Osceola, Missouri

Located on the Osage River, the land that became the town of Osceola was inhabited by the tribe of Osage Native Americans, also known as NiuKonska, Native Americans who gave the river its name. NiuKonska means "Little Ones of the Middle Waters". Two treaties, in 1808 and 1825, signed by the Osage and the U.S. government gave up all the tribe's land in Missouri. With the way cleared for non-native settlers, more people began to arrive in the St. Clair County area in the mid-1830s. The town is named after the famous Seminole Chief Osceola. The name was first used at a Town Board meeting on March 30, 1859.

The town was the site of the September 1861 Sacking of Osceola by Jayhawkers (anti-slavery patrols) in which the town was burned and its courthouse looted. The town of 2,077 people was plundered and burned to the ground, 200 slaves were freed and nine local citizens were court-martialed and executed.{{cite web | url=https://missourilife.com/the-1861-jayhawker-raid-in-osceola/ | title=The 1861 Jayhawker Raid in Osceola | date=March 31, 2020 }} The event inspired the 1976 Clint Eastwood film The Outlaw Josey Wales.

In September 2011, on the 150th anniversary of the Sacking of Osceola, the Osceola Board of Aldermen passed a resolution asking the University of Kansas to no longer to use "Jayhawk" as its mascot and nickname. Further, the resolution asks Missouri residents to stop spelling Kansas or "KU" with a capital letter because "neither is a proper name or a proper place".{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/state/missouri/town-in-missouri-using-name-change-request-to-educate-about-civil-war|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908233015/http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/state/missouri/town-in-missouri-using-name-change-request-to-educate-about-civil-war|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 8, 2012|title=Mo. town calls on KU to drop Jayhawk mascot|publisher = KSHB-TV aka "NBC Action News.com"|date=2011-09-17|access-date=2011-09-22}}

The Osceola Public School Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|0.94|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.91|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.03|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{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/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=2012-01-25}}

{{Weather box

|location = Osceola, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1955–present)

