Hickory County, Missouri

Hickory County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,279.^[1] Its county seat is Hermitage.^[2] The county was organized February 14, 1845, and named after President Andrew Jackson, whose nickname was "Old Hickory."^[3][4] The Pomme de Terre Dam, a Corps of Engineers facility, is located three miles south of Hermitage and forms Lake Pomme de Terre by damming the Pomme de Terre River and Lindley Creek. Truman Reservoir, also a Corps of Engineers facility, floods the Pomme de Terre Reservoir from the northern border of the county southward to the city limits of Hermitage.

Hickory County
County
Hickory County courthouse in Hermitage
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°56′N 93°19′W
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	February 14, 1845
Named for	Andrew Jackson, nicknamed "Old Hickory"
Seat	Hermitage
Largest city	Hermitage
Area
• Total	412 sq mi (1,070 km2)
• Land	399 sq mi (1,030 km2)
• Water	13 sq mi (30 km2)  3.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,279
• Density	20/sq mi (7.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	Hickory County, Missouri

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 412 square miles (1,070 km²), of which 399 square miles (1,030 km²) is land and 13 square miles (34 km²) (3.1%) is water.^[5] It is the fifth-smallest county in Missouri by area.

Adjacent counties

• Benton County (north)
• Camden County (east)
• Dallas County (southeast)
• Polk County (south)
• St. Clair County (west)

Major highways

• U.S. Route 54
• U.S. Route 65
• Route 64
• Route 64B
• Route 83
• Route 123

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	2,329		—
1860	4,705		102.0%
1870	6,452		37.1%
1880	7,387		14.5%
1890	9,453		28.0%
1900	9,985		5.6%
1910	8,741		−12.5%
1920	7,033		−19.5%
1930	6,430		−8.6%
1940	6,506		1.2%
1950	5,387		−17.2%
1960	4,516		−16.2%
1970	4,481		−0.8%
1980	6,367		42.1%
1990	7,335		15.2%
2000	8,940		21.9%
2010	9,627		7.7%
2020	8,279		−14.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2015[10]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 8,940 people, 3,911 households, and 2,737 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8.5 people/km²). There were 6,184 housing units at an average density of 16 units per square mile (6.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.51% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Approximately 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,911 households, out of which 22.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.70.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.90% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 19.10% from 25 to 44, 29.70% from 45 to 64, and 26.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,346, and the median income for a family was $28,779. Males had a median income of $22,679 versus $17,610 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,536. About 13.00% of families and 19.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.90% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Hickory County Racial Composition^[12]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	7,648	93.54%
Black or African American (NH)	11	0.13%
Native American (NH)	42	0.51%
Asian (NH)	15	0.2%
Pacific Islander (NH)	0	0%
Other/Mixed (NH)	431	5.21%
Hispanic or Latino	132	1.6%

Education

Public schools

• Hermitage R-IV School District – Hermitage
  • Hermitage Elementary School (PK-05)
  • Hermitage Middle School (06-08)
  • Hermitage High School (09-12)
• Hickory County R-I School District – Urbana
  • Skyline Elementary School (K-04)
  • Skyline Middle School (05-08)
  • Skyline High School (09-12)
• Weaubleau R-III School District – Weaubleau
  • Weaubleau Elementary School (PK-06)
  • Weaubleau High School (07-12)
• Wheatland R-II School District
  • Wheatland Elementary School (PK-06)
  • Wheatland High School (07-12)

Public libraries

• Hickory County Library^[13]

Politics

Local

The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Hickory County. Republicans hold all but two of the elected positions in the county.

Hickory County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor	Clint Baker	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Cee Cee Smith	Republican
County Clerk	Jeannie Lindsey	Republican
Collector	Karen Stokes	Republican
Commissioner (Presiding)	Robert Sawyer	Republican
Commissioner (District 1)	Chase Crawford	Democratic
Commissioner (District 2)	Rick Pearson	Republican
Coroner	Connie Boller	Republican
Prosecuting Attorney	Michael Brown	Republican
Public Administrator	Vanessa Prettyman	Republican
Recorder	Pamela Hutton	Republican
Sheriff	Greg Burke	Republican
Surveyor	T. Philip Nasalroad	Democratic
Treasurer	Kenny Ratliff	Republican

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	79.70% 4.037	18.30% 929	2.00% 108
2016	62.30% 2,936	34.12% 1,608	3.58% 169
2012	46.65% 2,177	50.01% 2,334	3.34% 156
2008	35.62% 1,820	60.96% 3,115	3.42% 175
2004	56.54% 2,750	42.17% 2,051	1.30% 63
2000	47.74% 1,869	50.46% 2,132	1.80% 76
1996	47.36% 1,869	49.90% 1,969	2.74% 108

All of Hickory County is a part of Missouri's 126th District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Jim Kalberloh (R-Lowry City).^[14]

Missouri House of Representatives — District 125 — Hickory County (2016)^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Warren D. Love	3,977	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 125 — Hickory County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Warren D. Love	2,006	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 125 — Hickory County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Warren D. Love	3,931	100.00%

All of Hickory County is a part of Missouri's 28th District in the Missouri Senate. The seat is held by Sandy Crawford, who was elected after the previous incumbent, Mike Parson, was elected lieutenant governor in 2016.

