36-605: Bonne Terre ( / b ɒ n ˈ t ɛər / bon- TAIR ) is a city in St. Francois County , Missouri , United States with a population of 6,864 at the 2010 census . Situated in the Southeast Missouri Lead District , lead mining shaped the history and character of the area from the earliest French settlers in the 1720s until today, even though Bonne Terre Mine established by St. Joseph lead mining company in 1864 closed in 1962. Mine tailing piles eroded, and contaminated
72-700: A Jesuit who explored the region in 1673, named the river for the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier ; Marquette had spent some time at the mission of St. François Xavier before his voyage and, as a Jesuit, was unlikely to have given the river a name honoring the Franciscans . St. Francois County comprises the Farmington Micropolitan Statistical Area , which is also included in the St. Louis – St. Charles –Farmington– Illinois Combined Statistical Area . A former county seal, used from 2018 to 2022,
108-588: A publication from 1874, now in the public domain in the United States. 37°46′55″N 90°25′20″W / 37.78194°N 90.42222°W / 37.78194; -90.42222 Superfund Site Superfund sites are polluted locations in the United States requiring a long-term response to clean up hazardous material contaminations. Sites include landfills, mines, manufacturing facilities, processing plants where toxic waste has either been improperly managed or dumped. They were designated under
144-554: A scuba diving attraction. Bonne Terre is also home to the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center , a 3000 bed prison of adult males who may have substance abuse issues or are mentally disabled, where Missouri has conducted all of its executions since April 2005. Bonne Terre is part of the Southeast Missouri Lead District , an area of rolling hills of the Ozark Plateau with elevations up to 300 feet. The ground
180-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.94. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
216-570: A lending library, the Bonne Terre Memorial Library. The Limestone building in the style of Italian renaissance was built in 1905 by St. Joe Lead Company director Dwight Jones. In 1974, Bonne Terre Mine , and in 1984 St. Joe Lead Company Administration Building were listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The mine was the first in the network of St. Joe Minerals lead mines that led to Missouri producing 70 percent of
252-485: A number of Cornish miners. Underground mining began in 1869. After a post office was established in 1868, the corporate name of the town, "St. Joe´s mines" changed to Bonne Terre. Major lead mining operations from the 1870s also included the Desloge Lead Company , and Doe Run. The Desloge mines were started by Firmin V. Desloge , and above-ground works were bounded approximately by present-day Division Street on
288-464: Is a county in the Lead Belt region in the U.S. state of Missouri . At the 2020 census , the population was 66,922. The largest city and county seat is Farmington . The county was officially organized on December 19, 1821. It was named after the St. Francis River . The origin of the river's name is unclear. It may refer to St. Francis of Assisi . Another possibility is that Jacques Marquette ,
324-892: Is also a small Orthodox Christian presence in the county, an example being Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Desloge, MO. Catholic Churches in the county are Immaculate Conception in Park Hills, St. Joseph in Farmington, St. Joseph in Bonne Terre, St. John in Bismarck, and St. Anne in French Village. The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in St. Francois County. Republicans hold all but two of
360-511: Is from 1878 and a bathhouse (natatorium) is from 1889. The city hall from 1909 was built in Tudor style, and reportedly is a replica of Shakespeare´s home, while the modern city hall was built as a cash and carry store. Bonne Terre is also home to a Space Museum. It has a flag that went to the moon with astronaut Eugene Cernan on Apollo 17. St. Francois County, Missouri St. Francois County ( / ˈ f r æ n s ɪ s / FRAN -siss )
396-733: Is mostly red clay over a base of limestone. The area contains the highest concentration of galena (lead(II) sulfide) in the world. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.10 square miles (10.62 km), of which 4.04 square miles (10.46 km) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km) is water. The community was originally part of the Louisiana Territory and settled by Frenchmen in 1720 after they discovered lead ore. Two Frenchmen, La Motte and Philip Francois Renault , had left France in 1719 with 200 miners in search of minerals as part of
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#1732852830175432-602: The Company of the West . Surface miners referred to it as La Bonne Terre around 1825, meaning "the good soil" because of the lead. In 1828, St. Anne, the first Catholic chapel in St Francois County, was built here. In 1864, Bonne Terre Mine was established by St. Joseph lead mining company which was incorporated in NYC the same year. In 1865, a new superintendent, J. C. Winslow, brought
468-490: The U.S. House of Representatives . Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish out the remaining term of U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R- Cape Girardeau ). Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic ,
504-586: The poverty line , including 19.80% under the age of 18 and 11.50% over the age of 65. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), St. Francois County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in St. Francois County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (45.48%), Roman Catholics (14.94%), and Methodists (8.37%). There
540-724: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980. CERCLA authorized the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a list of such locations, which are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL guides the EPA in "determining which sites warrant further investigation" for environmental remediation . As of June 6, 2024 , there were 1,340 Superfund sites in
576-569: The United States' lead in the Southeast Missouri Lead District . The mine was a target of Price's Raid during the American Civil War . The mine is open for tours and is also known as a scuba diving attraction. The French village was a campsite on a trail branching of the Camino Real. Downtown architecture includes as the oldest building the Shepard house from 1869, while the former post office
612-610: The area as dust, posing residential hazards or were washed into the Big River . Only in 1992, the Bonne Terre Mine Tailings Site was listed as a Superfund site ; as of 2022 remediation is still ongoing. The Bonne Terre Depot from 1909, the St. Joe Lead Company Administration Building and the Bonne Terre Mine , are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The latter is spring water filled and has become
648-402: The average family size was 3.06. In the city the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males. The median income for a household in the city
