Wentzville, Missouri

Wentzville, Missouri
City
Old Downtown Wentzville
Location of Wentzville
Coordinates: 38°48′58″N 90°51′26″W / 38.81611°N 90.85722°W / 38.81611; -90.85722Coordinates: 38°48′58″N 90°51′26″W / 38.81611°N 90.85722°W / 38.81611; -90.85722
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	St. Charles County
Founded	1855
Government
• Mayor	Nick Guccione
Area[1]
• Total	19.98 sq mi (51.75 km2)
• Land	19.96 sq mi (51.70 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation	623 ft (190 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• Total	29,070
• Estimate (2015[3])	35,603
• Density	1,456.4/sq mi (562.3/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	63385
Area code(s)	636
FIPS code	29-78442
GNIS feature ID	0756888[4]
Website	wentzvillemo.org

Wentzville is a city located in western St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 29,070.^[5] The city's major employer is General Motors which has a full size van assembly plant located there, called Wentzville Assembly. As the site of the county fairgrounds, Wentzville hosts the annual St. Charles County Fair, St. Louis Pirate Festival and the Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire.

History

Wentzville was founded in 1855^[6] as a depot on the Northern Missouri Railroad. It was named after Peter Louis Kingston Wentz lll, a railroad engineer for the line. The land was obtained from William M. Allen, who laid out the town. Wentzville was not incorporated until 1872.

During the American Civil War, the city was the site of a series of skirmishes along the railroad from July 15 to 17, 1861. Elements of the 2nd and 8th Missouri Infantry Regiments en route to Mexico, Missouri engaged Confederate guerrillas who threatened the railroad.

Wentzville is located at the intersection of Interstate 70, U.S. 61 and Interstate 64. It is known as the "Crossroads of the Nation".

The city is also the namesake of George Thorogood's song "Back to Wentzville" from his album, Bad to the Bone.

Geography

Wentzville is located at 38°48'58" North, 90°51'26" West (38.816010, −90.857198).^[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.98 square miles (51.75 km²), of which, 19.96 square miles (51.70 km²) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km²) is water.^[1]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 29,070 people, 9,767 households, and 7,852 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,456.4 inhabitants per square mile (562.3/km²). There were 10,305 housing units at an average density of 516.3 per square mile (199.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.9% White, 6.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.7% of the population.

There were 9,767 households of which 51.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 19.6% were non-families. 15.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.31.

The median age in the city was 31.2 years. 33.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 33.7% were from 25 to 44; 19% were from 45 to 64; and 7.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,931 people, 2,456 households, and 1,846 families residing in the city. The population density is 478.9 people per square mile (184.9/km²). There are 2,724 housing units at an average density of 189.2 per square mile (73.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 84.63% White, 12.02% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, 2.06% from two or more races. 1.49% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 2,456 households out of which 43.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% are married couples living together, 17.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% are non-families. 20.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.76 and the average family size is 3.20.

In the city the population is spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $47,232, and the median income for a family is $53,082. Males have a median income of $38,423 versus $25,852 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,039. 11.6% of the population and 10.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.1% of those under the age of 18 and 13.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Schools

The Wentzville R-IV School District covers Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, Foristell, Dardenne Prairie and parts of O'Fallon.^[11]

Immanuel Lutheran School is a private Christian school off Highway N. It's a Lutheran Exemplary status school. It is known for good sportsmanship and leadership.

The high-school mascot for Wentzville Holt High School is the Indian, and the high-school mascot for Wentzville Timberland High School is the Wolf. A third high school called Wentzville Liberty High School opened in August 2013, and its school mascot is the Eagle.

Wentzville is also home to St. Patrick School, a semi-large Catholic school serving pre-school through eighth grade.

Lindenwood University has a satellite campus located in the building that was formerly home to the Southern Air Restaurant, which after many years as a popular stop for travelers between St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri was last owned by Chuck Berry.

Government

The government of Wentzville consists of a mayor, six aldermen (two for each ward) and a city administrator. City Administrator is a non-elected position, whereas the others are elected. Mayors serve four-year terms and aldermen serve two-year terms.http://z2codes.sullivanpublications.com/sullivan/Z2Browser2.html?showset=wentzvilleset The city is divided into three wards.

Source: City of Wentzville, Missouri website: http://www.wentzvillemo.org http://www.wentzvillemo.org/municipal-code.aspx

Source: Section 105.020 General Election of the Wentzville Municipal Code http://z2codes.sullivanpublications.com/sullivan/Z2Browser2.html?showset=wentzvilleset

Source: Wentzville, Missouri City Administrator website page: http://www.wentzvillemo.org/city-administrator--interior.aspx

Notable people

• Ron Hunt – Former Major League Baseball player
• Nathan Orf - Baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Chuck Berry – Pioneering rock and roll singer and guitarist; member of the initial class inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Montee Ball – American football running back (Denver Broncos)
• Ross Detwiler – Major League Baseball pitcher (Nationals, Braves, Rangers, and Indians)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wentzville, Missouri.

• Wentzville, Missouri
• Historic maps of Wentzville in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of Missouri

Municipalities and communities of St. Charles County, Missouri, United States
County seat: St. Charles
Cities	Augusta Cottleville Dardenne Prairie Flint Hill Foristell‡ Lake St. Louis New Melle O'Fallon Portage Des Sioux St. Charles St. Paul St. Peters Weldon Spring Wentzville West Alton
Villages	Josephville Weldon Spring Heights
Townships	Blanchette Boone Cottleville Dardenne Friedens Frontier Harvester Lindenwood O'Fallon Rivers St. Peters Spencer Creek Wentzville Zumbehl
CDP	Defiance
Other unincorporated communities	Black Walnut Blase Boschertown Cappeln Elm Point Enon Femme Osage Gilmore Harvester Howell Kampville Klondike Marais Croche Matson Mechanicsville Nona Orchard Farm Pauldingville Peruque Schluersburg Seeburger Toonerville
Ghost towns	Firma Hamburg Machens
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties