Hannibal, Missouri

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Hannibal is a city located in Marion and Ralls County, Missouri. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 17,757.

1 History and landmarks
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Education
5 Newspaper
6 Hannibal-LaGrange College
7 External links

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History and landmarks

It is the hometown of Mark Twain and the setting of his The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Historical sites related to Mark Twain and sites depicted in his fiction have become an important part of the towns legacy.

In the Broadway musical Damn Yankees, Hannibal was the hometown of the protagonist's assumed persona.

Hannibal was also the birthplace of singer and actor Cliff Edwards ("Ukelele Ike") and 'The Unsinkable Molly' Brown. Other native sons include inventor Bill Lear and NBA basketball coach Cotton Fitzsimmons

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Geography

Hannibal is located at 39°42'15" North, 91°22'39" West (39.704065, -91.377378)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.1 km² (15.1 mi²). 37.8 km² (14.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.12% water.

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Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 17,757 people, 7,017 households, and 4,554 families residing in the city. The population density is 469.3/km² (1,215.3/mi²). There are 7,886 housing units at an average density of 208.4/km² (539.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 90.61% White, 6.57% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 1.13% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 7,017 households out of which 32.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% are married couples living together, 13.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% are non-families. 30.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.40 and the average family size is 2.98.

In the city the population is spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 81.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $29,892, and the median income for a family is $37,264. Males have a median income of $30,677 versus $20,828 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,902. 14.1% of the population and 11.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.2% of those under the age of 18 and 10.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

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Education

Hannibal High School [1] was founded in 1896. The current building was erected in 1932. As of 2004 the current enrollment is 1232 ninth through twelfth graders. The mascot of Hannibal High School is the Pirates and the athletic teams play in the North Central Missouri Conference of the Missouri State High School Sports Association. The "Black & Red" is one of America's oldest school newspaper. As of 2004 the principal is Darin Powell.

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Newspaper

The Hannibal Courier-Post [2]is Missouri's oldest newspaper. It began publishing in 1837 and has a current daily press of 12,000.

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Hannibal-LaGrange College

Hannibal-LaGrange College [3] is one of the premiere Christian liberal arts colleges in the state. Hannibal-LaGrange is a four-year liberal arts college fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1858 in LaGrange, Missouri, the campus moved downriver to Hannibal in 1928. Dr. Woodrow Burt was elected the 16th president of Hannibal-LaGrange College on February 10, 1995. The College offers more than 30 majors and has a student population of 1,150. HLG is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) Division I. HLG competes in five men's sports, including soccer, basketball, baseball, cross country, and golf, and five women's sports, including soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball, and cross country.

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