Lewis County, Missouri: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:27, 27 March 2025

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The Lewis County, Missouri courthouse in Monticello as it appeared in the mid-1870s.

Lewis County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,032.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Monticello.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was organized January 2, 1833, and named for Meriwether Lewis, the explorer and Governor of the Louisiana Territory.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Lewis County is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Clark County (north)
Hancock County, Illinois (northeast)
Adams County, Illinois (southeast)
Marion County (south)
Shelby County (southwest)
Knox County (west)

Major highways

Transit

Railroads

BNSF Railway

History

Template:Further Lewis County, located in the northeastern part of Missouri, across the Mississippi River from Illinois. It was established in 1833 and named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The county was largely settled by farmers from Virginia and Kentucky. They brought slaves and were attracted to the fertile land and easy river transportation. The economy was based on subsistence agriculture, timber harvesting, and lead mining. In addition. Canton supplied riverboats on the Mississippi. During the Civil War, the county became the base for rival pro-Confederate and pro-Union sympathizers; there was some violence but the Unionists prevailed.<ref>George R. Lee, “Slavery and Emancipation in Lewis County, Missouri,” Missouri Historical Review 65#3 (April 1971), p. 294-313.</ref>

After the Civil War, the slaves were emancipated and the county's economy shifted towards commercial agriculture, with the production of corn, wheat and timber that were shipped through Canton, a port on the Mississippi River. In the late 19th and early 20th century, farm youth moved into small towns, particularly in the western part of the county. Mark Twain lived in the county briefly and was inspired by the natural beauty of the river region for his writing.<ref>Lewis County Historical and Genealogical Society, Lewis County, Missouri: a Bicentennial History (2016).</ref>

Today, Lewis County is all rural, with a few small towns under 2500 population, and Canton at 2800. The economy is built on soybeans, corn and timber, as well as higher education. Canton is the home of Culver–Stockton College. The National Register of Historic Places celebrates 12 historic locations in the county.

Demographics

Template:US Census population

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 10,211 people, 3,956 households, and 2,709 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 95.92% White, 2.53% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Approximately 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.9% were of German, 18.3% American, 11.2% English and 10.8% Irish ancestry.

The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 12.90% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older and 51% of female population. The median age was 36 years.

Median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,740. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $19,679 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,746. 16.10% of the population and 10.70% of families were below the poverty line.

2020 Census

Lewis County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	9,315	92.9%
Black or African American (NH)	185	1.84%
Native American (NH)	30	0.3%
Asian (NH)	22	0.22%
Pacific Islander (NH)	0	0%
Other/Mixed (NH)	315	3.14%
Hispanic or Latino	165	1.64%

Education

Public schools

Canton R-V School District – Canton
- Canton Elementary School (PK-06)
- Canton High School (07-12)
Lewis County C-1 School District – Ewing
- Highland Elementary School (K-06)
- Highland Junior-Senior High School (07-12)

Private schools

Cedar Falls School – Canton (K-12) – Nonsectarian

Post-secondary

Culver-Stockton College – Canton – A private, four-year Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) university.

Public libraries

Canton Public Library<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Labelle Branch Library<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Lagrange Branch Library<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Communities

Cities and towns

Unincorporated communities

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Politics

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Local

Template:Missouri county elected officials

Chris Flanagan was appointed to the position of County Clerk by Governor Jay Nixon. The office had previously been held by Regina Dredge.

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2024	80.97% 3,573	17.13% 756	1.90% 84
2020	79.64% 3,638	19.26% 880	1.10% 50
2016	63.53% 2,815	33.65% 1,491	2.82% 125
2012	48.24% 2,046	49.54% 2,101	2.22% 94
2008	56.79% 2,533	41.05% 1,831	2.16% 96
2004	67.03% 3,084	31.32% 1,441	1.65% 76
2000	50.03% 2,224	48.46% 2,154	1.51% 67
1996	22.77% 948	75.23% 3,132	1.99% 83

Federal

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Template:Main Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 619, than any candidate from either party in Lewis County during the 2008 presidential primary.

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