Fredericktown, Missouri

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Fredericktown is the county seat of Madison County, Missouri. It is the largest city in the county, with a population of 3,985 at the 2010 census.

The city is among the oldest settlements in Missouri, having originated as a lead-mining center during the 18th and early 19th centuries. A number of locations in and around Fredericktown have been officially recognized for their historic significance.

History[edit]

Settlement in the Fredericktown area began in 1800, when the Spanish colonial government awarded some 400 arpents of land (around 340 acres) between the Saline and the Little St. Francois to thirteen individuals, mostly French farmers. The community they founded became known as St. Michaels (or St. Michel), which grew rapidly on account of its proximity to the lead-mining operations at Mine La Motte, a few miles to the north; after 1800, German Protestants in particular arrived in large numbers. However, St. Michaels suffered from frequent flooding by the Saline River, and after an especially damaging flood in 1814, most of the residents relocated to higher ground on the river's opposite bank. When a county seat for the newly-formed Madison County was being selected in 1819, the commissioners settled on this site as it was relatively close to the geographic center, and bought land from a citizen of the new community, Colonel Nathaniel Cook.^[1] It is generally believed the county seat was named "Fredericktown" in honor of Colonel George Frederick Bollinger, a settler of German descent who had been active in the territorial legislature and moreover was a close friend of Cook's (and for whom Bollinger County, then part of Madison County, would be named). There are some alternate explanations, such as its being named for Frederick Bates, then secretary of the Missouri Territory, or for Frederick the Great, king of Prussia, but these are not generally accepted.^[2]

The town enjoyed moderate prosperity during the antebellum era, but was heavily damaged during the Civil War, in which, owing to its proximity to the lead mines and to the main overland routes south from St. Louis, Union and Confederate forces fought several actions in the vicinity of Fredericktown between 1861 and 1864, including preliminaries to the Battle of Pilot Knob in 1864. Despite the devastation of the war, Fredericktown soon revived, especially after the completion of a branch of the Iron Mountain Railroad in 1869.^[3] The nearby mines, of lead as well as other valuable metals, would continue to be a source of local prosperity until after World War II, though farming remained an important element of the economy as well. After the decline of the lead mines, Fredericktown's population and economic strength fluctuated some, but its function as a seat of local government and a regional trade center has helped maintain its stability.

Geography[edit]

Fredericktown is located in north-central Madison County, along and just east of U.S. Route 67 at its intersection with Missouri State Highway 72, which skirts the town on the north. It is the largest community along U.S. 67 between Farmington (to the north) and Poplar Bluff (to the south). Its exact coordinates are 37°33’34”N 90°17’40”W.

The city has a total area of 4.50 square miles, including 4.33 of land and 0.17 of water.^[4] Like the rest of the county, Fredericktown lies within the St. Francois Mountains, though it is on relatively flat terrain between Saline Creek, which flows east to west just north of downtown, and the Little St. Francois, which the Saline flows into a short distance to the west. Its average elevation is 741 feet. The city is surrounded on the east, west, and south by a portion of the Mark Twain National Forest.

Fredericktown is directly adjoined by two small villages. These are Cobalt to the south, with a population of 226 at the 2010 census, and Junction City to the north (population 327).

Demographics[edit]

At the 2010 census, Fredericktown had a total of 3,985 inhabitants, grouped into 1,669 households, with a population density of 920.3 people per square mile. This figure marked a slight increase from the 2000 census, when Fredericktown had a population of 3,928. 96.41% of the inhabitants were White, 0.28% were African-American, 0.55% were Native American, 0.58% were Asian, 0.05% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 1.20% were from some other race, and 0.93% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.83% of the population.

The median age in Fredericktown was 38.6 years, with 24.4% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 9.2% between 18 and 24 years old, 23.2% between 25 and 44, 23.0% between 45 and 64, and 19.9% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 46.3% male, 53.7% female.^[5]

As of 2017, Fredericktown had a median household income of $30,160, and a median family income of $43,554. There was a per capita income of $19,952. The unemployment rate was 4.0%. About 25.3% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 19.4% of people under the age of 18.^[6]

Education[edit]

Fredericktown and the surrounding parts of Madison County are served by the Fredericktown R-I School District, a K-12 public institution with an enrollment of about 1,900 students. It is composed of two elementary schools, serving grades K-2 and 3-5, Fredericktown Middle School (6-8), and Fredericktown High School (9-12).^[7] The mascot is the Blackcats, and the school colors are black and yellow.

The city is also home to Faith Christian Academy, a private school operated by Faith Family Worship Center.

Economy[edit]

Historically, Fredericktown derived much of its prosperity from the mining of lead and other deposits in the surrounding region (especially nickel); however, the center of production gradually moved further north and west, and the last mine in the vicinity closed in 1961.^[8] Today, the city's chief economic activity revolves around county government, as well as its being the principal market between Farmington and Poplar Bluff. Most of the population is employed in education, health care, and retail trade, with the Fredericktown School District, Madison Medical Center, and Wal-Mart being among the largest employers.

The area has two public airports: A. Paul Vance Fredericktown Regional Airport, located three miles north of downtown and operated by the city, and the privately-owned Phillips Airport, four miles to the east.^[9]

Points of Interest[edit]

A number of locations in Fredericktown are on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Fredericktown Courthouse Square, the Fredericktown Pacific Railroad Depot (constructed 1917), the Fredericktown Post Office (1937), the Madison County Courthouse (1900), and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad Depot (1869).

The Silver Mines Recreation Area, containing the ruins of a 1920s silver mine as well as a tungsten mine from World War II, is located just west of the city, as is Black Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the St. Francois Mountains.

James Cooksey Earp (1841-1926), an older brother of the famous Western lawman Wyatt Earp, was wounded in a skirmish near Fredericktown in 1862 while serving in the 7th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. He was discharged shortly afterward.^[10]

References[edit]