Bolivar, Missouri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bolivar, Missouri
City
Polk County Courthouse, 2004
Location of Bolivar, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Polk
Area
• Total	8.24 sq mi (21.34 km2)
• Land	8.22 sq mi (21.29 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation	1,070 ft (330 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,679
• Density	1,298.99/sq mi (501.57/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	65613, 65727
Area code(s)	417
FIPS code	29-06976
GNIS feature ID	2394216
Website	Bolivar, Missouri

Bolivar /ˈbɒlɪvər/ is a city and county seat of Polk County, Missouri, United States.

History

Bolivar began as a settlement around Keeling Spring, with the majority of settlers being from Hardeman County, Tennessee. The settlement became part of Greene County, Missouri when that county was organized in 1833. After the northern part of Greene County was ceded to form Polk County, Missouri, the Polk County Court proclaimed the settlement as a city, named it Bolivar, and designated it as the county seat on 10 November 1835. Bolivar was re-organized as a fourth-class city on 15 February 1881.

Bolivar experienced growth in 1884 when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway was extended to that point.

The name "Bolivar" was proposed by John Polk Campbell and his brothers William St. Clair and Ezekiel Madison. It is named after Bolivar, Tennessee, where their grandfather and Continental Army Colonel Ezekiel Polk had lived. In the 1830s, Polk and Bolivar names were locally associated with liberation. As such, Bolivar, Missouri is an indirect namesake of Simón Bolívar.

The Bolivar Public Library, First National Bank, and North Ward School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Bolivar is located in Marion Township. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.30 square miles (21.50 km²), of which 8.28 square miles (21.45 km²) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km²) is water.

Climate

Demographics

Bolivar is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 10,679 people, 4,066 households, and 2,439 families in Bolivar. The population density was 1,299.1 per square mile (501.6/km²). There were 4,441 housing units at an average density of 540.3 per square mile (208.6/km²). The racial makeup was 89.98% (9,609) white, 1.78% (190) black or African-American, 0.71% (76) Native American, 0.75% (80) Asian, 0.04% (4) Pacific Islander, 0.88% (94) from other races, and 5.86% (626) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 3.9% (431) of the population.

Of the 4,066 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18; 38.7% were married couples living together; 33.6% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 34.6% consisted of individuals and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.0.

23.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 21.7% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 84.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 80.2 males.

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $37,500 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,108) and the median family income was $44,432 (+/- $6,211). Males had a median income of $23,923 (+/- $5,890) versus $13,886 (+/- $1,286) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $17,151 (+/- $2,224). Approximately, 12.1% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under the age of 18 and 9.6% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,325 people, 3,970 households, and 2,342 families living in the city. The population density was 1,247.0 inhabitants per square mile (481.5/km²). There were 4,432 housing units at an average density of 535.3 per square mile (206.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White, 1.5% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 3,970 households, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 30.3 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 20.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 17.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

Education

Harry S. Truman in Bolivar, 1948

Bolivar R-I School District operates one primary school, one intermediate school, one middle school, and Bolivar High School.

Southwest Baptist University, a private institution, has been in operation at Bolivar since 1879.

Bolivar has a public library, a branch of the Polk County Library.

Media

• Bolivar Herald-Free Press

Infrastructure

The Bolivar Municipal Airport is located four nautical miles (4.6 mi, 7.4 km) east of Bolivar's central business district.

Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Jefferson Lines.

Notable people

• John Blake, Irish-American soldier, freedom fighter, and lecturer
• Mike Parson, Lt. Governor of Missouri (2017–2018), and Governor (2018–)
• Benjamin "Coach" Wade, a contestant on three seasons of the TV show Survivor

See also

In Spanish: Bolivar (Misuri) para niños