolph R. R. named its proposed junction for William Moberly, head of the railroad, and offered free land to residents of once nearby Allen to settle here.  Patrick Lynch, who alone accepted, was given two lots by the North Missouri after the Civil War for holding the site without "the loss of a life or a house."

Moberly has been a division point since 1867 when the North Mo. (Wabash) reached [[Brunswick, Missouri|Brunswick]].  Huge railroad repair shops, one of the earliest railroad plants west of the Mississippi, were opened, 1872.  The M. K. & T. formed a junction here, 1873.  Transportation facilities brought industrial growth and the development of the soil, fire clay, and coal resources of the area.

Moberly lies in a glacial plains area in a county organized, 1829, and names for John Randolph of Roanoke, Va. In Missouri's Little Dixie Region, it was first settled by William Holman, 1818.  William Fort boiled salt at a spring near Huntsville in 1820s/  The Bee Trace, a pioneer trail, ran along the Grand Divide (the high point in The Grand Prairie) between the Missouri and Mississippi through the county.  The Iowa, Sac, and Fox tribes gave up claims to the region, 1824.

At Huntsville, county seat, since 1831, a plank road was built to Glasgow, 1854, and the 1855-82 Mt. Pleasant (Baptist) College was founded.  County legal business has been conducted at Huntsville and Moberly since 1885.  Moberly Junior College opened, 1927.

World War II Gen. Omar N. Bradley, first Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and commander of the largest Army in United States history was born in nearby Clark, but grew up in Moberly and graduated from Moberly High School. Moberly's airport is named for him.  Moberly is the home of novelist Elizabeth Seifert Gasparotti and birthplace of writer Jack Conroy.  G.W. P. Hunt, first Governor of Arizona, was born in Huntsville.  Hancock L. Jackson, interim Gov. of Mo., 1857; Lt. Gov., 1857–61, and the biochemist Victor C. Vaughn, were natives of Randolph County.

The Missouri state [[Moberly Correctional Center]] was constructed two miles south of Moberly in 1963 as a minimum-security prison. As of 2014, it houses about 1800 minimum and medium security inmates.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.moberlymonitor.com/article/20130926/NEWS/130929115?template=printart |title=Moberly Correctional Center celebrates 50th Anniversary - Gate House<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2014-02-28 |archive-date=2014-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305013933/http://www.moberlymonitor.com/article/20130926/NEWS/130929115?template=printart |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On Independence Day, 1995, a [[tornado]] ripped through downtown Moberly. There were no reported deaths, but there was a large amount of structural damage. Another tornado hit nearby [[Renick, MO|Renick]] on [[Tornado outbreak sequence of March 9–13, 2006|March 12, 2006]]. Four people were killed and thirteen were injured in the F3-level tornado. Dozens of homes were destroyed.

The [[World War II]]-era US Navy frigate {{USS|Moberly|PF-63}} was named for the town. The ship participated mostly in convoy escort, earning a battle star for her assistance in sinking a German submarine, ''[[U-853]]''.

The [[Burkholder-O'Keefe House]], [[Moberly Commercial Historic District]], and [[Moberly Junior High School]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20120914.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=2012-09-14|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 9/04/12 through 9/07/12|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202093028/http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20120914.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Government==
The city of Moberly was born of a railroad auction on September 27, 1866. The county incorporated the town in 1868 with a board of trustees. The same year that the [[Wabash Railroad]], St. Louis & Pacific Railway shops were finished in Moberly,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.randolphhistory.com/randolph-county-overview/|title=Randolph County Overview|publisher=Randolph County Historical Society|access-date=2015-06-12}}</ref><ref>"History of Moberly" pamphlet from Randolph County Historical Society, four pages.</ref> the city entered a charter into state record and incorporated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=nTUQAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA179|title=List of Works Relating to City Charters, Ordinances, and Collected Documents|publisher=Harvard College Library|page=179|date=1913|access-date=2015-06-12}}</ref> At the time, there was no such thing as a [[council-manager government]], but the 1950s saw the government form come into vogue in Missouri.<ref name="MOMunicipalities"/> <!--I cannot find online when the city changed its charter-->Now, the city of Moberly has a council-manager government. The council consists of five members elected for three-year terms and one city counselor who drafts ordinances and acts as legal counsel. Each year, the council elects one of its members as mayor and one as mayor ''[[pro tempore]]'' to serve for one year. To manage the city and oversee day-to-day operations, the council selects a city manager.<ref name="CityWebsite"/> In 2024, the government had these officers:

===City Council===
*Brandon L. Lucas, Mayor
*John W. Kimmons, Jr., Mayor Pro-Tempore
*Mike Skubic, Councilman
*Chuck McKeown, Councilman
*Sarah Barfield Graff, Councilman
*Randall Thompson, City Counselor
*Michael R. Bugalski, City Manager

