Editing Peculiar, Missouri

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Peculiar, Missouri
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Peculiar sign, Peculiar Missouri 7-2-2007.jpg
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|image_caption            = Sign directing travelers to Peculiar
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|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Cass_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Peculiar_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location of Peculiar, Missouri
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<!-- 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        = [[Cass County, Missouri|Cass]]
|government_footnotes     = 
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<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
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|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 23.59
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|area_land_sq_mi          = 9.06
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<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
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|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 5621
|population_density_km2   = 239.41
|population_density_sq_mi = 620.08

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
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|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 997
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|43|09|N|94|27|31|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 64078
|area_code                = [[Area codes 816 and 975|816, 975]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 29-56756<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              = 2396171<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396171}}</ref>
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}}
'''Peculiar''' is a city in [[Cass County, Missouri|Cass County]], [[Missouri]] and is part of the [[Kansas City metropolitan area]] within the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marc.org/Data-Economy/Metrodataline/General-Information/Statistical-Areas | title=Population Data and Maps &#124; MARC | access-date=2019-10-17 | archive-date=2014-09-16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140916081942/http://www.marc.org/Data-Economy/Metrodataline/General-Information/Statistical-Areas | url-status=dead }}</ref> The population was 5,621 at the 2020 census. The town motto is "Where the 'odds' are with you."

==History==
Early settlers of the town came to Western Missouri by riverboat from [[Illinois]], [[Iowa]], [[Michigan]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[Ohio]]. Peculiar also had families coming from [[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]], and [[Virginia]].<ref name="cityofpeculiar.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.cityofpeculiar.com|title=City of Peculiar, Missouri - Official Website}}</ref> On July 29, 1868, the county surveyor, Robert Cass, [[platted]] Peculiar and was filed as "The Town of Peculiar".<ref name="cityofpeculiar.com"/>

There are at least two versions of the story on how Peculiar received its name. The first involves the community's first postmaster, Edgar Thomson. His first choice for a town name, "Excelsior," was rejected because it already existed in [[Atchison County, Missouri]]. Several other choices were also rejected. The story goes that the annoyed Thomson wrote to the [[United States Postmaster General|Postmaster General]] himself to complain saying, among other things, "We don't care what name you give us so long as it is sort of 'peculiar'." Thomson submitted the name "Peculiar" and the name was approved. The [[post office]] was established on June 22, 1868.<ref>'Indecision leads to Peculiar', by Stan Durnin, ''Linn's Stamp News'', n.d.</ref>

In an alternate version, according to Missouri folklorist Margot Ford McMillen, early settlers were searching for a location to farm. As they cleared a small rise and looked below, one remarked ''"Well that's peculiar! It's the very place I saw in a vision back in Connecticut."'' The land was purchased and eventually a village sprang up on it, which was named "Peculiar".<ref>{{cite book|last=McMillen|first=Margot Ford|title=''Paris, Tightwad and Peculiar: Missouri Place Names''|year=1994|publisher=University of Missouri Press|page=6|location=Columbia, Missouri|isbn=0-8262-0972-6}}</ref>

Peculiar [[Municipal corporation|incorporated]] as a village in the 1890s and became a fourth class city of the state of Missouri in 1953.<ref name="cityofpeculiar.com"/>

The city celebrated its [[centenary]] in July 1968. The celebrations continued for nine days and included an antique show and sale, a [[Lions Club International|Lions Club]] championship [[rodeo]], and an open class Western horse show.<ref>Centennial booklet, 1968</ref>

==Government==
Peculiar is governed by a [[Mayor–council government]] system. The mayor is elected to a two-year term. The town council, called the Board of Aldermen, is composed of six members. Two members are elected from each of the three wards in the city. One alderman is elected each year for each ward to serve a two-year term.<ref>[http://www.cityofpeculiar.com/history.aspx History of Peculiar]. Retrieved 2010-03-27.</ref>

==Geography==
Peculiar is located adjacent to [[U.S. Route 71 in Missouri|U.S. Route 71]] and the [[BNSF Railway|Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway]]. Old Peculiar lies one mile to the east along the banks of the East Fork East Branch [[South Grand River]].<ref>''Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 1st ed. 1998, p.34 {{isbn|0899332242}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|8.45|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|8.41|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 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-07-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 12, 2012 }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Expand section|small=no|date=May 2025}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 104
|1910= 205
|1920= 283
|1930= 227
|1940= 206
|1950= 267
|1960= 458
|1970= 705
|1980= 1571
|1990= 1777
|2000= 2604
|2010= 4608
|2020= 5621
|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 4,608 people, 1,704 households, and 1,268 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|547.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,816 housing units at an average density of {{convert|215.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.0% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.8% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.7% of the population.

There were 1,704 households, of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.12.

The median age in the city was 32.8 years. 29.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 10% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,604 people, 953 households, and 730 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|744.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 983 housing units at an average density of {{convert|281.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.20% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.27% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.42% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.35% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.50% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.46% of the population.

There were 953 households, out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,769, and the median income for a family was $48,534. Males had a median income of $36,921 versus $27,885 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $19,104. About 5.7% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Public education in Peculiar is administered by [[Raymore-Peculiar R-II School District]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.raypec.k12.mo.us | title=Homepage | publisher=Raymore-Peculiar R-Ii School District | access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref>

Peculiar has a [[public library]], the 	Peculiar 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=2 June 2019}}</ref>

== Media ==

=== Music ===
In 2022, folksinger [[Willi Carlisle]] created an album titled ''Peculiar, Missouri'';<ref>{{cite web | last1=Carlisle | first1=Willi | title=Willi Carlisle| url=https://www.willicarlisle.com/|website=Willi Carlisle | access-date= 13 February 2023}}</ref> referencing the town of Peculiar, with one song mentioning a local Walmart and its "hideous halogen bulbs" in the general area of the same name.

==Notable people==
*[[Pete Brewster]], football end, coach, and collegiate football and basketball player
*[[Carson Coffman]], [[Arena Football League|AFL]] player for the [[Spokane Shock]]
*[[Chase Coffman]], [[NFL]] tight end for the [[Indianapolis Colts]]
*[[Paul Coffman]], [[NFL]] player for the [[Minnesota Vikings]]
*[[Brutus Hamilton]], decathlete and track and field coach
*[[Tonya Knight]], bodybuilder
*[[Austin Petersen]], writer, political activist, commentator, and broadcaster

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cass County, Missouri}}
{{Kansas City MSA}}
{{Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Cass County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1868]]
[[Category:1868 establishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]