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Christian County, Missouri
Christian County MO Courthouse 20151022-158
The Historic Christian County Courthouse in Ozark
Map of Missouri highlighting Christian County
Location in the state of Missouri
Map of the U.S
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded March 8, 1859[1]
Named for William Christian
Seat Ozark
Largest city Nixa
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

564 sq mi (1,461 km²)
563 sq mi (1,458 km²)
1.2 sq mi (3 km²), 0.2
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

88,842
Congressional district 7th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website christiancountymo.gov

Christian County is located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 88,842.[2] Its county seat is Ozark.[3] The county was organized in 1859 and is named after William Christian, a Kentucky soldier of the American Revolutionary War.[4]

Christian County is part of the Springfield, MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Between 2000 and 2010, it was the fastest-growing county in the state and one of the fastest growing ones in the nation as the county became more suburban due to the booming growth in Springfield.[5]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 564 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 563 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6] The county is drained by James River and branches of the White River. The surface is undulating or hilly.[7]

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

  • US 60 U.S. Route 60
  • US 65 U.S. Route 65
  • US 160 U.S. Route 160
  • MO-13 Route 13
  • MO-14 Route 14
  • MO-125 Route 125

National protected area[]

  • Mark Twain National Forest (part)

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1860 5,491
1870 6,707 22.1%
1880 9,628 43.6%
1890 14,017 45.6%
1900 16,939 20.8%
1910 15,832 −6.5%
1920 15,252 −3.7%
1930 13,169 −13.7%
1940 13,538 2.8%
1950 12,412 −8.3%
1960 12,359 −0.4%
1970 15,124 22.4%
1980 22,402 48.1%
1990 32,644 45.7%
2000 54,285 66.3%
2010 77,422 42.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[2]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 54,285 people, 20,425 households, and 15,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile (37/km2). There were 21,827 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile (15/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.31% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Approximately 1.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.7% were of American, 21.1% German, 12.3% English and 11.3% Irish ancestry.

There were 20,425 households, out of which 38.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.00% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.40% were non-families. 19.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 31.70% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $50,200, and the median income for a family was $58,806. Males had a median income of $31,929 versus $21,852 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,873. About 7.10% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Local[]

Christian County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Danny Gray Republican
Circuit Clerk Barbie Barnett-Stillings Republican
County Clerk Kay Brown Republican
Collector Ted Nichols Republican
Commissioner
(Presiding)
Ralph Phillips Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)
Mike Robertson Republican
Commissioner
(District 2)
Hosea Bilyeu Republican
Coroner Mandi Armintage Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Amy Fite Republican
Public Administrator Ken Davis Republican
Recorder Kelly Hall Republican
Sheriff Brad Cole Republican
Treasurer Karen Matthews Republican

The Republican Party controls politics at the local level in Christian County. The Republicans hold all of the elected positions in the county.

On May 20, 2015, Sheriff Joey Kyle plead guilty to embezzling county funds and participating in an illegal fraud scheme. As a part of a plea agreement, he immediately resigned as sheriff, was sentenced to one year plus one day in federal prison, and must repay more than $50,000 in restitution to Christian County.[13]

State[]

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 68.97% 28,618 27.94% 11,593 3.09% 1,285
2012 58.01% 21,902 39.73% 15,000 2.26% 852
2008 49.65% 18,556 47.73% 17,840 2.61% 977
2004 68.61% 21,400 30.27% 9,443 1.12% 348
2000 58.90% 13,646 39.49% 9,148 1.61% 373
1996 56.69% 10,559 40.22% 7,491 3.10% 577

Political culture[]

