Illmo, Missouri

Illmo a former town in the northeast corner of Kelso Township, Scott County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its name is a portmanteau of "Illinois" and "Missouri".

Illmo
Former town
Illmo Location within the state of Missouri
Coordinates: 37°13′11″N 89°30′32″W
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Scott
Township	Kelso

History

Illmo had its start in 1905 with construction of the nearby Thebes Bridge which connects Illinois and Missouri.^[1] The name Illmo is a contraction of Illinois and Missouri.^[2] A post office called Illmo was established in 1904, and remained in operation until 1982.^[3] Illmo was annexed by Scott City in 1980.^[4]

When Scott City and Illmo consolidated, the residents participated in a referendum where they selected the name "Scott City". The Daily Journal stated that the name was "overwhelmingly" selected.^[5]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	976		—
1920	1,275		30.6%
1930	1,129		−11.5%
1940	1,224		8.4%
1950	1,247		1.9%
1960	1,174		−5.9%
1970	1,232		4.9%
1980	1,368		11.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

The US census measured the population of Illmo during its eight-decade stretch of incorporation.^[7]

Geography

Illmo was located in the northern portion of Scott County about a mile west and three miles south of the Mississippi River. The municipalities of Fornfelt and Ancell border it to the west and the village of Commerce lies 5 miles southeast.^[8]

Education

In 1905 the Illmo School District began operations.^[9] There was an Illmo High School and an Illmo Elementary School. In 1947 the Illmo school district and the Fornfelt school district combined. This district then combined with Ancell,^[10] and reorganized, in 1954, to an R-1 status, becoming the Illmo-Fornfelt-Ancell School District.^[9]

In September 1957,^[11] a new high school for that district had opened.^[12] Previously, Illmo had its own elementary school, but with the opening of the new high school, the previous three elementary schools were to consolidate into the former high school building.^[13]

The Daily Standard stated that the new Illmo-Fornfelt-Ancell high school building was the most expensive of the circa 15 new schools to open in the area in the 1957-1958 school year.^[14]

After Fornfelt and Ancell consolidated into Scott City, the district's name changed to the Illmo-Scott City School District.^[10]