Moberly

Moberly, Missouri
—  City  —
Location of Moberly, Missouri
Coordinates: 39°25′13″N 92°26′20″W / 39.42028°N 92.43889°W / 39.42028; -92.43889Coordinates: 39°25′13″N 92°26′20″W / 39.42028°N 92.43889°W / 39.42028; -92.43889
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Randolph
Area
• Total	11.6 sq mi (30.1 km2)
• Land	11.6 sq mi (29.9 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	866 ft (264 m)
Population (United States Census Bureau)
• Total	14,227
• Density	1,033.8/sq mi (399.2/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	65270
Area code(s)	660
FIPS code	29-49034[1]
GNIS feature ID	0729342[2]

Moberly is a city in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. According to the 2008 census bureau estimate, the population was 14,227.^[3] The city was incorporated 1868. The Moberly Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Randolph County. Bob Riley is the current mayor.

History

Moberly was founded in 1866, and named after Colonel William E. Moberly, the first president of the Chariton and Randolph County railroads.

On Independence Day, 1995, a tornado ripped through downtown Moberly. There were no reported deaths, but there was a large amount of structural damage. Another tornado tore through the area (Renick) on Sunday, March 12, 2006. Four people were killed and thirteen were injured in the F3-level tornado. Dozens of homes were destroyed.

The World War II era US Navy frigate USS Moberly (PF-63) was named for the town. The ship participated mostly in convoy escort, earning a battle star for her assistance in sinking the German submarine U-853.

Moberly is mentioned in the Tom Waits song "Black Market Baby," from the 1999 album Mule Variations.

Geography

Moberly is located at 39°25′13″N 92°26′20″W / 39.42028°N 92.43889°W / 39.42028; -92.43889 (39.420398, -92.438831)^[4]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.6 square miles (30 km²), of which 11.6 square miles (30 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.43%) is water.

Transportation

Moberly is served by a municipal airport. Commercial service is available 33 miles to the south in Columbia at the Columbia Regional Airport or the MO-X (an airport shuttle to and from STL and MCI), 60 miles to the south in Jefferson City via the Amtrak station, 45 miles to the north in La Plata via the Amtrak station, or 55 miles to the North in Kirksville at the Kirksville Regional Airport.

The city is served by U.S. Route 63 to the east on a bypass. The old route is designated as both Business 63 and Morley Street and goes through town. U.S. Route 24 goes through town as well. Route M (formerly Route 3) also skirts the edge of town. Other routes include Route DD (indirectly goes to Sugar Creek Lake), EE, A, and AA (past the prison). At one time there was a Business 24 that ran from Morley Street via West Coates Street to Johnson Street to Concannon Street turning North on Holman St to current U.S. 24. This route was de-numbered in the late 1960s. State Route 22 was also multiplexed with U.S. 63 to U.S. 24. When U.S. 63 was re-routed in the mid-1960s Highway 22 was truncated to its current end at U.S. 63 near Sturgeon, MO.

The Norfolk Southern Railway serves Moberly running west toward Kansas City, Missouri and east toward Hannibal, Missouri and points on. Norfolk Southern also runs south between Moberly and St. Louis, Missouri (via Centralia and Mexico, MO) and points on. Moberly was once the northern terminus of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad that ran between Moberly and Boonville, Missouri. Much of this route is still somewhat visible in satellite images.

Moberly is home to one of Norfolk Southern's many rail yards. Norfolk Southern used to have a line that ran north from Moberly to Albia, Iowa, but it was abandoned in the spring of 1992. The line was reopened from 1993-1995 to help in recovery efforts after the great Flood of 1993. By 1997, the line was dismantled between Moberly and Moulton, Iowa.

The Centerville, Iowa-owned Appanoose County Community Railroad currently operates the section from Moulton to Albia, Iowa.

Education

The town is home to two colleges; Central Christian College of the Bible and Moberly Area Community College. South and North Park Elementary Schools serve grades K-2. Grades 3-5 are enrolled in Gratz Brown Elementary, grades 6-8 in Moberly Middle School, and Moberly High School serves grades 9-12 [1]. The Seventh-day Adventist church operates Maranatha Adventist School, a K-8 school. [2] The St. Pius X Catholic Elementary School is operated by the Catholic Church of the same name serves grade K-8. [3]

Demographics

As of 2008 the estimate of the population was 14,227. As of the census^[1] of 2000,there were 11,945 people, 5,001 households, and 3,090 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,033.8 people per square mile (399.3/km²). There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 503.0 per square mile (194.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.51% White, 6.71% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 5,001 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,519, and the median income for a family was $37,488. Males had a median income of $27,152 versus $19,508 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,478. About 11.1% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

• Moberly Midget League has provided a summer baseball program for the local youth since 1950.

• Rothwell Park is home to a miniature railroad built to honor Moberly's railroading history. It is operational from April to the last Sunday in October and maintained by the volunteers known as "Friends of the Park". Aside from the baseball fields, two swimming areas, and two playgrounds can be found at the park as well. Various events also take place under a covered outdoor area. Camping is available at sites located next to the miniature train.

Media

Moberly is served by a daily newspaper, the Moberly Monitor-Index.

Notable residents

• Russ Ball, NFL executive
• Omar Bradley, US Army general
• Brent Briscoe, actor, writer and director^[6]
• Melvin B. Tolson, poet and professor at Wiley College, poet laureate of Liberia
• Mike Wilson, filmmaker

Notes and references

External links

• Moberly, Missouri
• Moberly Public Schools
• Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation
• Historic maps of Moberly in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of Missouri

v t e Municipalities and communities of Randolph County, Missouri, United States County seat: Huntsville Cities Clark Clifton Hill Higbee Huntsville Moberly Villages Cairo Jacksonville Renick Townships Cairo Chariton Clifton Jackson Moniteau North Sugar Creek Prairie Salt River Salt Springs Silver Creek South Sugar Creek Union