Missouri Senate — District 28 — Hickory County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Parson	2,075	100.00%

Federal

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Hickory County (2016)^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Roy Blunt	2,959	62.93%	+20.24
	Democratic	Jason Kander	1,490	31.69%	−17.67
	Libertarian	Jonathan Dine	135	2.87%	−5.08
	Green	Johnathan McFarland	69	1.47%	+1.47
	Constitution	Fred Ryman	49	1.04%	+1.04

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Hickory County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Todd Akin	1,982	42.69%
	Democratic	Claire McCaskill	2,292	49.36%
	Libertarian	Jonathan Dine	369	7.95%

All of Hickory County is included in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and is currently represented by Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 4th Congressional District — St. Clair County (2016)^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	3,434	74.44%	+1.87
	Democratic	Gordon Christensen	994	21.55%	−1.76
	Libertarian	Mark Bliss	185	4.01%	−0.11

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 4th Congressional District — St. Clair County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	1,778	72.57%	+8.57
	Democratic	Nate Irvin	571	23.31%	−9.02
	Libertarian	Herschel L. Young	101	4.12%	+1.20

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 4th Congressional District — St. Clair County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	2,963	64.00%
	Democratic	Teresa Hensley	1,497	32.33%
	Libertarian	Thomas Hollbrook	135	2.92%
	Constitution	Greg Cowan	35	0.75%

Political culture

United States presidential election results for Hickory County, Missouri^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,966	78.07%	1,056	20.79%	58	1.14%
2016	3,542	74.40%	1,016	21.34%	203	4.26%
2012	2,835	60.58%	1,733	37.03%	112	2.39%
2008	2,850	55.72%	2,171	42.44%	94	1.84%
2004	2,791	57.36%	2,043	41.99%	32	0.66%
2000	2,172	51.25%	1,961	46.27%	105	2.48%
1996	1,491	38.11%	1,858	47.49%	563	14.39%
1992	1,259	31.03%	1,929	47.54%	870	21.44%
1988	2,043	54.82%	1,677	45.00%	7	0.19%
1984	2,190	64.37%	1,212	35.63%	0	0.00%
1980	1,893	58.92%	1,248	38.84%	72	2.24%
1976	1,403	49.72%	1,398	49.54%	21	0.74%
1972	1,851	74.85%	622	25.15%	0	0.00%
1968	1,484	66.55%	537	24.08%	209	9.37%
1964	1,157	57.53%	854	42.47%	0	0.00%
1960	1,885	75.40%	615	24.60%	0	0.00%
1956	1,661	70.50%	695	29.50%	0	0.00%
1952	2,054	76.47%	622	23.16%	10	0.37%
1948	1,728	70.19%	733	29.77%	1	0.04%
1944	2,171	79.41%	560	20.48%	3	0.11%
1940	2,496	75.84%	787	23.91%	8	0.24%
1936	2,329	71.73%	910	28.03%	8	0.25%
1932	1,586	63.98%	878	35.42%	15	0.61%
1928	2,233	84.68%	399	15.13%	5	0.19%
1924	1,895	70.71%	722	26.94%	63	2.35%
1920	2,131	78.55%	532	19.61%	50	1.84%
1916	1,144	64.74%	552	31.24%	71	4.02%
1912	735	45.82%	421	26.25%	448	27.93%
1908	1,182	65.52%	561	31.10%	61	3.38%
1904	1,245	66.65%	531	28.43%	92	4.93%
1900	1,270	60.05%	777	36.74%	68	3.22%
1896	1,194	53.14%	1,045	46.51%	8	0.36%
1892	927	49.84%	423	22.74%	510	27.42%
1888	1,076	57.60%	628	33.62%	164	8.78%

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Main articles: 2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary and 2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 1,056, than any candidate from either party in Hickory County during the 2008 presidential primary.

Communities

Cities and Towns

• Cross Timbers
• Hermitage (county seat)
• Preston
• Weaubleau
• Wheatland

Unincorporated Communities

• Avery
• Elkton
• Jordan
• Nemo
• Pittsburg
• Quincy
• White Cloud

Notable people

• Mike Parson - 57th Governor of Missouri
• Sally Rand – legendary burlesque dancer

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hickory County, Missouri

References

1. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 172.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 156.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hickory County, Missouri".
13. Breeding, Marshall. "Hickory County Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
14. "Representative Jim Kalberloh". house.mo.gov. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
15. "County Results - State of Missouri - 2016 General Election - November 8, 2016 - Official Results". Missouri Secretary of state. December 12, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

External links

• Hickory County government's website
• Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Hickory County Archived August 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books

37.94°N 93.32°W / 37.94; -93.32