United States presidential election results for Christian County, Missouri[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 34,920 74.42% 11,131 23.72% 874 1.86%
2016 30,946 73.92% 8,508 20.32% 2,409 5.75%
2012 27,473 72.37% 9,813 25.85% 678 1.79%
2008 25,382 67.08% 11,883 31.41% 572 1.51%
2004 22,102 70.51% 9,059 28.90% 187 0.60%
2000 14,824 63.82% 7,896 33.99% 508 2.19%
1996 9,477 50.97% 6,627 35.64% 2,491 13.40%
1992 7,422 43.29% 6,242 36.41% 3,481 20.30%
1988 7,670 61.66% 4,724 37.97% 46 0.37%
1984 7,634 70.31% 3,223 29.69% 0 0.00%
1980 6,487 63.28% 3,502 34.16% 262 2.56%
1976 4,553 53.93% 3,830 45.37% 59 0.70%
1972 6,305 76.42% 1,945 23.58% 0 0.00%
1968 4,019 64.43% 1,586 25.42% 633 10.15%
1964 3,232 54.98% 2,646 45.02% 0 0.00%
1960 4,627 74.04% 1,622 25.96% 0 0.00%
1956 3,732 68.33% 1,730 31.67% 0 0.00%
1952 4,440 76.24% 1,374 23.59% 10 0.17%
1948 3,129 66.08% 1,600 33.79% 6 0.13%
1944 4,167 78.47% 1,134 21.36% 9 0.17%
1940 4,509 72.11% 1,729 27.65% 15 0.24%
1936 4,022 61.87% 2,462 37.87% 17 0.26%
1932 2,395 47.38% 2,577 50.98% 83 1.64%
1928 3,576 75.75% 1,124 23.81% 21 0.44%
1924 2,692 62.77% 1,281 29.87% 316 7.37%
1920 3,795 78.13% 919 18.92% 143 2.94%
1916 1,978 64.37% 938 30.52% 157 5.11%
1912 1,203 39.55% 793 26.07% 1,046 34.39%
1908 1,871 61.08% 956 31.21% 236 7.70%
1904 1,947 66.13% 871 29.59% 126 4.28%
1900 2,107 59.59% 1,326 37.50% 103 2.91%
1896 1,983 53.32% 1,729 46.49% 7 0.19%
1892 1,559 54.32% 653 22.75% 658 22.93%
1888 1,541 55.00% 795 28.37% 466 16.63%



Like most counties situated in Southwest Missouri, Christian County is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. George W. Bush carried Christian County in 2000 and 2004 by more than two-to-one margins, and like many other rural and exurban counties throughout Missouri, Christian County strongly favored John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008. The only Democratic Presidential candidate to win Christian County since the Civil War has been Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932.[15] In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump was the favored candidate receiving 30,941 votes.[16]

Like most areas throughout the Bible Belt in Southwest Missouri, voters in Christian County traditionally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles which tend to strongly influence their Republican leanings. In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman—it overwhelmingly passed Christian County with 80.46 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban same-sex marriage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in Christian County with 58.98 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite Christian County’s longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes like increasing the minimum wage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed Christian County with 73.01 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99 percent voting in favor as the minimum wage was increased to $6.50 an hour in the state. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)[]

Voters in Christian County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally. Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) received more votes, a total of 5,852, than any candidate from either party in Christian County during the 2008 Missouri Presidential Preference Primary.

Education[]

Public schools[]

  • Billings R-IV School District - Billings
    • Billings Elementary School (PK-06)
    • Billings High School (07-12)
  • Chadwick R-I School District - Chadwick
    • Chadwick Elementary School (PK-06)
    • Chadwick High School (07-12)
  • Clever R-V School District - Clever
    • Clever EleMiddle School (PK-08)
    • Clever High School (09-12)
  • Nixa R-II School District - Nixa
    • Nixa Early Childhood Center (PK)
    • High Pointe Elementary School (K-04)
    • Mathews Elementary School (K-04)
    • Century Elementary School (K-04)
    • Espy Elementary School (K-04)
    • John Thomas School of Discovery (K-06)
    • Nicholas A. Inman Intermediate School (05-06)
    • Summit Intermediate School (05-06)
    • Nixa Jr. High School (07-08)
    • Nixa Public High School (09-12)
  • Ozark R-VI School District - Ozark
    • North Elementary School (K-04)
    • East Elementary School (K-04)
    • West Elementary School (K-04)
    • South Elementary School (K-04)
    • Upper Elementary School (05-06)
    • Ozark Jr. High School (07-08)
    • Ozark High School (09-12)
  • Sparta R-III School District - Sparta
    • Sparta Elementary School (PK-05)
    • Sparta Middle School (06-08)
    • Sparta High School (09-12)
  • Spokane R-VII School District - Spokane
    • Highlandville Elementary School (PK-05) - Highlandville
    • Spokane Middle School (06-08)
    • Spokane High School (09-12)

Private schools[]

  • Faith Christian School - Spokane - (PK-12) - Baptist

Colleges and universities[]

Public libraries[]

Christian County Library System[]

Christian County currently has three public library branches that serve the community. The Christian County Library (CCL) operates these branches. The library offers residents books, A/V materials, programming, printing, and WiFi access.[17] There is a branch in Ozark, Nixa, and Clever.[18] In August 2019, the library announced the continuation of their expansion to the public. Construction is set to begin on at least one new library branch by spring 2020.[19]

