Bates County is a county located in the west central part of the U.S. state of Missouri, two counties south of the Missouri River and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,042. Its county seat is Butler. The county was organized in 1841 and named after Frederick Bates, the second Governor of Missouri.
This mostly rural county has an overwhelmingly ethnic European-American population, which has declined in number since the early 20th century as people have moved to cities.
History The borderlands of Kansas and Missouri were battlegrounds for insurgents during the American Civil War, with raids going back and forth across the border. Bates County is noted as the site for the first combat engagement during the war of African-American soldiers serving with the Union and against Confederate forces, which occurred on October 28–29, 1862. The First Kansas Colored Division (part of the state militia) fought Confederate guerrillas at the Battle of Island Mound four miles north of present-day Rich Hill, Missouri, and the Union forces won.
The Kansas soldiers were badly outnumbered but stood their ground, fighting valiantly. The skirmish was covered by The New York Times, which noted the men's bravery at a time when many people questioned whether former slaves could make good soldiers."AFFAIRS IN THE WEST.; A Negro Regiment in Action—The Battle of Island Mounds—Desperate Bravery of the Negros—Defeat of the Guerrillas--An Attempted Fraud", The New York Times, November 19, 1862, accessed February 22, 2016 Their heroic action preceded President Abraham Lincoln's announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863 and establishment of the United States Colored Troops.
Following a massacre of men and boys and the burning of Lawrence, Kansas, by Confederate bushwhackers in the summer of 1863, the United States General Ewing ordered the evacuation of the civilian population from rural areas of Bates and nearby counties except for within a mile of certain Union-controlled cities, in order to cut off sources of support for Confederate insurgents. This was done under Order No. 11. The county had been a base of Confederate guerrillas. But, Ewing's order generated outrage and added to support of guerrillas in some areas.
This mostly rural county continued to support agriculture in the decades after the Civil War. Since the early 20th century, population has declined as people have moved to cities for work.
Legacy and honors A statue commemorating the Battle of Island Mound was installed on the north lawn of the county courthouse in Butler, seven miles from the skirmish site. The skirmish area has been preserved since 2012 as the Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site, and its historic prairie is being restored. The Battle of Island Mound (2014) is a short documentary film made in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources; it won two Emmy Awards in 2015 for historic documentary and cinematography." 'The Battle of Island Mound' wins two Emmy Awards from NATAS Mid-American Chapter", October 7, 2015, Press Release, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, accessed February 29, 2016
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.7%) is water.
Adjacent counties Cass County (north) Henry County (northeast) St. Clair County (southeast) Vernon County (south) Linn County, Kansas (west) Miami County, Kansas (northwest)
Major highways Interstate 49 U.S. Route 71 Route 18 Route 52
Transit Jefferson Lines
Demographics
2020 census +Bates County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)15,61114,75616,11416,29614,79998.35%98.21%96.76%95.58%92.25%Black or African American alone (NH)1211071011431550.76%0.71%0.61%0.84%0.97%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)43698994920.27%0.46%0.53%0.55%0.57%Asian alone (NH)1882227480.11%0.05%0.13%0.16%0.30%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census229xx0.01%0.01%0.06%Other race alone (NH)11355210.07%0.02%0.03%0.03%0.13%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census141207583xx0.85%1.21%3.63%Hispanic or Latino (any race)69821792753350.43%0.55%1.07%1.61%2.09%Total15,87315,02516,65317,04916,042 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 16,042. The median age was 42.3 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.6 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White (non-Hispanic alone), 1.0% Black or African American (non-Hispanic alone), 0.6% Native American (non-Hispanic alone), 0.3% Asian (non-Hispanic alone), 0.06% Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic alone), and 3.81% from other or multiple races (non-Hispanic). Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.1% of the population.
There were 6,391 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 7,189 housing units, of which 11.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.3% were owner-occupied and 25.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,653 people, 6,511 households, and 4,557 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 7,247 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.33% White, 0.61% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Approximately 1.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,511 households, out of which 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,731, and the median income for a family was $36,470. Males had a median income of $30,298 versus $19,772 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,477. About 11.50% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.30% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.
Religion According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2010), Bates County is regarded as being a part of the Bible Belt, with evangelical Protestantism being the most predominant religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in Bates County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (34.21%), United Methodists (15.78%), and Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (14.48%).
Education K-12 school districts covering any part of the county, no matter how slight, include: - Text list
Adrian R-III School District Appleton City R-II School District Archie R-V School District Ballard R-II School District Butler R-V School District Drexel R-IV School District Hume R-VIII School District Miami R-I School District Rich Hill R-IV School District
There is one elementary school district, Hudson R-IX School District.
Public schools Adrian R-III School District – Adrian Adrian Elementary School (PK-05) Adrian High School (06-12) Ballard R-II School District – Butler Ballard Elementary School (PK-06) Ballard High School (07-12) Butler R-V School District – Butler Butler Elementary School (K-06) Butler High School (07-12) Hume R-VIII School District – Hume Hume Elementary School (PK-05) Hume High School (06-12) Miami R-I School District – Amoret Miami Elementary School (K-06) Miami High School (07-12) Rich Hill R-IV School District – Rich Hill Rich Hill Elementary School (K-05) Rich Hill High School (06-12) Hudson R-IX School District – Appleton City postal address (the district is not in the Appleton City limits) Hudson Elementary School (PK–8)
Private schools Zion Lutheran School – Rockville (02-09) – Lutheran
Public libraries Butler Public Library Rich Hill Memorial Library
Community colleges Metropolitan Community College has all parts of the county (except those in the Appleton City R-II School District) in its out of district service area, but not its in-district taxation area.
Politics
Local Politics are divided at the local level in Bates County. Republicans hold a majority of the elected positions in the county.
State + Past Gubernatorial Elections Results Year Republican Democratic Third Parties202478.50% 6,40219.67% 1,6041.83% 149202076.70% 6,41021.08% 1,7622.21% 185201659.64% 4,77237.36% 2,9893.00% 240201245.46% 3,51351.40% 3,9723.14% 243200841.75% 3,43155.43% 4,5552.82% 232200453.22% 4,47945.09% 3,7951.69% 142200048.88% 3,78349.02% 3,7942.10% 162199634.70% 2,48363.33% 4,5311.97% 141199242.06% 3,20457.94% 4,4140.00% 0
Bates County is split between three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are held by Republicans.
District 56 — Michael Davis (R-Kansas City). Consists of unincorporated areas in the northwestern quadrant of the county south of Drexel.
District 57 — Rodger Reedy (R-Windsor). Consists of unincorporated areas in the northern part of the county south of Archie and Creighton.
District 126 — Patricia Pike (R-Adrian). Consists of most of the entire county.
All of Bates County is a part of Missouri's 31st Senatorial District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville).
Federal All of Bates County is included in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and as of 2022 was represented by Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hartzler was elected to a sixth term in 2020 over Democratic challenger Lindsey Simmons.
Bates County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the U.S. Senate by Josh Hawley (R-Columbia) and Roy Blunt (R-Strafford).
Blunt was elected to a second term in 2016 over then-Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander.
Political culture
At the presidential level, Bates County has become solidly Republican in recent years. Bates County strongly favored Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2020. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Bates County in 1996 with a plurality of the vote, and a Democrat hasn't won majority support from the county's voters in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter in 1976.