{{wide image|Downtown Moberly, Missouri.jpg|1000px|A panorama from the northeast corner of the Kwix-Kres-Kirk office building in downtown Moberly, Missouri.}}

==Geography==
Moberly is in southeast Randolph County at the intersection of [[U.S. Route 63 in Missouri|U.S. Route 63]] and [[U.S. Route 24 in Missouri|U.S. Route 24]]. Nearby streams include [[Sugar Creek (East Fork Little Chariton River)|Sugar Creek]] to the northwest, [[Coon Creek (Elk Fork Salt River)|Coon Creek]] to the east and [[Sweet Spring Creek]] to the southwest.<ref name=atlas>''Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 3rd ed. 2007, p. 30 {{ISBN|0899333532}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|12.26|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|12.22|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|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 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220065340/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-02-20 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-07-08 }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Moberly, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1936–present)
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 76
| Feb record high F = 82
| Mar record high F = 87
| Apr record high F = 92
| May record high F = 96
| Jun record high F = 102
| Jul record high F = 112
| Aug record high F = 108
| Sep record high F = 102
| Oct record high F = 96
| Nov record high F = 83
| Dec record high F = 73
| year record high F = 112
| Jan high F = 37.1
| Feb high F = 42.2
| Mar high F = 53.9
| Apr high F = 64.7
| May high F = 74.2
| Jun high F = 82.8
| Jul high F = 87.0
| Aug high F = 85.6
| Sep high F = 78.2
| Oct high F = 66.8
| Nov high F = 53.2
| Dec high F = 42.0
| year high F = 64.0
| Jan mean F = 28.0
| Feb mean F = 32.5
| Mar mean F = 43.8
| Apr mean F = 54.4
| May mean F = 64.5
| Jun mean F = 73.2
| Jul mean F = 77.3
| Aug mean F = 75.7
| Sep mean F = 67.8
| Oct mean F = 56.3
| Nov mean F = 43.5
| Dec mean F = 33.3
| year mean F = 54.2
| Jan low F = 18.9
| Feb low F = 22.7
| Mar low F = 33.6
| Apr low F = 44.1
| May low F = 54.9
| Jun low F = 63.7
| Jul low F = 67.5
| Aug low F = 65.7
| Sep low F = 57.3
| Oct low F = 45.9
| Nov low F = 33.8
| Dec low F = 24.7
| year low F = 44.4
| Jan record low F = −21
| Feb record low F = −19
| Mar record low F = −12
| Apr record low F = 17
| May record low F = 28
| Jun record low F = 40
| Jul record low F = 48
| Aug record low F = 44
| Sep record low F = 32
| Oct record low F = 18
| Nov record low F = −4
| Dec record low F = −20
| year record low F = −21
| precipitation colour= green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.87
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.06
| Mar precipitation inch = 3.26
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.58
| May precipitation inch = 5.13
| Jun precipitation inch = 5.16
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.53
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.94
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.95
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.38
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.65
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.19
| year precipitation inch = 42.70
| Jan snow inch = 5.6
| Feb snow inch = 3.2
| Mar snow inch = 1.2
| Apr snow inch = 0.2
| 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 = 0.1
| Nov snow inch = 0.7
| Dec snow inch = 4.0
| year snow inch = 15.1
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 6.4
| Feb precipitation days = 6.8
| Mar precipitation days = 9.2
| Apr precipitation days = 10.9
| May precipitation days = 12.1
| Jun precipitation days = 9.6
| Jul precipitation days = 7.9
| Aug precipitation days = 7.8
| Sep precipitation days = 7.4
| Oct precipitation days = 8.7
| Nov precipitation days = 7.3
| Dec precipitation days = 7.0
| year precipitation days = 101.1
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 2.3
| Feb snow days = 1.9
| Mar snow days = 0.6
| 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 = 0.1
| Nov snow days = 0.3
| Dec snow days = 2.0
| year snow days = 7.3
|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=USC00235671&format=pdf
| title = Station: Moberly, 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
|1870= 1514
|1880= 6070
|1890= 8215
|1900= 8012
|1910= 10923
|1920= 12808
|1930= 13772
|1940= 12920
|1950= 13115
|1960= 13170
|1970= 12988
|1980= 13418
|1990= 12839
|2000= 11945
|2010= 13974
|2020= 13783
|footnote=source:<ref>{{cite web|url = http://mcdc.missouri.edu/trends/tables/cities1900-1990.pdf|title = Missouri Population 1900 - 1990|format = [[comma-separated values|CSV]]|publisher = Missouri Census Data Center|access-date = 28 February 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140704072802/http://mcdc.missouri.edu/trends/tables/cities1900-1990.pdf|archive-date = 4 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing, 1890, Final Reports Volume 1|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=1895|access-date=1 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing, 1880, Volume 1 Statistics of the Population of the United States, General Population Table 3|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=1881|access-date=1 May 2015}}</ref>
}}
The Moberly [[Micropolitan]] Statistical Area consists of Randolph County.

