Harrisburg is a town in western Boone County, Missouri, United States. It is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 266 at the 2010 census. It was founded to be an important railroad depot, but the railroad never came and the town remained small. Harrisburg is situated on a high point between Moniteau Creek and Perche Creek, at the headwaters of Callahan Creek. It is named in honor of John Woods Harris, an early county leader and owner of the nearby “Model Farm” on Thrall’s Prairie.
History
Harrisburg was named for John W. Harris, who inherited the Model Farm on what was Thrall's Prairie, the first permanent settlement in the county. The town was laid out on the survey line of the prospective Louisiana and Missouri River Railroad which was later leased to Chicago and Alton Railroad. The line was graded and prepared, but was abandoned for a line farther north. The proposed line can be seen on the 1969 USGS topographic map of Harrisburg. According to Colonel W. F. Switzler, in 1882, there were a post office, three stores, a confectionary shop, a church, a mill, a blacksmith shop, and a public school building with the Masonic lodge above. That Harrisburg School building, constructed by the Freemasons, served as Harrisburg’s school and community center from 1878 to 1963. In 2013 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, but was shortly afterward demolished due to dilapidation. The small Prewitt Family Cemetery is located behind Harrisburg Elementary School. The much larger Harrisburg Cemetery is located at the East end of town. The earliest burial was in 1863, and burials continue today, with an estimated 750 interments as of 2024.The post office was located in the saddle shop. The Baptist church is a part of the Southern Baptist Convention. The old church building, built in 1887, is still in use. In 1961, the two congregations were regularly trading Sundays.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The town is located between the Moniteau and Perche watersheds. The Prairie fork of the Moniteau heads towards Harrisburg, as does the Callaham fork of Perche Creek. In 2006 and 2008 the Harrisburg boys basketball team won the Missouri Class 2A state championship, then in 2010 and 2012 Harrisburg won the Missouri Class 2A girls basketball state championship.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 266 people, 101 households, and 74 families living in the village. The population density was . There were 121 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 97.0% White, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.
There were 101 households, of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.7% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.12.
The median age in the village was 29.8 years. 33.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.9% were from 25 to 44; 17.3% were from 45 to 64; and 9.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 45.9% male and 54.1% female.
2000 census
As of the census