ST. JOSEPH, a city and county-seat of Buchanan co., Mo.; on the Missouri river, and on the Burlington Route, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, the Chicago Great Western, the Missouri Pacific, the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific, the St. Joseph and Grand Island, and the Kansas City, Clay County and St. Joseph railroads; 60 miles N. W. of Kansas City. It is the third city in the State in population and is one of the wealthiest cities of its size in the United States.
Business Interests.—St. Joseph has up ward of 300 manufacturing establish ments. The chief manufactures are cloth ing, shirts, overalls, flour, and grist mill products, boots and shoes, furniture, machinery, packed meat, and woolen blankets. The city is the trade center of a large and rich agricultural region, with which it has a large jobbing trade. It is also an important shipping point for cattle, hogs, and grain, and one of the greatest live stock markets in the coun try. There are several National and pri vate banks, and numerous daily, weekly, and monthly periodicals. The assessed
property valuation exceeds $50,000,000, and the total bonded debt is about $600,000.
Public Interests.—The city has an area of 13.87 square miles. The sewer system covers the entire city, and the streets are lighted by electricity. There is a public school enrollment of over 12,000 pupils. Here are the Ensworth and Central Medi cal Colleges, College of St. Joseph (non sect.), Academy of the Sacred Heart (R. C.), the State Lunatic Asylum, St. Jo seph's Hospital, Ensworth Hospital, public library, waterworks, and street railroads.
His tory.—The city was established by Joseph Robidoux in 1843; incorporated as a town in 1845; and chartered as a city in 1885. After the discovery of gold in California it became prominent as the starting-point for mining parties on their way across the prairies. During the Civil War it was fortified by the Federals. Pop. (1910) 77,403; (1920) 77,939.