Wentzville, Missouri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wentzville is a city located in St. Charles County, Missouri. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 13,825. The city is the home of a General Motors full size van assembly plant, the St. Charles County Fair and the Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Wentzville is located at 38°48'58" North, 90°51'26" West (38.816010, -90.857198)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.3 km² (14.4 mi²). 37.3 km² (14.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.07% is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there 13,931 people, 2,456 households, and 1,846 families residing in the city. The population density is 184.9/km² (478.9/mi²). There are 2,724 housing units at an average density of 73.0/km² (189.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 84.63% White, 12.02% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. 1.49% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,456 households out of which 43.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% are married couples living together, 17.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% are non-families. 20.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.76 and the average family size is 3.20.
In the city the population is spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $47,232, and the median income for a family is $53,082. Males have a median income of $38,423 versus $25,852 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,039. 11.6% of the population and 10.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.1% of those under the age of 18 and 13.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
[edit] History
Wentzville was founded in 1855 as a depot on the Northern Missouri Railroad. It was named after Erasmus Livingston Wentz, a railroad engineer for the line. The land was obtained from William M. Allen, who laid out the town. Wentzville was not incorporated until 1872.
During the American Civil War, the city was the site of a series of skirmishes along the railroad from July 15 to July 17, 1861. Elements of the 2nd and 8th Missouri Infantry Regiments en route to Mexico, Missouri engaged Confederate guerillas who were threatening the railroad.
Notable natives include rock and roll legend Chuck Berry. The song "Back to Wentzville" by George Thorogood is a tribute to the city of Wentzville and its native Chuck Berry.
Wentzville is located at the intersection of Interstate 70/US Route 40 and US Route 61, leading to its self-designation of "Crossroads of the Nation".
The high-school mascot for Wentzville Holt high school is the Indian, and the high-school mascot for Wentzville Timberland high school is the wolf.
[edit] External links
- Wentzville, Missouri
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
