Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County.[4] The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census.[5] It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 487,061 in 2022[6] and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster,[7] The city sits on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks, which ranges from nearly-level to rolling hills. Springfield is the second-largest urban area in the Ozarks.
This article is about the city. For the metropolitan area, see Springfield metropolitan area, Missouri.
Springfield, Missouri
1834
1838
Ken McClure
83.70 sq mi (216.78 km2)
83.11 sq mi (215.26 km2)
0.59 sq mi (1.52 km2)
3,021 sq mi (7,824 km2)
1,299 ft (396 m)
169,176
US: 152nd
2,035.49/sq mi (785.91/km2)
2,104.1/sq mi (812.4/km2)
475,432 (US: 111th)
Springfieldian
29-70000
0735864[1]
Springfield's nicknames include "Queen City of the Ozarks" and "The Birthplace of Route 66".[8][9] The city has been called the "Buckle of the Bible Belt" due to its association with evangelical Christianity.[10][11] The city is the headquarters for Bass Pro Shops[12] and the adjoining Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium.[13] It is also home to O'Reilly Auto Parts, which began as a family business with 13 emloyees in 1957. Springfield is close to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and is along the national historic Trail of Tears.[14] In 2020, Springfield's largest ethnicities were 87.6% White, 4% Black, and 5% two or more races,[15] placing it among the least diverse cities in the United States.[16] The city is a regional center of medical care, with the two largest hospitals, CoxHealth and Mercy, being the largest employers in the city.[17] Springfield hosts several universities and colleges, including Missouri State University, Drury University, and Evangel University. Springfield is an important regional center for distribution, logistics, and manufacturing.[18]
Parks and recreation[edit]
The Springfield-Greene County Park Board manages 3,200 acres and 103 sites,[82] including the Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, which contains the historic Gray-Campbell Farmstead, Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, Master Gardener demonstration gardens, Bill Roston Native Butterfly House, and Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center;[83] the Rutledge-Wilson Farm Community Park; the Mediacom Ice Park; the Cooper Park and Sports Complex; Dickerson Park Zoo; and various other public parks, community centers, and facilities.[84]
The non-profit Ozark Greenways Inc. promotes trail recreation and local bicycling through the establishment of greenway trails, including a 35-mile crushed-gravel trail, the Frisco Highline Trail connecting Springfield to the town of Bolivar, and smaller trails connecting parks and sites of interest within the town and county.[85]
The Missouri Department of Conservation operates the Springfield Nature Center and numerous nearby conservation areas.[86]
The National Park Service operates the nearby Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.[87]
Springfield's metropolitan area is situated within close distance of recreational lakes, waterways, caves, and forests, such as the James River, Busiek State Forest, Lake Springfield, Table Rock Lake, Buffalo National River, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Fellows Lake, and Fantastic Caverns.
Transportation[edit]
Highways[edit]
Springfield is served by Interstate 44, which connects the city with St. Louis and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) carries traffic north towards Kansas City. U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 65, and U.S. Route 160 pass through the city. The average commuting time was 17.7 minutes from 2013 to 2017.[117]
Major streets include Glenstone Avenue, Sunshine Street (Missouri Route 413), National Avenue, Division Street, Campbell Avenue, Kansas Expressway, Battlefield Road, Republic Road, West Bypass, Chestnut Expressway, and Kearney Street.
Media[edit]
Print[edit]
The city's major daily newspaper is the Springfield News-Leader, which circulates to more than 50,000 people on Sundays. Other newspapers for Springfield include Daily Events, Springfield Business Journal, which is a weekly paper that provides comprehensive business news, and The Standard which is Missouri State University's in-school newspaper, and Ozarks Independent, an online local news publication.
In addition to newspapers, Springfield is the base of 417 Magazine, a local lifestyle and entertainment magazine showcasing restaurants, attractions and local businesses in the 417 area code. The Magazine also maintains 417 Biz for business and networking information highlighting local businesspeople and entrepreneurs, as well as 417 Bride for wedding and bridal related content.
Television[edit]
As of 2021, the Springfield media market ranks 74th in the nation, amongst markets like Omaha, Nebraska, and Columbia, South Carolina.[128] The area is composed of 31 counties in southwest Missouri and Arkansas. As of 2021, there are 432,370 television-owning households.[129]