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30-455: Pierce City , formerly Peirce City , is a city in southwest Lawrence and northwest Barry counties, in southwest Missouri , United States. The population was 1,292 at the 2010 census . In 2010, the town annexed property along Route 97 into Barry County to a point just north of U.S. Route 60 . It was estimated to have a population of 1,309 by the City of Pierce City as of July 1, 2019. There

60-570: A public library , a branch of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library. St. Mary’s Church was established in 1871 in Pierce City, Missouri. Today, the campus includes the church, school, gymnasium and cafeteria, and pavilion. St. Mary’s School was built in 1968 in Pierce City, Missouri. Today, the school includes preschool thru 8th grade. ( https://stmaryspcmo.com/ ) Lawrence County, Missouri Lawrence County

90-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

120-488: A household in the city was $ 24,186, and the median income for a family was $ 34,219. Males had a median income of $ 23,429 versus $ 17,857 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 12,310. About 18.3% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 29.5% of those age 65 or over. Pierce City R-VI School District operates one elementary school, one middle school, and Pierce City High School. Pierce City has

150-487: A pattern of discrimination, repeated violence and intimidation of African Americans in southwest Missouri from 1894 to 1909. Whites in Greene conducted a mass lynching of three African-Americans in 1906 in the courthouse square. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 613 square miles (1,590 km ), of which 612 square miles (1,590 km ) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km ) (0.3%)

180-598: Is a part of Missouri's 29th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by David Sater (R- Cassville . All of Lawrence County is included in Missouri's 7th Congressional District and is currently represented by Billy Long (R- Springfield ) in the U.S. House of Representatives . Voters in Lawrence County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in

210-525: Is located in the southwest portion of the U.S. state of Missouri , in the area of the Ozarks. As of the 2020 census , the population was 38,001. Its county seat is Mount Vernon . The county was organized in 1845 and named for James Lawrence , a naval officer from the War of 1812 known for his battle cry, "Don't give up the ship!" A previous Lawrence County, established in 1815 with its county seat at what

240-625: Is now Davidsonville Historic State Park in Arkansas , covered much of what is now southern Missouri and the northern third of Arkansas. When the Arkansas Territory was created from Missouri Territory in 1819, some of that earlier county became organized as Lawrence County, Arkansas . Just before that, in 1818, Missouri divided its part of the old Lawrence County into Wayne County and Madison County ; with population increases, those counties were later divided into others, including

270-409: Is water. Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge is located in Lawrence County. As of the census of 2000, there were 35,204 people, 13,568 households, and 9,728 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile (22 people/km ). There were 14,789 housing units at an average density of 24 units per square mile (9.3/km ). The racial makeup of the county

300-627: The National Register of Historic Places . One of the most notable tornadoes of the May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence was the one that hit in Pierce City. According to reports, nearly all of the buildings in the town were damaged, destroyed, or liable to collapse. Damage was most severe in the historic downtown business district, where approximately 90 percent of the businesses and homes nearby were severely damaged, and they later had to be torn down. A nearby National Guard Armory, regularly used as

330-634: The St. Louis–San Francisco Railway . The Pierce spelling was used erroneously by the United States Postal Service and adopted officially in the 1930s. A 1982 attempt to revert to Peirce was rejected by the United States Census Bureau . On August 19, 1901 a large white mob took three African-American men from jail in Pierce City and lynched them. French and William Godley, and Peter Hampton, were suspects in

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360-472: The poverty line , including 19.50% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over. The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Lawrence County. Republicans hold all elected positions in the county. Lawrence County is divided into two legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives , both of which are held by Republicans. All of Lawrence County

390-428: The age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in

420-556: The city was 37.4 years. 26% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,385 people, 574 households, and 378 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,133.3 inhabitants per square mile (437.6/km). There were 646 housing units at an average density of 528.6 per square mile (204.1/km). The racial makeup of

450-526: The city was 96.46% White , 0.22% African American , 1.08% Native American , 0.22% from other races , and 2.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of the population. There were 574 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who

480-446: The city. The population density was 1,017.3 inhabitants per square mile (392.8/km). There were 602 housing units at an average density of 474.0 per square mile (183.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White , 0.8% Native American , 0.2% Asian , 1.8% from other races , and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population. There were 538 households, of which 33.3% had children under

