Rock Port is a city in and the county seat of Atchison County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,278 at the 2020 census.

History

thumb|left|Atchison County courthouse in Rock Port

Rock Port was laid out on April 8, 1851 and incorporated December 13, 1855. The city, which is eight miles east of the Missouri River in the Loess Hills bluffs above the river, derives its name from Rock Creek, which flows through it. Following the Honey War border dispute with Iowa when Missouri's northern border was shifted farther south, the original county seat was moved from Linden to Rock Port.

The original city is located just east of I-29, but there is an additional travel hub closer to the interstate; truck stops, motels, fast food restaurants and fireworks stands host a large number of daytime visitors, despite the city's small size.

The city of Rock Port has become largely energy self-sufficient. The idea for the wind turbines came from the town's former mortuary worker, Eric Chamberlain. The farm was built by Wind Capital Group and is by far the company's smallest wind farm developed as of January 2009. Wind Capital in 2008 built the bigger 50.4MW Cow Branch Wind Farm between Rock Port and Tarkio.

The Atchison County Memorial Building and John Dickinson Dopf Mansion are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,318 people, 588 households, and 356 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 667 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.2% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 588 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.75.

The median age in the city was 46.3 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.8% were from 45 to 64; and 23.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Education

Public education in Rock Port is administered by Rock Port R-II School District.<!--UNI 26790-->

Rock Port has a public library, the Atchison County Library.

Transportation

Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Jefferson Lines.

Notable people

  • Loraine Boettner, American Protestant theologian
  • Michael J. Burg (born 1968), actor
  • Hardin Cox (1928–2013), politician and businessman

See also

  • List of cities in Missouri

References

  • City of Rock Port
  • Historic maps of Rock Port in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of Missouri