Willow Springs, Missouri

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Willow Springs, Missouri
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Willow-Springs-Main-St-mo.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Main Street
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Howell_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Willow_Springs_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Willow Springs, Missouri
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Missouri]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Howell County, Missouri|Howell]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 9.77
|area_land_km2            = 9.73
|area_water_km2           = 0.04
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.77
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.76
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.02

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2164
|population_density_km2   = 222.31
|population_density_sq_mi = 575.84

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1227
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|59|15|N|91|57|46|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 65793
|area_code                = [[Area code 417|417]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 29-80098<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2397325<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2397325}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.willowspringsmo.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}
'''Willow Springs''' is a city in [[Howell County, Missouri|Howell County]], [[Missouri]], in the [[Ozark Mountains]] of the United States. The population was 2,164 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].

== History ==
Willow Springs was so named from its position at the site of a [[Spring (hydrosphere)|spring]], surrounded by [[willow]]s.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1916 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RfAuAAAAYAAJ/page/n73 176]}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|3.55|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|3.53|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.02|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08}}</ref>

The community is located on [[Route 137 (Missouri)|Route 137]], east of concurrent [[U.S. Route 60 in Missouri|U.S. Routes 60]] and [[U.S. Route 63 in Missouri|63]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 1535
|1900= 1078
|1910= 1401
|1920= 1441
|1930= 1430
|1940= 1530
|1950= 1914
|1960= 1913
|1970= 2045
|1980= 2215
|1990= 2038
|2000= 2147
|2010= 2184
|2020= 2164
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,184 people, 925 households, and 564 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|618.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,082 housing units at an average density of {{convert|306.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.11% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.14% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.41% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.73% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.46% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.15% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.06% of the population.

There were 925 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.0% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 38.6 years. 26.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 21.1% were from 45 to 64; and 21.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,147 people, 913 households, and 545 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|654.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,033 housing units at an average density of {{convert|315.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.02% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.37% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.84% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.28% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 1.49% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 913 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 27.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,894, and the median income for a family was $25,917. Males had a median income of $22,357 versus $16,316 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $13,681. About 20.8% of families and 26.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 41.4% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Public education in Willow Springs is administered by Willow Springs R-IV School District.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.willowspringsschool.com | title=Homepage | publisher=Willow Springs R-Iv School District | access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>

Willow Springs has a lending library, the Willow Springs Public Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.publiclibraries.com/missouri.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610012728/http://www.publiclibraries.com/missouri.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 June 2017 | title=Missouri Public Libraries | publisher=PublicLibraries.com | access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>

== Notable people==
*[[Steve Cropper]], guitarist/songwriter/producer, and member of [[Booker T. & the M.G.'s]] (which backed artists such as [[Otis Redding]] and [[Sam & Dave]]) and also a member of [[The Blues Brothers]]. Born on a farm near Willow Springs in 1941.
*[[Bob Ferguson (music)|Bob Ferguson]], RCA Record Producer and songwriter, known for his song [[Wings of a Dove (Bob Ferguson song)|"On the Wings of a Dove"]] that was recorded first by [[Ferlin Husky]] in the early 1960s. He would later produce records for [[Chet Atkins]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Waylon Jennings]], and many others. He was born in Willow Springs in 1927.
*[[Rowe Findley]], National Geographic writer and editor, was born and raised in Willow Springs.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2003/04/12/national-geographic-writer-and-editor-cecil-rowe-findley/26575aec-b3e0-47d6-b936-8706b238f417/ Washington Post - National Geographic Writer and Editor Cecil Rowe Findley]</ref>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Willow Springs, Missouri}}
* [http://www.willowspringsmo.com Official site]
* [http://www.wschamber.net Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.willowspringsschool.com Willow Springs R-IV School District]
* Historic maps of Willow Springs in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A139013 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]

{{Howell County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Howell County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]