===2020 census===
The [[2020 United States census]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov| access-date=2023-12-17 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> counted 13,783 people, 4,708 households, and 2,968 families in Moberly. The population density was 1,045.8 per square mile (403.8/km{{sup|2}}). There were 5,603 housing units at an average density of 425.1 per square mile (164.2/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup was 82.39% (11,356) [[White (U.S. Census)|white]], 9.13% (1,258) [[African American (U.S. Census)|black or African-American]], 0.52% (71) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.49% (67) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% (6) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.76% (105) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 6.67% (920) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race was 2.1% (287) of the population.

Of the 4,708 households, 30.6% had children under the age of 18; 36.4% were married couples living together; 39.4% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 32.8% consisted of individuals and 15.1% 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 3.1.

23.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 114.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 115.9 males.

The 2016-2020 5-year [[American Community Survey]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov|access-date=2023-12-17|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> estimates show that the median household income was $39,327 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,442) and the median family income was $50,714 (+/- $7,271). Males had a median income of $31,651 (+/- $3,623) versus $25,865 (+/- $4,420) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $28,497 (+/- $4,084). Approximately, 18.3% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.7% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those ages 65 or over.

===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 13,974 people, 4,960 households, and 3,019 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1143.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 5,687 housing units at an average density of {{convert|465.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 86.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 9.7% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.6% 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 4,960 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% 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 2.97.

The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.8% male and 46.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 11,945 people, 5,001 households, and 3,090 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,033.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of {{convert|503.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 90.51% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.71% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.37% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.64% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.39% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.34% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 5,001 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,519, and the median income for a family was $37,488. Males had a median income of $27,152 versus $19,508 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,478. About 11.1% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Recreation==
{{wide image|Railroad Museum and Park in Moberly, MO.jpg|1000px|The Railroad museum run by the Randolph county historical society, connected to a walking path that runs south, and overlooking the Municipal Auditorium and West Rollins Street.}}
* Moberly Parks and Recreation operates approximately 500 acres of parkland through five parks including maintained grounds, forest, lakes, the Howard Hils Athletic Complex consisting of eight baseball/softball fields and three football/soccer fields, the Moberly Aquatic Center, Thompson Campground, The Lodge, Municipal Auditorium, the Magic City Line - a one mile long miniature train track, over two miles of paved trails, boat ramps, fishing lakes, paddleboat/canoe rentals, and shelters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moberlymo.org/Parks/ |title=The Official City of Moberly Website |website=www.moberlymo.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108102228/http://www.moberlymo.org/Parks/ |archive-date=2014-11-08}}</ref>
* Moberly Midget League has provided a summer baseball program for the local youth since 1950. The program currently ranges from 8U to 14U.
* The Moberly Optimist Club has provided a summer youth baseball for decades. The program currently ranges from T-ball to 8U.<ref>[http://moberlyoptimists.com/ Moberly Optimist Club – Missouri]</ref>
* The Randolph County Historical Society has its headquarters in Moberly, and has two museums: one dedicated to county history and genealogy, and another dedicated to the Wabash, MKT, and CB&Q railroads.<ref>[http://www.randolphhistory.com/museums/ Randolph County Historical Society website]</ref>

==Education==
Moberly is home to two colleges; [[Central Christian College of the Bible]] and [[Moberly Area Community College]]. The Moberly School District consists of seven schools. The Early Childhood Center serves preschoolers; North and South Park Elementary serve grades K-2; grades 3-5 attend Gratz Brown Elementary; grades 6-8 attend Moberly Middle School; and Moberly High School and Moberly Area Technical Center serve grades 9–12. East Park School served as an alternative school until the new ACES (alternative center for educational success) was opened in the second part of the 2023-2024 school year.<ref>[http://www.moberly.k12.mo.us/ Moberly School District]</ref> The Seventh-day Adventist church operates Maranatha Adventist School, a K-8 school.<ref>[http://maranatha22.adventistschoolconnect.org/ Maranatha School]</ref> The St. Pius X Catholic Elementary School, operated by the Catholic Church of the same name, serves grade K-8.<ref>[http://www.st-pius.com/ St. Pius School]</ref>

