Weston, Missouri

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Weston, Missouri
settlement_type = City
nickname =
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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Weston, Missouri


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Missouri
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Platte
government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 4.2
area_land_km2 = 4.2
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.6
area_land_sq_mi = 1.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 1631
population_density_km2 = 384.1
population_density_sq_mi = 994.8

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 243
elevation_ft = 797
latd = 39 |latm = 24 |lats = 48 |latNS = N
longd = 94 |longm = 53 |longs = 52 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 64098
area_code = 816
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 29-78856GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0728648GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Weston is a city in Platte County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,631 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Weston is located at coor dms|39|24|48|N|94|53|52|W|city (39.413370, -94.897780)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.2 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,631 people, 676 households, and 459 families residing in the city. The population density was 994.8 people per square mile (384.0/km²). There were 724 housing units at an average density of 441.6/sq mi (170.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.49% White, 0.67% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.49% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 676 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,214, and the median income for a family was $53,015. Males had a median income of $36,466 versus $27,132 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,794. About 5.2% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.

Interesting Facts

Weston is the home of McCormick Distilling Company, producers of a large number of liquors, it was founded in 1856, and is the oldest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi River and the oldest continuously operated distillery in the United States.

Lewis and Clark camped in the Weston area on July 3, 1804, the campsite is located near the present day city hall.

Weston was, prior to its cultivation being prohibited by the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act, the world's leading producer of industrial hemp.

Weston is the world's leading producer of twist tobacco.

Located in Weston, O'Malley's 1842 Irish Pub, is the oldest brewery west of the Hudson River.

For a short period of time during the late 1830's and early 1840's, Weston was second only to St. Louis in size of ports on the Missouri River and population.

Weston was the oldest settlement in the Platte Purchase of 1836 and was therefore also the farthest western settlement (thus, "West Town") in the United States until the admission of Texas as a state in 1845. Though perhaps called 'West Town', which morphed into 'Weston', in fact the town was established by a discharged US Army dragoon by the name of Joseph Moore. He bought the land and then had First Sergeant Tom Weston of D Company, First Dragoons stationed at Fort Leavenworth across the Missouri River, lay out a town plan. It is this individual the town is named for.

William Buffalo Bill Cody was at one time a resident of Weston.

Weston was a major "jumping off" point for the Santa Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail and the California Gold Rush.

Pathologist Thomas Harvey preserved Albert Einstein's brain in his office in Weston for some 30 years [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_127.html] .

References

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