{{short description|City in Phelps County, Missouri, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement |name = St. James, Missouri |settlement_type = [[City]] |official_name = City of St. James |nicknames = STJ, Forest City of The Ozarks |motto =
<!-- Maps --> |image_skyline = St. James, Missouri 3-14-2014.jpg |image_caption = Business District of St. James in 2014 |image_flag = |image_seal =
<!-- Images --> |image_map = Phelps_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_St._James_Highlighted.svg |mapsize = 250x200px |map_caption = Location of St. James, Missouri |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 =
<!-- Location --> |coordinates = {{coord|37|59|56|N|91|36|59|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Missouri]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Phelps County, Missouri|Phelps]]
|established_title = |established_date =
<!-- Government --> |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 =
<!-- Area --> |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_total_km2 = 11.09 |area_total_sq_mi = 4.28 |area_land_km2 = 11.07 |area_land_sq_mi = 4.27 |area_water_km2 = 0.02 |area_water_sq_mi = 0.01 |unit_pref = Imperial |elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> |elevation_ft = 1066
<!-- Population --> |population_total = 3935 |population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]] |population_footnotes = |population_density_km2 = 355.61 |population_density_sq_mi = 921.11 |population_est = 4,053 |pop_est_as_of = 2023 |pop_est_footnotes =
<!-- General information --> |timezone = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]] |utc_offset = -6 |timezone_DST = CDT |utc_offset_DST = -5 |postal_code_type = |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] |blank_info = 29-64424<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 = 2396494<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396494}}</ref> |website = [http://www.stjamesmissouri.org/ stjamesmissouri.org] }}
'''St. James''' or '''Saint James''' is a city in [[Phelps County, Missouri|Phelps County]], [[Missouri]], United States. The population was 3,920 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].
==History== [[File:St James Missouri water tower.png|thumb|upright|left|Water tower in St. James]]
The settlement was originally known as '''Big Prairie''' because of its location on the natural prairie of that name in the area. In 1859, when a man by the name of John Wood anticipated the extension of the [[St. Louis-San Francisco Railway]], the settlement became known for a short time as Scioto, named after the town of [[Scioto, Ohio]], where many of the town's early settlers originated. In 1860, the town was named St. James to honor Thomas James, who came from [[Ohio]] and created the Meramec Iron Works.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_phelps.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071446/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_phelps.html | archive-date = June 24, 2016 | url-status = live | title=Phelps County Place Names, 1928–1945 | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri| access-date= December 5, 2016}}</ref> The town was intended as a shipping point for the Meramec Iron Works, which had been shipping its products by wagon train.<ref>[http://www.therolladailynews.com/article/20150729/NEWS/150728853/ The stories behind the naming of cities, by Ed O'Neill (Rolla Daily News; July 29, 2015)]</ref><ref>[http://www.legendsofamerica.com/mo-stjames.html St. James, Missouri – Forest City of the Ozarks (Legends of America)]</ref>
St. James was the part-time home of Lucy Wortham James, a wealthy philanthropist who had a love for the area. She was a descendant of Thomas James, a [[Chillicothe, Missouri|Chillicothe]] banker who founded the Maramec Iron Works.<ref>[http://www.missouritrout.com/mrslwjames.html Mrs. Lucy Wortham James; Great-granddaughter of the founder of Maramec Iron Works (The James Foundation)]</ref> The James Foundation, a charitable organization she founded, was responsible for the St. James City Park and the James Memorial Library, as well as Maramec Spring Park. The City of St. James now owns both the park and the public library.
