Sedalia, Missouri
Sedalia is a city located about 30 miles (48 km) south of the Missouri River in Pettis County, Missouri. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65 intersect in the city. As of 2006, the city had a total population of 20,669. It is the county seat of Pettis County. The Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Pettis County. Sedalia is the location of the Missouri State Fair and the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival.
History
Indigenous peoples lived along the Missouri River and its tributaries for thousands of years before European contact. Historians believe the entire area around Sedalia was first occupied by the Osage (among historical American Indian tribes). When the land was first settled by European Americans, bands of Shawnee who had migrated from the East lived in the vicinity of Sedalia.The area that became the city of Sedalia was founded by General George Rappeen Smith (1804–1879), who went on to found nearby Smithton, Missouri. He filed plans for the official record on November 30, 1857, and gave the area the name Sedville. The original plat included the land from today's Missouri Pacific Railroad south to Third Street. In addition, the version filed jointly by General Smith and David W. Bouldin (?-1893) on October 16, 1860, displayed the city spreading from Clay Street to the north and to Smith Street (i.e., today's Third Street) in the south, and from Missouri Street in the west to Washington Street in the east. Smith and Bouldin anticipated that the city would grow to the north; however, it grew in a southern direction.During the American Civil War, the military had an installation in the area, adding to its boomtown atmosphere. With the coming of two railroads connecting it to other locations, in the post-Civil War period, Sedalia grew at a rapid pace, with a rough energy of its travelers and cowboys. From 1866-1874, it was a railhead terminus for cattle drives and stockyards occupied a large area. At the same time, the town established schools for both white and black children, churches, and other civic amenities.In the 19th century, Sedalia was well known as a center of vice, especially prostitution, that accompanied its large floating class of railroad workers and commercial travelers. In 1877 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called Sedalia the 'Sodom and Gomorrah of the nineteenth century.' Middle-class businessmen made money off illegal prostitution as building owners and lessees; others did business with people in the industry, who banked, used lawyers, etc. in town. Reluctant to raise taxes, residents allowed money to run the city and provide services to be raised from fines charges to prostitutes. In the 1870s brothels were distributed throughout the city, but in the 1890s, they became more concentrated above businesses on West Main Street, as the middle class tried to isolate less desirable elements.While the city attracted many commercial travelers and railroad workers, its population of married couples also grew. By 1900 having a population over 15,000, it was the fifth-largest city in the state. It had developed an entrepreneurial middle class that created separations between its residential areas and those of working class and African Americans.During World War II, the military built Sedalia Glider Base in Johnson County to the west. After the war, this was passed to the Strategic Air Command and converted to a bomber base, the Whiteman Air Force Base, named after a man from Sedalia killed in the 1941 Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. After a massive construction program, the base became the center of 150 ICBM silos and administrative offices. These were decommissioned in the 1990s.
Name
Until the city was incorporated in 1860 as Sedalia, it had only existed 'on paper' (i.e., from November 30, 1857 to October 16, 1860). According to local lore, the town council changed the name from Sadieville to Sedalia in part because 'towns that end in -ville don't amount to anything.' (Lawrence Ditton, Sr.). Here is another account:In 1856 General Smith bought the land upon which Sedalia now stands, and founded the city. He named it after his daughter Sarah, familiarly known as 'Sed'. Smith remarked that he had previously named a flatboat for her elder sister Martha. He first chose the name Sedville but changed it to Sedalia, following the suggestion of a friend, Josiah Dent, of St. Louis. Dent suggested the change for the sake of euphony.
Growth
Sedalia had a population of around 300 people in 1860, and what Ihrig et al. (1960 p. 12) describe as a 'bona fide population' of around 1,000 in 1865.According to Ihrig et al., (1960 p. 123) Sedalia's population grew as follows:1870: 4,560
1880: 9,561
1890: 14,068
1900: 15,231
1910: 17,8221
1920: 21,144
1930: 20,806
1940: 20,428
1950: 20,354
1960: 28,000-30,000 (estimated)
Railhead
Following a victory for those proposing the 'ridge route' for the railway over those advocating the 'river route', the railway reached Sedalia in January 1861. Sedalia's early prosperity was directly related to the railroad industry. Many jobs were associated with men maintaining tracks and operating large and varied machine shops run by both the Missouri Pacific and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad lines. The Missouri-Kansas & Texas Railroad was most widely known as the 'KATY', from its 'K-T' stock exchange code.Sedalia was an important railhead for the massive Texas cattle drive of 1866 and maintained stockyards to receive cattle from drives and shipping through much of the 19th century.Chicago slaughterhouses were willing to pay almost any price [for beef]—longhorns were worth three to four dollars each on the Llano Estacado while in Chicago a steer was worth ten times that amount. It cost about a dollar per head to drive a herd northward to a railroad, and thus with these simple economics, the long drive and the cattle bonanza got its start.