Moberly has a [[public library]], a branch of the Little Dixie Regional Libraries.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.little-dixie.lib.mo.us/?page_id=15 | title=Branch Information | publisher=Little Dixie Regional Libraries | access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[File:Downtown Moberly, MO.jpg|thumb|West Reed Street, facing East from the United States post office building.]]
Moberly is served by The Omar Bradley Airport.  Commercial service is available 33 miles to the south in [[Columbia, Missouri|Columbia]] at the [[Columbia Regional Airport]] or the MO-X (an airport shuttle to and from [[Lambert-St. Louis International Airport|STL]] and [[Kansas City International Airport|MCI]]), 60 miles to the south in [[Jefferson City, Missouri|Jefferson City]] via the [[Amtrak]] station, 45 miles to the north in [[La Plata, Missouri|La Plata]] via the [[Amtrak]] station, or 55 miles to the North in [[Kirksville, Missouri|Kirksville]] at the [[Kirksville Regional Airport]].

The city is served by [[U.S. Route 63 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 63]] to the east on a bypass.  The old route is designated as both Business 63 and Morley Street and goes through town. [[U.S. Route 24 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 24]] goes through town as well.  Route M (formerly [[Route 3 (Missouri)|Route 3]]) also skirts the edge of town. Other routes include Route DD (indirectly goes to Sugar Creek Lake), EE, A, and AA (past the prison). At one time there was a Business 24 that ran from Morley Street via West Coates Street to Johnson Street to Concannon Street turning North on Holman St to current U.S. 24. This route was de-numbered in the late 1960s. State Route 22 was also multiplexed with U.S. 63 to U.S. 24. When U.S. 63 was re-routed in the mid-1960s Highway 22 was truncated to its current end at U.S. 63 near Sturgeon, MO.

The [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] serves Moberly running west toward [[Kansas City, Missouri]] and east toward [[Hannibal, Missouri]] and points on.  Norfolk Southern also runs south between Moberly and [[St. Louis, Missouri]] (via Centralia and Mexico, MO) and points on.  Moberly was once the northern terminus of the [[Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad]] that ran between Moberly and [[Boonville, Missouri]]. Much of this route is still somewhat visible in satellite images.

Moberly is home to one of Norfolk Southern's many rail yards. Norfolk Southern used to have a line that ran north from Moberly to [[Albia, Iowa]], but it was abandoned in the spring of 1992.  The line was reopened from 1993–1995 to help in recovery efforts after the great [[Flood of 1993]].  By 1997, the line was dismantled between Moberly and [[Moulton, Iowa]].

The [[Centerville, Iowa]]-owned [[Appanoose County Community Railroad]] currently operates the section from Moulton to [[Albia, Iowa]].

==Media==
Moberly is served by a [[weekly newspaper]], the ''[[Moberly Monitor-Index]]''. The [[Alpha Media|KWIX KRES KIRK KTCM]] radio stations operate from downtown.

==Notable people==
* [[George W. Althouse]], Nebraska state legislator
* [[Russ Ball]], NFL executive
* [[Omar Bradley]], United States Army general
* [[Brent Briscoe]], actor<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.brentbriscoe.com/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2022-07-13 |archive-date=2017-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925030107/http://brentbriscoe.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[David Clohessy]], executive director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
* [[Jack Conroy]], author and activist
* [[Jerry Doggett]], sports broadcaster
* [[Maud Durbin]], actress
* [[Jered Threatin|Jered Eames]], musician
* [[Brad Hunt (actor)|Brad Hunt]], actor
* [[Howard Wight Marshall]], professor, folk historian, and fiddler
* [[Leroy Matlock]], baseball pitcher in the [[Negro leagues]]
* [[Dennis L. McKiernan]], author
* [[Hartman Rector Jr.]], former LDS General Authority
* [[Luann Ridgeway]], politician
* [[Elizabeth Seifert]], author
* [[Melvin B. Tolson]], poet and professor at [[Wiley College]], poet laureate of [[Liberia]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
*{{cite news |ref={{SfnRef|''South Bend News-Times'', November 18,|1919}}|date= 1919|title= Attempt To Kill Four Negroes|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87055779/1919-11-18/ed-1/seq-6/|newspaper=[[South Bend News-Times]]|publisher=News-Times Print. Co.|location=South Bend, Saint Joseph, Indiana|issn=2377-7095|oclc=15568606|pages=1–16|access-date= November 17, 2019 }}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{EB1911 poster|Moberly}}
*[http://www.moberlymo.org/ City of Moberly]
*[http://www.moberly-edc.com/ Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation]
* Historic maps of Moberly in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138890 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]
* {{Cite NSRW|short=x|wstitle=Moberly, Mo.}}

{{Randolph County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Randolph County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]
[[Category:Columbia metropolitan area (Missouri)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1866]]
[[Category:1866 establishments in Missouri]]