Cardwell, Missouri

On January 1, 1893, the Paragould Southeastern Railway, originally a tramway, began construction to extend its mainline from Paragould, Arkansas eastward into the Missouri Bootheel.{{cite web|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yqUIjbBgY-IC&q=Paragould |title= Valuation Docket No. 142, St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, et al|date= April 26, 2024|accessdate=March 26, 2024}} By November 1894, the line had been graded to the new townsite and it was being advertised in local papers that plotts were being sold.{{Cite news |date=1894-11-08 |title=Cardwell, Mo history |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-dunklin-democrat-cardwell-mo/160771975/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=The Daily Dunklin Democrat |pages=4}} On January 19, 1895, the first train was reported to have arrived in Cardwell, and platting continued into the following year by the Bertig family of Paragould, AR, and a post office was established soon after.{{cite web|url=http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_dunklin.html |title=Dunklin County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived) |publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri |access-date=29 September 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071947/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_dunklin.html |archive-date=24 June 2016 }}{{Cite news |date=1938-04-19 |title=Cardwell, One of Newest Towns in County Started as a Saw Mill Town |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-dunklin-democrat-cardwell-one/160770901/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=The Daily Dunklin Democrat |pages=52}}{{cite web |title=Post Offices |url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Dunklin |access-date=29 September 2016 |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History}}{{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=1916 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ/page/n62 165]}}{{Cite news |date=1895-01-17 |title=First Train Expected at Cardwell, MO on Saturday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-dunklin-democrat-first-train-e/160772323/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=The Daily Dunklin Democrat |pages=4}} A school district was established for Cardwell in 1899, and that July a contract was let for the construction of a two story brick school building.{{Cite news |date=1899-07-14 |title=Cardwell, Missouri |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-dunklin-democrat-cardwell-mis/84790169/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=The Daily Dunklin Democrat |pages=3}}

In 1902, the Paragould and Memphis Railroad, a "tap line" built a link between Cardwell and Manila, AR. This line was mostly used to haul lumber.{{Cite web |title=Tap Line Case 234 U.S. 1 |year=1914 |url=https://ttarchive.com/library/Articles/Paragould-Memphis_ICC-Tap-Line.html |work=Texas Transportation Archive }} In 1904, the city of Cardwell was formally incorporated.{{Cite book |last=Douglass |first=Robert Sidney |title=History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests |publisher=The Lewis Pub. Co. |year=1912 |location=Chicago}}

Cardwell is situated in the southwestern corner of Missouri's Bootheel, with the Missouri-Arkansas state line lying both to the west and south. Missouri Route 164 traverses Cardwell, connecting the city with Arbyrd and Hornersville to the east. U.S. Route 412 passes just south and east of Cardwell. Paragould, Arkansas is ten miles to the west on Route 412. The St. Francis River follows the state line two miles to the west of the community.Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer, DeLorme, 1st ed., 1998, p. 70, {{isbn|0899332242}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|0.63|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |access-date=2012-07-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-07-02 }}

Cardwell experiences a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and generally cold winters.

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|Jan high F = 46

|Feb high F = 51

|Mar high F = 61

|Apr high F =71

|May high F = 80

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|Jul high F = 91

|Aug high F = 90

|Sep high F = 84

|Oct high F = 73

|Nov high F = 60

|Dec high F = 49

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|Jan low F = 29

|Feb low F = 33

|Mar low F = 41

|Apr low F = 50

|May low F = 60

|Jun low F = 68

|Jul low F = 71

|Aug low F = 70

|Sep low F = 62

|Oct low F = 50

|Nov low F = 40

|Dec low F = 32

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.3

|Feb precipitation inch =4.1

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.7

|Apr precipitation inch = 5.2

|May precipitation inch = 5.2

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.5

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.8

|Aug precipitation inch =3.4

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.2

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.3

|Nov precipitation inch = 5.0

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.9

|source 1 = NOAA

|date=March 2021 |source=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov

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{{US Census population

|1900= 502

|1910= 874

|1920= 1043

|1930= 861

|1940= 913

|1950= 952

|1960= 816

|1970= 859

|1980= 831

|1990= 792

|2000= 789

|2010= 713

|2020= 561

|footnote=source:{{cite web|url = http://mcdc.missouri.edu/trends/tables/cities1900-1990.pdf|title = Missouri Population 1900 - 1990|format = CSV|publisher = Missouri Census Data Center|access-date = 6 October 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140704072802/http://mcdc.missouri.edu/trends/tables/cities1900-1990.pdf|archive-date = 2014-07-04|url-status = dead}}

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As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2012-07-08}} of 2010, there were 713 people, 317 households, and 180 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1131.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 386 housing units at an average density of {{convert|612.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.35% White, 0.42% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 1.12% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.37% of the population.

There were 317 households, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% were married couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.2% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.95.

The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 789 people, 345 households, and 218 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,246.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 387 housing units at an average density of {{convert|611.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.34% White, 0.89% African American, 0.63% Native American, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of the population.

There were 345 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,042, and the median income for a family was $27,361. Males had a median income of $25,179 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,207. About 25.1% of families and 27.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.0% of those under age 18 and 22.7% of those age 65 or over.

Southland C-9 School District, which covers the municipality,{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29069_dunklin/DC20SD_C29069.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Dunklin County, MO|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2025-05-30}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29069_dunklin/DC20SD_C29069_SD2MS.txt Text list] operates two schools in Cardwell: Southland Elementary School and Southland High School.{{cite web | url=https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/cardwell/southland-c_9-school-district/schools/ | title=Southland C-9 School District | publisher=Greatschools | access-date=18 March 2018}}

Cardwell has a public library, a branch of the Dunklin County Library.{{cite web | url=http://dunklin-co.lib.mo.us | title=Locations | publisher=Dunklin County Library | access-date=17 March 2018}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Cardwell, Missouri}}
• Historic maps of Cardwell in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138742 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the University of Missouri

{{Dunklin County, Missouri}}

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Category:Cities in Dunklin County, Missouri

Category:Cities in Missouri