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Monroe County, Missouri
The Monroe County Courthouse in Paris
Location in the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded	January 6, 1831
Named for	James Monroe
Seat	Paris
Largest city	Monroe City
Area
• Total	670 sq mi (1,735 km2)
• Land	648 sq mi (1,678 km2)
• Water	23 sq mi (60 km2), 3.4%
Population (est.)
• (2015)	8,583
• Density	14/sq mi (5/km2)
Congressional district	6th
Time zone	Central: UTC−6/−5

Monroe County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,840.^[1] Its county seat is Paris.^[2]

History

The county was organized January 6, 1831^[3] and named for James Monroe, fifth President of the United States.^[4]

Monroe County was one of several along the Missouri River settled by migrants from the Upper South, especially Kentucky and Tennessee. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. They also brought characteristic antebellum architecture and culture. The county was considered at the heart of what was called Little Dixie.^[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 670 square miles (1,700 km²), of which 648 square miles (1,680 km²) is land and 23 square miles (60 km²) (3.4%) is water.^[6]

Adjacent counties

• 
  Shelby County (north)


• 
  Marion County (northeast)


• 
  Ralls County (east)


• 
  Audrain County (south)


• 
  Randolph County (west)

Major highways

• 
  U.S. Route 24
  


• 
  U.S. Route 36
  


• 
  Route 15
  


• 
  Route 107
  


• 
  Route 151
  

Demographics

As of the census^[12] of 2010, there were 8,840 people, 3,656 households, and 2,566 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 4,565 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.66% White, 3.83% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Approximately 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.7% were of German, 23.2% American, 14.2% English and 11.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,656 households out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,871, and the median income for a family was $36,895. Males had a median income of $26,534 versus $20,440 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,695. About 8.30% of families and 11.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Local

The Democratic Party used to control politics at the local level in Monroe County. Democrats hold all but two of the elected positions in the county.

State

Monroe County is divided into two representative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, both represented by Republicans.

• District 5 — Lindell F. Shumake (R-Hannibal). Consists of Monroe City and the northern part of the county.

• District 40 – Jim Hansen (R-Frankford). Consists of the communities of Florida, Holliday, Madison, Paris, Santa Fe, and Stoutsville.

Monroe County is a part of Missouri’s 10th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Jeanie Riddle (R-Fulton).

Federal

Monroe County is included in Missouri's 6th congressional district and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Political culture

Monroe County was one of only two jurisdictions in Missouri to be carried by Democrat George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election against incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon, the other being the city of St. Louis. Monroe County was first carried by a Republican in 1976 by John Danforth in the U.S. Senate race. In 1984, Ronald Reagan became the first Republican candidate for president to win the county. Since 2000, the county has voted Republican in federal and state elections.

Missouri presidential preference primary (2016)

In the April 2016 presidential primary, Republicans out voted Democrats more than 3-to-1, 1,600 votes in the GOP primary compared to 495 in the Democrat. In 2016’s August primary, Republicans out voted Democrats 895 to 698.

Education

Public schools

• 
  Holliday C-2 School District – Holliday
  
  • Holliday Elementary School (K-08)
  
  


• 
  Madison C-3 School District – Madison
  
  
  
  • Madison Elementary School (PK-06)
  
  
  • Madison High School (07-12)
  
  
  
  


• Middle Grove C-1 School District – Madison
  
  • Middle Grove Elementary School (K-08)
  
  


• 
  Monroe City R-I School District – Monroe City
  
  
  
  • Monroe City Elementary School (PK-04)
  
  
  • Monroe City Middle School (05-08)
  
  
  • Monroe City High School (09-12)
  
  
  
  


• 
  Paris R-II School District – Paris
  
  
  
  • Paris Elementary School (PK-06)
  
  
  • Paris Junior High School (07-08)
  
  
  • Paris High School (09-12)
  
  
  
  

Private schools

• 
  Holy Rosary School – Monroe City (K-09) – Roman Catholic
  


• 
  Foundation for Life Christian School – Paris (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian
  

Public libraries

Monroe City Public Library^[14]

Cities and towns

Notable people

• 
  Mark Twain, American author and humorist, was born in Monroe County. The Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site in Mark Twain State Park commemorates this occasion.^[15]
  


• 
  Xenophon Overton Pindall, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Arkansas State Senate and Acting Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas^[16]
  


• 
  Eli C. D. Shortridge, third Governor of North Dakota from 1893 to 1895' raised in Monroe County.^[17]
  

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Monroe County, Missouri

References

External links

• 
  Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Monroe County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books


• Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Coordinates: 39°30′N 92°00′W / 39.50°N 92.00°W / 39.50; -92.00