Tax Approval[]

On Tuesday, August 8, 2017, voters in Christian County approved to instate a 20-cent property tax levy. Sixty-eight percent of the voters approved the tax. Before this tax, the library was only able to operate one branch for the whole county. To accommodate new housing and population growth in the county, CCL announced their intentions to construct and/or open new branches around the county. The tax approval also allowed for a renovation of the original Ozark Branch. CCL expects eighty-five percent of the population in Christian County to be within a five mile radius of the library after all intended branches are opened. [20]

The front of the Nixa branch library is depicted. The library is brick and immediately meets a parking lot.

Christian County Library Nixa Branch

Christian County Library Board of Trustees[21]
Position Held Name
President Ken Barthelette
Vice President Loretta Hermann
Treasurer Maurine Myers
Secretary Heather Davidson
Member at Large Christa Mitchell

Public safety[]

  • Billings Fire Protection District
  • Billings Police Department
  • Chadwick Fire Protection District - Chadwick
  • Christian County Ambulance District
  • Christian County Sheriff's Department
  • Clever Fire Protection District
  • Clever Police Department
  • Highlandville Fire Protection District
  • Highlandville Police Department
  • Nixa Fire Protection District
  • Nixa Police Department
  • Ozark Fire Protection District
  • Ozark Police Department
  • Sparta Fire Protection District
  • Sparta Police Department

Communities[]

Cities[]

Village[]

Census-designated place[]

  • Spokane

Other unincorporated communities[]

  • Boaz
  • Bruner
  • Chadwick
  • Chestnutridge
  • Elkhead
  • Garrison
  • Keltner
  • Linden
  • Oldfield

Townships[]

  • Billings Township
  • Chadwick Township
  • East Benton Township
  • Finley Township
  • Garrison Township
  • Lead Hill Township
  • Lincoln Township
  • Linden Township
  • McCracken Township
  • North Galloway Township
  • North Linn Township
  • Oldfield Township
  • Polk Township
  • Porter Township
  • Seneca Township
  • South Galloway Township
  • South Linn Township
  • Sparta Township
  • West Benton Township

In popular culture[]

The 2010 film Winter's Bone was filmed entirely in Taney County and Christian County. Many locals were cast in significant roles in the film.[23]

See also[]

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

References[]

  1. ^ "History of Christian County". Christian County, Mo. http://www.christiancountymo.gov/history.html. 
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29043.html. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 275. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ. 
  5. ^ Tang, Didi (11 February 2011). "New Census numbers: Christian County fastest growing in state". The Springfield News-Leader. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110225/NEWS01/102250353/New-Census-numbers-Christian-County-fastest-growing-state. 
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt. 
  7. ^ Wikisource-logo "Christian. III. A S. W. county of Missouri". The American Cyclopædia. 1879. 
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mo190090.txt. 
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  13. ^ "Going to jail: Christian County Sheriff admits to fraud and embezzlement". http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/christian-county/2015/05/20/joey-kyle/27652909/. 
  14. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  15. ^ Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868–2004, pp. 239, 241, 244 ISBN 0786422173
  16. ^ "Christian County Election Results" (in en). https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/11/08/christian-county-election-results/93502544/. 
  17. ^ "Services at Christian County Library - Digital - Research and More" (in en-US). 2016-08-26. https://christiancountylibrary.org/library/library-services/. 
  18. ^ "Locations" (in en-US). 2019-03-01. https://christiancountylibrary.org/locations/. 
  19. ^ "Your Library District is Growing: Sparta and Clever Branch Construction Timeline Announced" (in en-US). 2019-08-30. https://christiancountylibrary.org/your-library-district-is-growing-sparta-and-clever-branch-construction-timeline-announced/. 
  20. ^ "Christian County Voters Approve Library Tax" (in en-US). 2017-08-09. https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/christian-county-voters-approve-library-tax/. 
  21. ^ "Trustees & Administration" (in en-US). 2016-08-27. https://christiancountylibrary.org/library/trustees/. 
  22. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Christian County Library". Libraries.org. https://librarytechnology.org/library/5440. 
  23. ^ "On Location: The Frozen Ozarks Of 'Winter's Bone'" (in en). https://www.npr.org/2011/08/18/139753185/on-location-the-frozen-ozarks-of-winters-bone. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 36°58′N 93°11′W / 36.97, -93.19


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Christian County, Missouri. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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