Caruthersville, Missouri

History

Caruthersville lies in Missouri's Bootheel on the Mississippi River. The word "Pemiscot" comes from the word pemiskaw, meaning "liquid mud" in the Fox language. Mississippi waters have frequently flooded the flatlands, creating fertile alluvial land valued for farming. Settling the floodplain has resulted in periodic problems for residents, as there are regular floods despite (and because of) elaborate constructed systems of levees and flood controls.

Native Americans inhabited the land of the Caruthersville area for thousands of years before European settlement. The Mississippian culture built huge earthwork mounds throughout the Mississippi Valley. One such earthwork remains in this county, rising 270 feet above sea level about four miles southwest of Caruthersville. It stands in contrast to the surrounding delta-like plain.

In 1857 John Hardeman Walker and G. W. Bushey laid out and platted the town of Caruthersville. The town was named for Samuel Caruthers, who first represented the area in the US Congress.

The City of Caruthersville was incorporated on May 18, 1874. The first few decades of the town's growth can be documented through Sanborn Maps, which recorded building ownership, materials, and use.

In 1893, Missouri's General Assembly created the Saint Francis Levee District to construct protection for that part of the Saint Francis River basin lying within the counties of Dunklin, New Madrid, and Pemiscot. This act authorized taxes for the purpose of building, repairing, protecting, and maintaining levees in the district.

In February 1969, construction began on a bridge across the Mississippi at Caruthersville. Completed in 1976 and connecting with Dyersburg, Tennessee, it is the only bridge to cross the Mississippi River between Cairo, Illinois and Memphis, Tennessee. It is a single-tower cantilever bridge carrying Interstate 155 and U.S. Route 412.

During the night of April 2, 2006, 60% of Caruthersville was severely damaged or destroyed by a string of tornadoes that passed through the Midwestern United States. At least two persons were confirmed killed in Pemiscot County as a result of the tornado. On Monday morning, local police, state troopers, and national guard had barred entrance into Caruthersville and issued it as a "no fly zone" to anyone who was not a resident, an emergency worker, or a member of the newsmedia. According to the emergency management director from a nearby county, as many as 1,500 people were displaced by the storm, which struck the southwest side of the city. As reported by Caruthersville's mayor, Diane Sayre, there were no confirmed fatalities within city limits, but electricity and water services were disabled. Several churches, landmarks, and schools were destroyed or severely damaged, including St. John's Episcopal, Jesus Name Tabernacle, Faith Missionary Baptist, Caruthersville Municipal Airport, Caruthersville Cotton Warehouse, the Boy's and Girl's Club of the Bootheel, Knox's Drive In, the Kwik Chek, Caruthersville High School, and Caruthersville Middle School. There were no deaths in Caruthersville.

Mayor Rick Davis died in a house fire on July 24, 2014. Davis is the second mayor in a row to die in office. The previous mayor, Diane Sayre, also died in office, as did the next acting Mayor Pro Tem, Frank Morgan. The deaths are under investigation.

Geography

Caruthersville is located at 36°11′5″N 89°39′41″W (36.184723, -89.661404). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.24 square miles (13.57 km²), of which, 5.16 square miles (13.36 km²) of it is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km²) is water. The city is located in the state's Bootheel along the western bank of the Mississippi River and within the seismically active New Madrid Seismic Zone. The Caruthersville Bridge is the only bridge crossing the river between Cairo, Illinois and Memphis, Tennessee.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Caruthersville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,168 people, 2,454 households, and 1,567 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,195.3 inhabitants per square mile (461.5/km²). There were 2,727 housing units at an average density of 528.5 per square mile (204.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.89% White, 33.09% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.11% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.35% of the population.

There were 2,454 households of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 34.2 years. 29.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,760 people, 2,643 households, and 1,723 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,290.8 people per square mile (498.1/km²). There were 2,999 housing units at an average density of 572.7 per square mile (221.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.08% White, 31.41% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.66% of the population.

There were 2,643 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city, the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,601, and the median income for a family was $23,454. Males had a median income of $25,821 versus $17,434 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,034. About 28.1% of families and 35.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.3% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Economy

Major resources for the Caruthersville area include commerce supplied by the Mississippi river barge and transport industry as well as agriculture which accounts for 60% of the local economy. Large portions of the cash crops grown in the area, rice, soy beans and cotton are sent through the Mississippi River transportation industry to distribution points along the Mississippi delta region. There is now a riverboat casino in Caruthersville which has revived the local economy and provided a new source of tourist revenue.

Notable people