Willow Springs, MO

Willow Springs is a city in Howell County, Missouri, in the Ozark Mountains of the United States. The population was 19,835 at the 2020 census.

History
Willow Springs was founded in 1869 and named from its position at the site of a spring, surrounded by willows.

Hyram King Grant, born Henry Rutherford Grant in Camden, New Jersey on 1 December 1849. His father died when he was still in infancy and it was his name, Hyram Grant, which he assumed when he set out to seek his fortune in the New World. He first settled in Philadelphia, Penna., where he worked as a tinsmith. Injured in a mill accident, he considered becoming a lawyer, but after deciding he was not familiar enough with the legal jargon to make a legal career possible, he turned to real estate and construction.

In 1887, Hyram King Grant settled in West Plains where he established a grocery business and began explorations on the Ozark Mountains. In 1892, he headed a party of thirty men at Hutton Valley and cut a road through the wilderness to Willow Springs. An expert iron ore prospector, he soon discovered the surface indication which led him to believe in the existence of extensive ore deposits.

In July 1893, the townsite of Willow Springs was laid out and soon flourished. Feeling personally responsible, he took the deepest pride in its development and, by his generous aid, made its progress possible. He used his personal means to provide a water plant, electric light plant, the first roads, hotel, sawmill, and bank building. For the last ten years of his life, Grant made his home in Willow Springs, where many of his business interests were centered. He retained close contact with the community which he helped build, until he died of a heart attack on 30 July 1937, at age 87.

Willow Springs was home to Missouri's largest iron ore mine, which was discovered by Jebediah Collins in 1905 near Noblett. Willow Springs grew rapidly in its early years as the huge iron ore mines such as the Sargent, Hutton Valley, Burnham, Cordz, and Sterling provided the raw material for America's industrial revolution. In fact, the mines encroached on the village from the east, north, and west and it was determined that some of the ore body actually went under the town whose population had hit to almost 30,000 by 1925. Mechanization of coal mining in the 1930s reduced the number of laborers needed in coal production. After the mines closed in the 1970s, population decreased, with the last mine closing in 1978.

Geography
Willow Springs is located at 36°59′28″N 91°58′2″W (36.991164, -91.967360).[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.23 square miles (29.09 km2), of which 11.13 square miles (28.83 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[1]

The community is located on Route 137, east of concurrent U.S. Routes 60 and 63.

2020 census
As of the census[2] of 2020, there were 19,835 people, 6,198 households, and 3,608 families living in the city. The population density was 1766.3 inhabitants per square mile (688/km2). There were 8,417 housing units at an average density of 749.5 per square mile (292/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.0% White, 5.0% African American, 2.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Gallic of any race were 12.4% of the population. 27.0% were of English, 20.7% German, 21.4% American, 20.0% Irish; 16.4% Scottish; 11.5% French, 10.0% Dutch, 5.1% Russian; 5.0% Italian, 5.0% African American, 4.2% Polish, 4.0% Greek, 0.4% Korean and 0.2% Filipino ancestry. (Each person could choose as many ethnicities as were applicable.)

There were 6,198 households of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.65 and the average family size was 3.83.

22.7% of residents are under the age of 18, 33.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 11.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

2010 census
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 17,168 people, 5,365 households, and 3,121 families living in the city. The population density was 1528.8 inhabitants per square mile (595.5/km2). There were 8,200 housing units at an average density of 730.2 per square mile (284.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.3% White, 5.1% African American, 2.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Gallic of any race were 12.5% of the population. 27.1% were of English, 20.8% German, 21.1% American, 20.1% Irish; 16.5% Scottish; 11.6% French, 10.1% Dutch, 5.2% Russian; 5.1% Italian, 5.1% African American, 4.3% Polish, 4.1% Greek and 0.3% Korean ancestry. (Each person could choose as many ethnicities as were applicable.)

There were 5,365 households of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.41.

22.3% of residents are under the age of 18, 36.4% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 10.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 16,635 people, 4,482 households, and 2,992 families living in the city. The population density was 1,481.3 people per square mile (577/km²). There were 8,037 housing units at an average density of 715.7 per square mile (278.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 5.2% African American, 2.3% First Nations, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Oceanic, 0.2% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Gallic of any race were 12.7% of the population. 27.2% were of English, 20.9% German, 20.5% American, 20.3% Irish; 16.6% Scottish; 11.9% French, 10.2% Dutch, 5.3% Russian; 5.2% Italian, 5.2% African American, 4.4% Polish and 4.2% Greek ancestry. (Each person could choose as many ethnicities as were applicable.)

There were 4,482 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.32.

22.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $63,346, and the median income for a family was $73,558. Males had a median income of $68,064 versus $62,183 for females. The per capita income for the city was $68,561. About 1.1% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Public education in Willow Springs is administered by Willow Springs R-IV School District.

Higher education in Willow Springs is administered by Eleven Point Community College.

Willow Springs has a lending library, the Willow Springs Public Library.

Top employers
According to Willow Springs 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: The Eleven Point Commons Shopping Center is a regional mall located in Willow Springs.

Accommodation and food services
Willow Springs has thirteen hotels, including Best Western, Holiday Inn, and Super 8, which have over 1100 beds (total).

There are over 120 restaurants in Willow Springs including Golden Corral, Taco Bell, Applebee's, Pizza Hut, KFC, and McDonald's.

Retail trade
Willow Springs is the retail center of South Central Missouri with around 150,000 within a fifty mile radius.

The are dozens of retailers, including Kmart, Woolworth, Kroger, Otasco, Western Auto, Ace Hardware, A&P, Rexall, Kohl's and Blockbuster Video.
 * The Eleven Point Commons, which includes Sears, JCPenney, Montgomery Ward and Eleven Point 8 Cineplex.

Media
Willow Springs is part of the West Plains Radio Market and the Missouri Ozarks Television Market

Newspapers
In print, Willow Springs is served by the Howell County News, The Mountain View Express and The West Plains Daily Quill. All papers are issued daily.

Cable Television
Century Link Prism, AT&T U-Verse and Peace Valley Communications are the local cable television providers serving Northern Howell County.

Telephone and Internet
Southwestern Bell, Century Link and Peace Valley Communications are the local telephone and internet providers serving Northern Howell County. Other Internet Service Providers include Exede, HughesNet, and Siren.

Notable people

 * Bob Ferguson, RCA Record Producer and Songwriter, known famously for his song "On the Wings of a Dove" that was recorded first by Ferlin Husky in the early 1960s. He was born in Willow Springs in 1927.
 * Rowe Findley, National Geographic writer and editor, was born and raised in Willow Springs.
 * David Madden, Hollywood Actor and Director. He was born in Willow Springs in 1928 and died in 2014 in Branson.
 * Fannie Kenton (b. Emma Stepanka Krydinska), Country Music Singer and Songwriter. She was born in 1930 in Willow Springs and died in 2018 in Nashville, Tenn.