Marshfield is a city in and the county seat of Webster County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, Marshfield had a population of 7,458. As of 2024, the population is estimated to be 7,935. It is part of the Springfield metropolitan area.

History

Marshfield was platted in 1855, taking its name from Marshfield, Massachusetts. A post office called Marshfield has been in operation since 1856. Marshfield is the county seat of Webster County and sits on land donated by William T. Burford and C.F. Dryden.

The Hosmer Dairy Farm Historic District and Rainey Funeral Home Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Marshfield is home to the only intersection of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail and U.S. Route 66.

Marshfield is the hometown of Edwin Hubble. A replica of the Hubble Space Telescope can be found in front of the Webster County Court House at 100 S Clay St.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Marshfield had a population of 7,458. The median age was 35.7 years. 26.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.1 males age 18 and over.

97.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,179 housing units, of which 7.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%.

Of the 2,605 households, 37.0% had children under 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.6% were not families. About 28.9% of households were one person, and 14.8% were one person 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47, and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age was 36.4 years. The city's age distribution was 27.6% under 18, 8.5% between 18 and 24; 24.3% from 25 to 44; 21.9% from 45 to 64; and 17.7% 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 5,720 people, 2,256 households, and 1,534 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 2,417 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.80% White, 0.19% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.75%. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Marshfield has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), with elements of a humid continental climate. The city experiences four distinct seasons; summers are warm and humid, while winters are cool with occasional cold spells. Rainfall is highest in the late spring. Snowfall is generally light, with an average of 5.2 inches (13 cm).

Education

Marshfield has one public high school, Marshfield High School. Marshfield Christian School is a private institution.

Marshfield has a lending library, which is a branch of the Webster County Library.

Government

As of June 2021, the mayor of Marshfield is Natalie B. McNish and the city administrator is Sam Rost.

Culture

Founded in 2005, the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual three-day event that takes place in late April. Visitors to the festival can purchase crafts and food from vendors in the town square. Activities are available for the whole family, and notable speakers are invited to provide both entertainment and education. Descendants of Presidents are invited to attend and typically speak at the Presidential forum. Additionally, entertainers from television, music, and film are available at the Nostalgia Fest Autograph Show typically taking place on the Friday and Saturday of the festival.

Notable people

thumb|right|A 1/4 scale model of the [[Hubble Space Telescope located at the courthouse in Marshfield.]]

  • Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center for AI Safety
  • Dan Clemens, Republican member of the Missouri State Senate
  • Joe Haymes, Swing Era orchestra leader
  • Edwin Hubble, American astronomer - part of Interstate 44 through Marshfield is named the Edwin Hubble Highway.
  • Darren King, member of the band Mutemath

See also

  • List of cities in Missouri

References

  • Marshfield Mail newspaper
  • A Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, Past and Present of Webster County, Missouri
  • Historic maps of Marshfield in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of Missouri
  • Marshfield, MO Tornado, Apr 1880 at GenDisasters.com