510-463: The community of Berwick and enters Shoal Creek 2.5 miles west of Berwick and two miles east of Ritchey . The confluence is at 36°56′06″N 94°08′58″W  /  36.93500°N 94.14944°W  / 36.93500; -94.14944 and an elevation of 1060 feet. Early settlers in Lawrence County named the stream for its clear waters. This article related to a river in Missouri

540-499: The county seat, Pierce City , in Lawrence County. The mob also burned down some black homes, and drove roughly 30 families, a total of 300 African Americans, out of the city altogether. Whites took over their properties and the African Americans were never compensated for losses. As a result of such incidents, many African Americans left Southwest Missouri in the early 20th century. The extrajudicial murders were part of

570-619: The empty properties. This was part of a pattern of violence in southwest Missouri in the early 20th century; there were also large public lynchings in Joplin and Springfield , resulting in many African Americans abandoning the region for less hostile territory. "Monett, Peirce City, Rogers, Ark., and several other towns around here have driven the negros out." By 1910 only 91 African Americans remained in Lawrence County and their numbers continued to decline. The incident has been considered an act of ethnic cleansing . In reaction, Mark Twain wrote

600-521: The essay The United States of Lyncherdom , which was published posthumously. In the 21st century, some descendants of the people who had been driven out of Pierce City threatened to file a lawsuit for the city's failure to protect their families and to recover the value of their families' properties, but none has been filed. There have been other grassroots efforts to acknowledge these crimes and injustices. The Lawrence County Bank Building and Pierce City Fire Station, Courthouse and Jail are listed on

630-436: The intersection of Missouri routes 37 and 97 . Monett lies four miles to the east. Clear Creek flows through the city. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.28 square miles (3.32 km), of which 1.27 square miles (3.29 km) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km) is water. As of the census of 2010, there were 1,292 people, 538 households, and 343 families residing in

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660-465: The murder of a young white woman. Two of the men were quite aged and were unlikely suspects; none had a chance at a trial. These are the only recorded lynchings in Lawrence County. Unrest continued, and the white mob burned five black homes, and drove "30 families into the woods", affecting the roughly 300 black residents in the town. (It had about 1,000 white residents.) Most of the African Americans lost all their land and property; whites simply took over

690-577: The present Lawrence County. Following the Reconstruction era , southwestern Missouri became increasingly hostile to African Americans, and whites attacked blacks in Lawrence and other counties, seeking to expel them from the region. An African-American man was lynched in Verona, Missouri on January 26, 1894; his name was not recorded. On August 19, 1901, three men were lynched by a white mob in

720-410: The state at large and nationally. Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R- Arkansas ) received more votes, a total of 2,628, than any candidate from either party in Lawrence County during the 2008 presidential primary. 37°07′N 93°50′W  /  37.11°N 93.83°W  / 37.11; -93.83 Clear Creek (Shoal Creek) The stream headwaters arise in northwest Barry County on

750-566: The town's storm shelter, sustained heavy damage. J. Dale Taunton was killed; he was one of the several dozen people who had fled to the shelter. But, outside the main path of the tornado, many Pierce City structures, including homes and the Harold Bell Wright Museum, sustained little or no damage. The Pierce City tornado was rated F3 on the Fujita scale . Pierce City is located in the southwestern corner of Lawrence County at

780-445: The west side of Kings Prairie at 36°53′33″N 93°52′06″W  /  36.89250°N 93.86833°W  / 36.89250; -93.86833 at an elevation of 1415 feet. The stream flows northwest passing under U.S. Route 60 and through the south side of city of Monett . It enters the southwest corner of Lawrence County and passes just south of Pierce City and under Missouri Route 97 . It enters Newton County and passes north of

810-415: Was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 31,239, and the median income for a family was $ 36,846. Males had a median income of $ 27,309 versus $ 18,990 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 15,399. About 11.00% of families and 14.10% of the population were below

840-449: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males. The median income for

870-421: Was 95.68% White , 0.27% Black or African American , 0.76% Native American , 0.22% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 1.67% from other races , and 1.37% from two or more races. Approximately 3.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 13,568 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 9.00% had

900-488: Was once a small village called St. Martha about two and a half miles west of Pierce City. It was surveyed for William Robert Wild on Section 30, Pierce Township, May 9, 1870. Wild committed suicide there on June 8, 1870. Nothing remains of the village. Pierce City was laid out in 1870 as a stop on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad . It was originally spelled Peirce City, named for Andrew Peirce, Jr. of Boston, president of

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