|single line = Y

|width = auto

| Jan record high F = 76

| Feb record high F = 83

| Mar record high F = 90

| Apr record high F = 97

| May record high F = 97

| Jun record high F = 104

| Jul record high F = 110

| Aug record high F = 110

| Sep record high F = 107

| Oct record high F = 96

| Nov record high F = 85

| Dec record high F = 76

| year record high F = 110

| Jan high F = 42.4

| Feb high F = 47.3

| Mar high F = 58.3

| Apr high F = 67.5

| May high F = 76.9

| Jun high F = 85.5

| Jul high F = 90.3

| Aug high F = 89.3

| Sep high F = 80.9

| Oct high F = 69.8

| Nov high F = 56.5

| Dec high F = 45.7

| year high F = 67.5

| Jan mean F = 31.7

| Feb mean F = 35.9

| Mar mean F = 46.4

| Apr mean F = 56.0

| May mean F = 65.8

| Jun mean F = 74.8

| Jul mean F = 79.2

| Aug mean F = 77.8

| Sep mean F = 69.2

| Oct mean F = 57.8

| Nov mean F = 45.4

| Dec mean F = 35.4

| year mean F = 56.3

| Jan low F = 21.0

| Feb low F = 24.6

| Mar low F = 34.5

| Apr low F = 44.4

| May low F = 54.6

| Jun low F = 64.0

| Jul low F = 68.1

| Aug low F = 66.2

| Sep low F = 57.5

| Oct low F = 45.7

| Nov low F = 34.2

| Dec low F = 25.0

| year low F = 45.0

| Jan record low F = −19

| Feb record low F = −20

| Mar record low F = −5

| Apr record low F = 19

| May record low F = 23

| Jun record low F = 41

| Jul record low F = 44

| Aug record low F = 44

| Sep record low F = 29

| Oct record low F = 20

| Nov record low F = 0

| Dec record low F = −25

| year record low F = −25

| precipitation colour= green

| Jan precipitation inch = 1.87

| Feb precipitation inch = 2.09

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.80

| Apr precipitation inch = 4.62

| May precipitation inch = 5.52

| Jun precipitation inch = 5.12

| Jul precipitation inch = 4.57

| Aug precipitation inch = 3.82

| Sep precipitation inch = 4.02

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.49

| Nov precipitation inch = 3.12

| Dec precipitation inch = 2.20

| year precipitation inch = 43.24

| Jan snow inch = 4.4

| Feb snow inch = 1.5

| Mar snow inch = 0.9

| Apr snow inch = 0.0

| May snow inch = 0.0

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.0

| Nov snow inch = 0.2

| Dec snow inch = 3.1

| year snow inch = 10.1

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 4.9

| Feb precipitation days = 5.1

| Mar precipitation days = 7.1

| Apr precipitation days = 8.0

| May precipitation days = 9.3

| Jun precipitation days = 8.1

| Jul precipitation days = 7.6

| Aug precipitation days = 6.1

| Sep precipitation days = 7.0

| Oct precipitation days = 7.4

| Nov precipitation days = 5.9

| Dec precipitation days = 4.9

| year precipitation days = 81.4

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 2.1

| Feb snow days = 0.6

| Mar snow days = 0.5

| Apr snow days = 0.0

| May snow days = 0.0

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.0

| Oct snow days = 0.0

| Nov snow days = 0.4

| Dec snow days = 0.9

| year snow days = 4.5

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=sgf

| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = August 2, 2021}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00236402&format=pdf

| title = Station: Osceola, MO

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = August 2, 2021}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1860= 314

|1870= 331

|1880= 373

|1890= 995

|1900= 1037

|1910= 1114

|1920= 1025

|1930= 1043

|1940= 1190

|1950= 1082

|1960= 1066

|1970= 874

|1980= 841

|1990= 755

|2000= 835

|2010= 947

|2020= 909

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{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}}

}}

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 947 people, 394 households, and 225 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1040.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 502 housing units at an average density of {{convert|551.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White, 1.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 394 households, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.9% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.81.

The median age in the city was 39.7 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 20.2% 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 835 people, 373 households, and 207 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|896.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 472 housing units at an average density of {{convert|506.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.37% White, 0.36% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 373 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,563, and the median income for a family was $27,250. Males had a median income of $26,786 versus $15,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,247. About 13.5% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

Public education in Osceola is administered by Osceola School District.{{cite web | url=http://www.osceola.k12.mo.us | title=Homepage | publisher=Osceola School District | access-date=4 June 2019}}

Osceola has a public library, the Saint Clair County Library.{{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}}

The Osceola Chamber of Commerce hosts various activities. The Osceola Rodeo is the biggest event of the year, and Rodeo Daze is held annually on Labor Day weekend. This event includes the street dance, food vendors, and the Rodeo Daze Parade. The annual street dance is held on the Thursday before Labor Day.

Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Jefferson Lines.{{cite web|url=https://www.jeffersonlines.com/bus-stops/missouri/|title=Missouri Bus Stops|access-date=July 21, 2023}}

Osceola is the birthplace of Rooster Cogburn in Charles Portis's 1968 novel True Grit.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FeOinIzH49kC&q=osceola|title=True Grit|publisher=Overlook Press|year=2004|access-date=2011-11-04|isbn=9781590206508}} The pillaging of Osceola by Kansas Jayhawkers and Red Legs is thought to have provided Cogburn's motive for taking part in William Quantrill's infamous sack of Lawrence, Kansas which serves as a biographical background to the story.{{cite web|url=http://www.anamnesisjournal.com/issues/2-web-essays/21-rooster-redux|title=Rooster Redux|publisher=Anamnesis|year=2011|access-date=2011-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918031028/http://www.anamnesisjournal.com/issues/2-web-essays/21-rooster-redux|archive-date=2011-09-18|url-status=dead}} Osceola is the main theme for Osceola, Missouri, The Burning of 1861, by Richard F. Sunderwirth.

• Karolyn Grimes, child actress{{cite book|last=Curran|first=Thomas P.|title=Millionaire Legacy: 8 Millionaire Success Strategies for Achieving Financial and Emotional Wealth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ed8wCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA186|date=26 January 2016|publisher=Morgan James Publishing|isbn=978-1-63047-670-0|page=186}}
• Waldo Johnson, United States Senator
• Thomas Marquis, physician and writer
• Tammy Williams, softball player
• Warren Love, Missouri representative

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.cityofosceolamo.com/ City of Osceola]
• [http://www.osceolamochamber.com/ Osceola Chamber of Commerce]
• Historic maps of Osceola in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138921 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the University of Missouri

{{St. Clair County, Missouri}}

{{Missouri county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in St. Clair County, Missouri

Category:County seats in Missouri

Category:Cities in Missouri

Category:Populated places destroyed during the American Civil War