During the spring and summer of 1866, some 260,000 head followed the trail to Sedalia, Missouri, the terminus of the Missouri Pacific Railway.' (McComb, 1989, p.84).For nearly a century, Sedalia's economy was tied to the railroads. By the end of the 19th century, the MK&T had numerous buildings and a wide variety of workers in the city: the MK&T shops, stockyards, roundhouse and the hospital for employees working on the Sedalia Division were among the Katy’s properties in Sedalia.Today the 'KATY Trail' is the nickname of the 225-mile-trail following the railroad right-of-way through much of Missouri. It is used by bikers, walkers, and horseback riders. This has been the largest in the nation among the late 20th-century federal and state 'Rails to Trails' projects.
Civil War
Sedalia was made a military post early in the war and remained such until its close in 1865. For this reason it was an active theatre of operations for military supplies and an objective point for capture by 'the boys in gray'. Confederate raids into Pettis County, and the offensive and defensive activities of Union troops against them, kept the inhabitants of Sedalia in [a] high state of excitement. The progress of the city was retarded [during that time]. Sentiment in the county was about evenly divided.During the Civil War, despite the presence of the Union soldiers guarding the railroad, Sedalia was almost taken by the Confederate forces of Major General Sterling Price. Some 1,500 of General Joseph O. Shelby's Iron Brigade cavalry associated with Price's Missouri Expedition surrounded Sedalia, overpowered the Union militia that were under the command of Colonel John D. Crawford and Lieutenant Colonel John [?D.] Parker, and began to loot and sack the town on October 15, 1864. Once Confederate General M. Jeff Thompson arrived in Sedalia, he ordered his men to stop the destruction, and moved them on, leaving Sedalia once again in Union hands.While the Civil War delayed the building of the town, it also meant that Sedalia was the terminus of the railroad for three years. Once the war was over, many of the thousands of Union soldiers who had been stationed more or less permanently at Sedalia and recognized its potential, made the choice to migrate there from their pre-war homes in other locations across the United States. The population grew rapidly.
20th century - present
The expansion of the railroad and cattle drives in the late 19th century brought many male laborers to the rough town on the frontier. It sparked the related rise of a notorious 'red light district', with numerous prostitutes who did business with the men.As more families settled in the area, the culture changed. In the 20th century, structural changes in the railroads meant the loss of many industrial jobs. The city and region have had to create a new economy, and they have built on the colorful history of the town, identifying many significant historic structures. People enjoy shopping for good quality retail and craft items in the historic districts and buildings of the city.
Registered Historic Places
The following Sedalia locations have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places:Building at 217 West Main Street, former brothel
C.C. Hubbard High School
Harris House
Hotel Bothwell
McVey School
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Depot
Missouri/Sedalia Trust Company
Missouri State Fairgrounds Historic District
Sedalia Commercial Historic District
Sedalia Public Library
William H. Gentry House
Geography
Sedalia is located at 38°42'11' North, 93°13'52' West (38.702918, -93.231147). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12 square miles (31 km²), none of which is covered by water.
Climate
Sedalia has a typical temperate climate. As with most continental climates, the micropolitan area has four seasons. Springs here are noted for their rainy days and variable temperatures. Thunderstorms are common and tornadoes occur during this time of year. Summers are usually hot and dry, with droughts occurring during several summers. Autumns are usually cool and rainy, although several days of warm weather are not uncommon. Winters are generally cold, with accumulating snow several days of the winter season. Although not as common, ice storms can and do occur as well.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 20,339 people in the city, organized into 8,628 households and 5,228 families. The population density is 1,700.8 people per square mile (656.6/km²). There are 9,419 housing units at an average density of 787.6/sq mi (304.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 88.62% White, 4.95% African American, 0.40% Asian, 0.39% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.75% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. 5.55% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.There are 8,628 households out of which 28.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% are married couples living together, 12.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% are non-families. 33.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.32 and the average family size is 2.94.In the city the population is spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.3 males.The median income for a household in the city is $28,641, and the median income for a family is $34,938. Males have a median income of $28,208 versus $19,520 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,931. 15.3% of the population and 12.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.8% of those under the age of 18 and 10.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Carnegie Library
The Sedalia Public Library was the first Carnegie Grant awarded in Missouri. The Board of Trustees received word of the $50,000 grant in the fall of 1899. After securing the property on which to build, and having gained voter approval of a tax to support the library, the Board laid the corner-stone in 1900. The building was completed in July 1901. Dedicated in 1901, the library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums
Sedalia is home to the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, named after its primary benefactor, Sedalia radiologist and art collector Harold Daum. The museum, located on the State Fair Community College campus, is home to the works of many famous artists including Dale Chihuly (1941-), Sam Francis (1923–1994), Helen Frankenthaler (1928-), Sol LeWitt (1928–2007), Robert Motherwell (1915–1991), Julian Schnabel (1951-), and Andy Warhol (1928–1987).The 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) museum, designed by St. Louis-based Gunn & Smith Architects, features three stories of gallery space—including a 3,400-square-foot (320 m2) main gallery with a translucent clerestory, a cantilevered stairway, a two-story atrium, and an open-air sculpture court. It features both permanent displays as well as temporary displays from world renowned artists.
