Dexter is a city in Stoddard County,

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, founded in 1873. The population was 7,864 at the 2010 census.

History

Dexter was

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bea ...

ted in 1873. Mr. Dex, an early settler, gave the community the name of his horse, Dexter. Dexter experienced rapid growth with the arrival of the

St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway (St. L., I. M. & S.), commonly known as the Iron Mountain, was an American railway company that operated from 1874 until 1917 when it was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad. History The Iro ...

. A post office called Dexter City was established in 1873, and the name was changed to Dexter in 1887. The

Dexter Gymnasium Dexter Gymnasium is a historic gymnasium located at Dexter, Stoddard County, Missouri. It was built in 1939-1940 during the Great Depression on a block donated to the local school system, and shares the block with a school and library. It is a re ...

was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 2001. On July 10th, 2021, an EF2 tornado hit the town with at least 150 homes reported damaged.

Geography

Dexter is located southwest of

Sikeston Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the state of Missouri, United States. It is situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way ...

. Dexter is located on what is known as Crowley's Ridge. It is at the intersection of U.S. Route 60 and

Missouri Route 25 Route 25 is a highway in south-eastern Missouri. Its northern terminus is at Business Interstate 55/ U.S. Route 61/ Route 34 in Jackson. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 412/ Route 84 in Kennett. Route 25 was one of the original 1922 s ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 7,865 people, 3,359 households, and 2,108 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 3,666 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.5%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population. There were 3,359 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the city was 40.5 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.8% were from 45 to 64; and 19.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.6% male and 54.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 7,356 people, 3,237 households, and 2,019 families living in the city. The

was 1,208.0 people per square mile (466.4/km²). There were 3,560 housing units at an average density of 584.6 per square mile (225.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.31%

, 0.15%

, 0.46% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population. There were 3,237 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were

living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83. In the city the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $23,116, and the median income for a family was $32,175. Males had a median income of $26,724 versus $17,409 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $15,034. About 14.8% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

Dexter has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

''Cfa'').

Education

Dexter R-XI School District operated two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The town has a lending library, the Keller Public Library Of Dexter.

Notable people

* George K. Sisler, Medal of Honor recipient *

Clyde A. Vaughn Clyde A. Vaughn (born April 27, 1946) is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General who served as Director of the Army National Guard. Early life Clyde Allen Vaughn, Jr. was born in Columbia, Missouri on April 27, 1946. He graduated from ...

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

and Director of the

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army N ...

* James P. Walker, politician. member of the House of Representatives. * Max West, baseball player, member of Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame *

Orville Zimmerman Orville Zimmerman (December 31, 1880 – April 7, 1948) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Missouri. Born on a farm near Glen Allen, Missouri, Glenallen in Bollinger County, Missouri, Zimmerman attended the pub ...

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

for

Missouri's 10th congressional district The 10th congressional district of Missouri was a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Missouri from 1873 to 1983. It was eliminated as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 Census The United ...

, was principal of Dexter High School, 1904-1909 * A.B.Rutledge,

Author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

of MILES AWAY FROM YOU https://www.changinghands.com/book/9781328852335

References

External links

* Historic maps of Dexter in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection
at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in ...

{{authority control Cities in Stoddard County, Missouri 1873 establishments in Missouri Cities in Missouri