Leadwood, Missouri

Leadwood is a city in central St. Francois County, Missouri, named for the numerous lead deposits discovered in the area. It had a population of 1,282 at the 2010 census.

History[edit]

The exact date of settlement at Leadwood is uncertain, though a post office was in place by 1902 at the latest, at which time the community was called Owl Creek after a nearby stream. As might be surmised, its present name (which it had received by 1910) came from the forested nature of the general area, and the existence of significant lead deposits nearby.^[1] Leadwood was a mining town throughout the first part of its existence, and like many such communities in the area, was not even incorporated for a long time, being owned by the St. Joseph Lead Company that operated the local mines; its permanent population fluctuated significantly depending on the level of mining activity.^[2]

A minor but still significant source of production in the "Old Lead Belt," the Leadwood mine closed down in 1962.^[3] Unlike other former mining towns, which have found ways to diversify and recover lost ground, Leadwood has generally declined since that point, though there were signs of a revival in the 2000s.

Geography[edit]

Leadwood is located along Missouri State Highway 8 in west-central St. Francois County, about four miles west of Park Hills and four miles southwest of Bonne Terre. Its exact coordinates are 37°51’52”N 90°35’26”W.

The city is located within the St. Francois Mountains, with the Big River passing just to the northeast and Owl Creek, for which Leadwood was originally named, flowing into it a short distance to the east. It has a total land area of 1.16 square miles, and an average elevation of 805 feet.^[4]

Demographics[edit]

At the 2010 census, Leadwood had a total of 1,282 inhabitants, grouped into 456 households, with a population density of 1,105.2 people per square mile. This figure marked a significant increase from the 2000 census, when Leadwood had a population of 1,160. 98.99% of the inhabitants were White, 0.08% were African-American, 0.16% were Native American, 0.16% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.23% were from some other race, and 0.39% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 0.86% of the population.

The median age in Leadwood was 32.8 years, with 28.8% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 11.9% between 18 and 24 years old, 25.6% between 25 and 44, 23.2% between 45 and 64, and 10.5% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 49.6% male, 50.4% female.^[5]

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Leadwood had a median household income of $32,438, and a median family income of $35,972. The unemployment rate was 10.3%. The per capita income was $15,458. About 24.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 26.3% of people under the age of 18 and 15.5% of people 65 years old or older.^[6]

Education[edit]

Leadwood and the surrounding area are served by the West St. Francois County R-IV School District, a PK-12 public institution with a total enrollment of approximately 1,000 students.^[7] Its mascot is the Bulldogs, and the school colors are purple and white.^[8]

References[edit]