State Fair
Since 1901, the Missouri State Fair has been held in Sedalia every August, with the exception of 1943 and 1944 because of World War II. Many singers and actors make the annual trip to the fair. Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and other presidents have given speeches on the fairgrounds, though not during the State Fair.In 1974, the Missouri State Fairgrounds was the site of the Ozark Music Festival, one of the largest but least remembered major music festivals of the 1970s. While the plan was for the pop/rock/bluegrass festival's selling about 50,000 tickets, an influx of about 184,000 fans and many rock bands strained the capacity of the fairgrounds and the city. Some estimates put the crowd count at 350,000 people. It counts as one of the largest music events (Rock Festivals) in history. The festival, hosted by Wolfman Jack, took out a full-page ad in Rolling Stone magazine and attracted people from outside the region.
Film
In the American television movie The Day After (1983), aired by ABC, Sedalia is destroyed when enemies attack the Minuteman II Missile silos around the area. At the time of the movie's release, 150 of the missiles were located in the Sedalia area in underground silos. They had been sited there since activation in early 1964 of the first Minuteman missiles under the control of the 351st Missile Wing located at Whiteman Air Force Base. The release of the movie led to a significant (if belated) increase in local community concern about the missiles. Concern remained higher until all the missiles were dismantled between 1992 and 1997 as a result of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the U.S. and Russia.Sedalia was featured in two widely seen 1977 films: Heroes, starring Henry Winkler and Harrison Ford; and Scott Joplin , starring Billy Dee Williams.Sedalia was mentioned briefly in the motion picture MASH. Parts of the 1941 film Bad Men of Missouri are set in Sedalia. The city was mentioned in Old Yeller.
Television
The classic, long running Western series Rawhide, which ran on CBS from 1959 to 1966, featured Sedalia as a destination for cattle drives. It starred Eric Fleming as the 'trail boss', Gil Favor, and the emerging Clint Eastwood as the 'ramrod' (i.e., second in charge), Rowdy Yates.
Music
Sedalia is well known as the adopted home of ragtime music's most well known musician and stylist Scott Joplin.In 1935, in the midst of the depression which affected Sedalia severely, music loving citizens formed the Sedalia Symphony Society and established a Symphony orchestra, which, as the second oldest in Missouri, celebrated its 75 season in 2009-2010.Sedalia has been the host to several rock and roll events, such as the Ozark Music Festival in 1974, and the Delicious Rox Festival in 2006.
Little Sister of Liberty
In 1950, to celebrate its fortieth anniversary—which had the theme of 'Strengthen the Arm of Liberty'—the Boy Scouts of America donated two hundred 8 ft 6in (260 cm) copper replicas of the Statue of Liberty, which were known collectively as the 'Little Sisters of Liberty', to various communities in 39 states of the U.S. The project was the brainchild of the Scout Commissioner of the (then) Kansas City Area Council, Kansas City businessman, J.P. Whitaker.One of the two hundred replicas was donated to Sedalia; and it was installed at the County Courthouse.
Boy Scouts of America in Missouri.
According to the 1937 book 'The History of the Boy Scouts of America' by William D. Murray,Boy Scouts of America the first Boy Scout Troop in Missouri, and one of the first Boy Scout Troops in America was formed in Sedalia in 1909 by an Englishman, a year before the Boy Scouts of America was officially chartered on February 8, 1910.
Newspapers
A number of newspapers have been published in Sedalia, in alphabetical order:The Daily Democrat(1871–1873)
The Independent Press(1871–1873)
The Pacific Enterpise(1863–1864)
The Sedalia Advertiser(1864–1865)
The Sedalia Bazoo(1881–1895)
The Sedalia Capital
The Sedalia Daily Democrat(1874–1925)
TheSedalia Democrat(1949-)
The Sedalia News-Journal(2003-)
The Sedalia Times
Radio Stations
KSDL 92.3FM (Sedalia)
KSIS 1050 AM (Sedalia)
KXKX 105.7 FM (Sedalia)
KDRO 1490 AM (Sedalia)
KPOW 97.7 FM (Sedalia)
Television Stations
KMOS-TV(Channel 6)
K11OJ-TV(Channel 11)
Education
Scott Joplin's alma mater, George R. Smith College, a historically black college (HBCU), operated from 1894 until it burned down on April 26, 1925.The land for the college had been donated by the Smith sisters Sarah and Martha Elizabeth. They also donated land for Dunbar Park. Sarah Smith-Cotton's family home was torn down and the land was then used for the building of Smith-Cotton High School.The Sedalia Business College and Institute of Penmanship was founded in 1881. It was the predecessor of Robbins' Business College, founded by Clark W. Robbins (1858–1918) in 1883. This evolved into Central Business College.State Fair Community College is a public two-year institution offering post-secondary college level courses.
Secondary schools
Whittier High School, Sacred Heart High School, and St. Paul's Lutheran are also located in Sedalia.A new high school, Smith-Cotton High School, was completed in the fall of 2009.It is now used by the 10–12 grades.
Air
Sedalia Memorial Airport
Train
Sedalia (Amtrak station)
Sedalia People
People born in, who live in, or are otherwise associated with Sedalia, are known as Sedalians.