684-417: The beginning of the 20th century, St. Joe Lead was the only one of initially dozens of mining companies left, as it had bought up the remaining companies. In 1962, the mine closed. Lead mine tailings were used as paving gravel for decades. In 1977, heavy rains caused about 50,000 cubic yards of tailings to slough into the Big River . Chat dumps or mine tailing piles remain until today; lead dust contaminated
720-460: The city. The population density was 1,699.0 inhabitants per square mile (656.0/km). There were 1,882 housing units at an average density of 465.8 per square mile (179.8/km). The racial makeup of the city was 79.60% White , 18.72% Black or African American , 0.34% Native American , 0.20% Asian , 0.10% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander , 0.10% from other races , and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of
756-399: The city. The population density was 1,000.0 inhabitants per square mile (386.1/km). There were 1,685 housing units at an average density of 417.2 per square mile (161.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 98.46% White , 0.30% African American , 0.20% Native American , 0.05% Asian , 0.12% from other races , and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.17% of
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#1732852830175792-401: The county held a contest to redesign the seal. Gallaher requested that the redesign make reference to the parks in the county as well as include elements from the old seal. The county received 264 or 282 entries from 33 counties and 35 states, of which three finalists were chosen. Some included the St. Francois County Courthouse and referenced the county's mining history . The winning design
828-408: The county was 96.14% White , 2.02% African American , 0.35% Native American , 0.31% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.23% from other races , and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population. There were 20,793 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 11.30% had
864-599: The county's elected positions. St. Francois County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives . All of St. Francois County is a part of Missouri's 3rd District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Elaine Gannon (R- De Soto ). St. Francois County is included in Missouri's 8th Congressional District and is currently represented by Jason T. Smith (R- Salem ) in
900-604: The head of the St. Francois County Public Health Department described being driven to resign from her position by residents who refused to "accept the reality of the pandemic" and made “cowardly“ anonymous threats against her and her family. Of adults 25 years of age and older in St. Francois County, 72.4% possess a high school diploma or higher while 10.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest level of educational attainment. Farmington Public Library [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri , by Robert A. Campbell,
936-407: The population. There were 1,554 households, out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.3% 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 2.53 and
972-440: The population. There were 1,634 households, of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
1008-496: The state of Missouri advises people not to eat fish they catch from the Big River. Bonne Terre is home to the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center , a roughly 3000-bed prison of adult males who may have substance abuse issues or are mentally disabled. Since April 2005, Missouri has conducted all of its executions there. As of the census of 2000, there were 4,039 people, 1,554 households, and 1,062 families living in
1044-405: The surrounding area and was a hazard to residents. Only in 1992, the Bonne Terre Mine Tailings Site was listed as a Superfund Site . As of 2021, over 1,400 residential yards have been remediated. The Bonne Terre East Tailings Flat is still used as a repository for lead-contaminated soils. Because lead levels in fish downstream of the mining area are elevated above World Health Organization Standards,
1080-521: The west, Benham Street on the south, Route 67 on the east, and the township line to the north. In 1880, Bone Terre was platted as a town. The miners were local small farmers, timber cutters and rock quarrymen supplementing their income, and later Hungarian and other Slavic and southern European immigrants. In 1890, the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad hauled ore to Herculaneum smelters. The Bonne Terre Depot from 1909 still exists. At
1116-431: Was $ 29,929, and the median income for a family was $ 37,072. Males had a median income of $ 29,617 versus $ 18,310 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,062. About 11.7% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 21.8% of those age 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, there were 6,864 people, 1,634 households, and 1,063 families living in
Bonne Terre, Missouri - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-518: Was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.14. The median age in the city was 34.2 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 37.1% were from 25 to 44; 22.3% were from 45 to 64; and 10.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 67.1% male and 32.9% female. North St. Francois County R-I School District operates three schools at Bonne Terre: North County Primary School, North Co. Sr. High School, and Unitec Career Center. The town has
1188-425: Was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 39,551, and the median income for a family was $ 47,923. Males had a median income of $ 29,961 versus $ 19,412 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,047. Approximately 14.90% of the population and 11.00% of families were below
1224-443: Was posted on the subreddit r/CrappyDesign where it received considerable attention and was covered by local and national news organizations. It was criticized for being "overdone" and "amateurish," though some said they felt it stood out and was "spontaneous." The seal was designed by county commissioner Harold Gallaher and incorporated components from an older 1982 seal designed by a high school student in needlework . The seal
1260-415: Was submitted by Bryan Finch, a graphic designer from Farmington, Missouri , a city in St. Francois County. As of the census of 2000, there were 55,641 people, 20,793 households, and 14,659 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 inhabitants per square mile (48/km ). There were 24,449 housing units at an average density of 54 units per square mile (21/km ). The racial makeup of
1296-452: Was unanimously approved by the county commission and was used on government signage and vehicles. The seal featured clip art -style images of a bald eagle atop the American flag , a pickaxe and shovel, a Bible and Christian cross , and an outline of the county. It also featured the phrase " In God we trust " and the founding date of the county. In response to the attention it received,
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