[[Mayme Ousley]], the first woman elected mayor of a town in Missouri, was first elected mayor of St. James in 1921.<ref name="umsystem.edu">{{cite web|url=http://shs.umsystem.edu/rolla/manuscripts/r0173.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928055630/http://shs.umsystem.edu/rolla/manuscripts/r0173.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-28 |url-status=live|title=Information Sheet: Mayme Ousley Papers|work=umsystem.edu|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref> The city hall was named after her in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therolladailynews.com/article/20130309/News/130308898|title=St. James City Hall named after first female mayor|author=Jim Brock|work=The Rolla Daily News|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>
The [[Maramec Spring|Maramec Iron Works District]], [[St. James Chapel (St. James, Missouri)|St. James Chapel]], and [[Verkamp Shelter]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
==Geography== St. James is located in the foothills of the [[Ozark Mountains]] at {{coord|37|59|56|N|91|36|59|W|type:city}} (37.998848, −91.616386).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|4.29|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|4.28|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.01|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|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>
==Demographics== {{US Census population |align=right |1880= 392 |1890= 467 |1900= 575 |1910= 1100 |1920= 1117 |1930= 1294 |1940= 1812 |1950= 1996 |1960= 2384 |1970= 2929 |1980= 3328 |1990= 3256 |2000= 3704 |2010= 4216 |2020= 3935 |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> | align-fn = center }}
===2020 census=== As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], St. James had a population of 3,935. The median age was 39.1 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.2% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A64424&in=state%3A29|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A64424&in=state%3A29|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A64424&in=state%3A29|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
There were 1,594 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.8% were married-couple households, 19.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>
There were 1,751 housing units, of which 9.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%, and the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>
{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL"/> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | [[White Americans|White]] || 3,535 || 89.8% |- | [[African Americans|Black or African American]] || 39 || 1.0% |- | [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]] || 18 || 0.5% |- | [[Asian Americans|Asian]] || 36 || 0.9% |- | [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] and [[Pacific Islander|Other Pacific Islander]] || 0 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 20 || 0.5% |- | [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]] || 287 || 7.3% |- | ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race)'' || 118 || 3.0% |}
===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 4,216 people, 1,632 households, and 1,029 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|985.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,767 housing units at an average density of {{convert|412.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.11% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.95% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.66% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.28% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.38% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.61% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.57% of the population.
There were 1,632 households, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.94.
The median age in the city was 37 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.3% were from 45 to 64, and 18.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female. ==Economy== [[Tacony Corporation]] manufactures Simplicity and Riccar vacuum cleaners in St. James.
[https://www.costeffectiveequipment.com/ Cost Effective Equipment] – Founded in 1987 and headquartered in St. James, Cost Effective Equipment is a privately held manufacturer of precision semiconductor wafer-processing equipment. The company designs and produces spin coaters, bake plates, bonders, debonders, and integrated workstations used in research, development, and low-volume production environments worldwide.
==Education== Public education in St. James is administered by St. James R-I School District.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stjschools.org | title=Homepage | publisher=St. James R-I School District | access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>
St. James has a [[public library]], the James Memorial 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>
==Arts and culture== St. James is home to several award-winning wineries,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weekendwinery.com/Wineries/Wineries_MO.htm|title=Missouri Wineries MO|work=weekendwinery.com|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref> including [[St. James Winery]]. It is also home to [[Maramec Spring Park]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.missouritrout.com/maramec.html|title=Maramec Spring Park|work=missouritrout.com|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>
The Maramec Spring Park contains the fifth largest spring in the state. An average of 100 million gallons of water flows from the Spring daily. Maramec Spring Park contains 1,860 acres of forest and fields. The 200-acre public use area of the park provides many amenities and activities for visitors such as a cafe, store, camping, wildlife viewing, fish feeding, picnicking, shelters, playgrounds and fishing. The Meramec River, a clear calm Ozark stream, flows through the park providing excellent fishing.
The park is open year-round to the public. A daily entry fee is required to enter the park from mid-February through October. Annual passes may be purchased at the park.
[[Maramec Spring]] Park is privately owned and operated by The James Foundation.
==Media== The ''St. James Leader-Journal'' was the Voice of St. James since 1896 and was in continual operation for a longer period of time than any other business in the St. James City Limits, until it was closed on July 13, 2016. The weekly newspaper was owned by [[GateHouse Media]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ruth Morrison Papers (R1446) |url=https://files.shsmo.org/manuscripts/rolla/R1446.pdf |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=The State Historical Society of Missouri}}</ref> ''The Leader-Journal'' was a sister paper of ''[[The Rolla Daily News]]'' and the ''[[The Daily Guide|Waynesville Daily Guide]]''. ''The Guide'' closed in 2018 and the ''Daily News'' was merged into the ''Phelps County Focus'' in 2021.
==See also== {{portal|Missouri}} * [[List of cities in Missouri]]
==References== {{reflist|22em}}
==External links== {{commons category|St. James, Missouri}} * [http://www.stjamesmissouri.org/index.html Site for the City of St James and Chamber of Commerce] * [http://www.missouritrout.com/mrslwjames.html Biography of Mrs. Lucy Wortham James] * [http://www.leaderjournal.com/ Site for Local News] * Historic maps of St. James in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138980 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]
{{Phelps County, Missouri}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint James, Missouri}} [[Category:Cities in Phelps County, Missouri]] [[Category:Cities in Missouri]]