Editing Wright City, Missouri

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Wright city town hall.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Wright City town hall.
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Warren_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Wright_City_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Wright City, 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        = [[Warren County, Missouri|Warren]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Michelle Heiliger<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrightcity.org/CityHallFrameset-3.html | title=City Hall | publisher=City of Wright City, MO | access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|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           = 15.95
|area_land_km2            = 15.70
|area_water_km2           = 0.25
|area_total_sq_mi         = 6.16
|area_land_sq_mi          = 6.06
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.10

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 5575
|pop_est_as_of            = 2023
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 4881
|population_density_km2   = 310.98
|population_density_sq_mi = 805.45

<!-- 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_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 732
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|49|40|N|91|1|27|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 63390
|area_code                = [[Area code 636|636]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 29-81124<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              = 0736368<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|736368}}</ref>
|website                  = http://www.wrightcity.org
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Wright City''' is a city in [[Warren County, Missouri|Warren County]], [[Missouri]], United States. It is located on Interstate 70 at mile marker 200 approximately {{convert|50|mi|km}} west of downtown St. Louis. Wright City is a small, semi-rural community area with primarily single-family housing, with some multi-family dwellings. The population was 3,119 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]]. It has a number of small stores and restaurants. It has various types of light to heavy industrial businesses.

==History==
Wright City was laid out in 1857, and was named after Dr. Henry C. Wright, a first settler.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfAuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA369 | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1918 | pages=369}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_warren.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071057/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_warren.html | archive-date = June 24, 2016 | url-status = live | title=Warren County Place Names, 1928–1945 | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri| access-date= December 30, 2016}}</ref> A post office called Wright City has been in operation since 1858.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Warren | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref>
The [[Southwestern Bell Repeater Station-Wright City]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2007.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
Wright City is located at {{Coord|38|49|40|N|91|1|27|W|type:city}} (38.827878, -91.024280).<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|6.06|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|5.97|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.09|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>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| align = left
| 1880 = 393
| 1890 = 383
| 1900 = 336
| 1910 = 377
| 1920 = 402
| 1930 = 429
| 1940 = 436
| 1950 = 543
| 1960 = 738
| 1970 = 943
| 1980 = 1179
| 1990 = 1250
| 2000 = 1532
| 2010 = 3119
| 2020 = 4881
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 5575
| 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 3,119 people, 1,178 households, and 823 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|522.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,288 housing units at an average density of {{convert|215.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 87.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.7% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 3.7% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 3.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 7.2% of the population.

There were 1,178 households, of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 31 years. 29.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.4% were from 25 to 44; 21.2% were from 45 to 64; and 8.8% 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 1,532 people, 608 households, and 403 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|612.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 661 housing units at an average density of {{convert|264.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 88.77% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.27% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.72% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.07% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.74% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.44% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.20% of the population.

There were 608 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,179, and the median income for a family was $35,563. Males had a median income of $28,977 versus $21,607 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,153. About 12.5% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

== Education ==
Public education in Wright City is administered by [[Wright City R-II School District]], which operates two elementary schools, one middle school, and [[Wright City High School]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/wright-city/wright-city-r_ii-of-warren-county-school-district/ | title=Wright City R-Ii Of Warren County School District | publisher=Great Schools | access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref> Liberty Christian Academy is a private institution for students in kindergarten through grade twelve.

Wright City has a [[public library]], a branch of the Scenic Regional Library system.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://scenicregional.org/about-us/locations-and-hours/ | title=Locations and Hours | publisher=Scenic Regional Library | access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref>

==Arts and culture==
From 1992 to 2007, Wright City was home to the Elvis Is Alive Museum, run by Baptist minister [[Bill Beeny]] in his local general store, which explored Beeny's theory that the singer [[Elvis Presley]] is still living.<ref>Malcolm Gay, [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/us/08elvis.html "Giving Up the Memorabilia, but Not the Belief: Elvis Lives,"] ''New York Times'', 8 Nov. 2007</ref> In 2007, Beeny sold the museum's collection of artifacts on [[eBay]], and the museum briefly reopened in [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi]] before being placed into storage.<ref>Joel Currier, [http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/E6AB7511255D3FC6862574CC005A8F38?OpenDocument "Wanna Buy an Elvis Museum?"] ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', 22 Sept. 2008.</ref>

==Notable people==
Two American theologians, the brothers [[Reinhold Niebuhr]] and [[H. Richard Niebuhr]] were born in Wright City in 1892 and 1894 respectively.

The actor [[Rand Brooks]], best known for the role of Charles Hamilton in ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'', was born in Wright City.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rand Brooks Gets Big Movie Role|date=1939-02-03|work=Warrenton Banner|page=1|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* Historic maps of Wright City in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A139016 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]

{{Warren County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Warren County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]