Overland, Missouri


Overland is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 16,062 at the 2010 census.

Geography

Overland is located at .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,062 people, 6,717 households, and 4,136 families living in the city. The population density was. There were 7,356 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 16.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.2% Asian, 3.9% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.4% of the population.
There were 6,717 households of which 30.2% had children under the age of eighteen living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.4% were non-families. 30.8% 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 2.38 and the average family size was 2.96.
The median age in the city was 37.9 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of eighteen; 8.7% were between the ages of eighteen and 24; 28% were from 25 to 44; 28.3% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,838 people, 7,012 households, and 4,494 families living in the city. The population density was 3,842.8 people per square mile. There were 7,446 housing units at an average density of 1,699.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 83.56% White, 11.19% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 7,012 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,437, and the median income for a family was $43,655. Males had a median income of $31,168 versus $25,352 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,266. About 6.6% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

History

The area south of the King's Road to St. Charles was first settled in the early 1820s, when travelers westward from St. Louis would stop overnight at what became known as "The Overland Park". Daniel Boone, noted frontiersman, constructed a single room cabin here, near the current location of Lake Sherwood and Wyland Elementary School. A historic marker on Wabaday Avenue shows the exact spot.
In time, businesses were established and a one-room subscription school, the Buck School, was built in 1846. In 1867, the Ritenour School District was organized. In 1919, the town's name was shortened to "Overland", to avoid postal confusion with the city of Overland Park, Kansas.
The town was incorporated as a fourth class city in 1939 with a mayoral-city council government. In the 1990s, the city voters approved a change to a third class city. In 2007, the city voted to move to a mayor-council-administrator form of government. Under this structure, the mayor serves as the chief elected official. The city council serves as the legislative body, and is empowered to pass ordinances and resolutions it deems necessary to the operation of the city. The city administrator is a full-time employee of the city, and executes the day-to-day tasks of operations.

Notable locations

The historic "Overland Park" wagon train stop is located near the intersection of Midland Boulevard and Lackland Road. A monument marks this site.
An early Overland settler and prominent St. Louis businessman, Dennis Lackland, built the in 1844 on the road later named for him. The nearby McElhinney Log House, built in the 1850s, is maintained by the Overland Historical Society.
The Ritenour School, built in 1867 on Woodson Road, was remodeled and expanded over the years and is currently the administration building.
Lake Sherwood, which is near the original Overland Park, was developed as a private residence in 1877 and is now a gated community. The lake is spring-fed, and the dam spills into headwaters for the River des Peres. Construction of the earthen dam was completed in 1894. Its height is, capacity is, and normal storage is. It drains an area of. At normal levels, the lake has a surface area of. The lake is owned by the Lake Sherwood homeowners' association and is used for recreational purposes.
The , on Poe Avenue, was built in 1910 by Edward Gocke. This fireproof house was built from plans drawn by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Overland has several large parks. The , built in 1907 on Ashby Road, is now owned and maintained by the city as Wild Acres Park; it is a secluded area, offering walking paths and a small fishing lake. Mort Jacobs Park is a rolling acreage of tall trees and hiking paths. Norman Myers Park is a large athletic field with a one-third-mile running track and adjacent picnic areas. It is home to Overland's annual Lion's Fair. Other smaller parks dot the city, providing family outing opportunities.

Economy

is headquartered in Overland, and concentrate manufacturing operations for Dr Pepper Snapple Group are located in Overland. Overland is less than five miles from the St. Louis Boeing plant, Monsanto and Emerson Electric, where many Overland residents are employed. Overland supports a healthy and prosperous retail district.
Overland was the location of the National Personnel Records Center, which houses discharged and retired service records of all branches of the United States armed forces. The city was also the location of the Army Human Resources Command, prior to the facility's closing as a result of the military's 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process. The former Army HRC building is now called the Charles F. Prevedel Federal Building and is home to offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Agriculture.

Education

The Ritenour School District serves the city. Ritenour High School serves the city.

Notable people

once lived in what was at the time the northeast edge of Overland, the Home Heights area. In October 1920, he took a series of aerial photos of the Overland area.
The following individuals grew up in the Overland area and graduated from in Overland:
On April 3, 2007, Overland residents voted to recall Mayor Ann Purzner, who had been accused of lying about her career credentials and exceeding her power as mayor. She was temporarily replaced by Alderman Jerry May, and in the August 2007 election, Councilman Mike Schneider was elected mayor.