Springfield, Missouri

Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk and Webster. Springfield's nickname is The Queen City of the Ozarks. It is also known as The Cultural Center of the Ozarks, The Gateway to the Ozarks, and The Birthplace of Route 66.

History
Often known as the northern most southern city in the United States, Springfield was a big part of the confederacy. The territory known as Missouri was included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 which originally gave the city it's southern roots. Soon after, the Delaware Native Americans received treaty land where Springfield’s Sequiota Park and the antique stores of its Galloway Village stand today. To the west, 500 Kickapoo Native Americans built wickiups on the prairie that still bears their name.

Missouri became a state on August 10, 1821, and in 1833 the legislature designated most of the southern portion a single county. It was named for Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene, largely through a campaign by Springfield's founder, John Polk Campbell, to honor a man he admired. A Tennessee homesteader, Campbell announced his claim in 1829.

Name
The origin of the name Springfield remains unclear; however, the most common view is that the city was named for Springfield, Massachusetts. One account holds that a James Wilson, who lived in the then-unnamed city, offered free whiskey to everyone who would vote for naming it after his home town of Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1883, the historian R. I. Holcombe wrote, to the contrary, "The town took its name from the circumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there was a field." He went on to note, "This version of the origin of the name is disputed by the editor of the Springfield Express, Mr. J. G. Newbill, who, in the issue of his paper, November 11, 1881, says: 'It has been stated that this city got its name from the fact of a spring and field being near by just west of town. But such is not a correct version. When the authorized persons met and adopted the title of the "Future Great" of the then Southwest, several of the earliest settlers had handed in their favorite names, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the winning name, "Springfield," in honor of his former home town, Springfield, Robertson county, Tennessee.'"

1838 incorporation
Springfield was incorporated in 1838. That same year, Cherokee Native Americans were forcibly removed by the U.S. government from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia to the “Indian Territory.” Their route became known as the Trail of Tears due to the thousands of Cherokee deaths on the journey and as a result of the relocation. The Trail of Tears passed through the Springfield area via what is known today as the Old Wire Road. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail auto tour route is along Interstate 44 westward to U.S. 160 (West By-pass in Springfield) and westward along U.S. 60.

The Old Wire Road, then known as the Military Road, served until the mid-1840s as a connection between Springfield and the garrison at Fort Smith, Arkansas. By 1858, the Butterfield Overland Stage began utilizing the road offering passage to California. Two years later, the region’s first telegraph line was strung along the road, and it was dubbed the Telegraph or Wire Road. The road proved vital during the Civil War, and its most historic connection is to the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas. While portions of the road exist today, the most easily accessible is within Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.

1848 The railroad arrives
The Missouri Pacific (then the Pacific Railroad) was the first railroad to cross the Mississippi River and thence into Springfield and other locations. Later on the St. Louis San Francisco Railroad (Frisco Railroad) established its headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. Although some in the area thought of it as large, it was one of the smaller railroads (the Missouri Pacific was in 12 states and the Frisco was in about three to six states). Commercial and industrial diversification came with the railroads and strengthened the City of Springfield and North Springfield when the two towns merged 17 years later in 1887. Today visitors can enjoy the view from the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge, peering below to the locomotive path which is still in use.

1861–65 Civil War
With the Civil War imminent and Missouri a border state, Springfield was divided in its sentiments. On August 10, 1861, army units clashed in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the site of the first major conflict west of the Mississippi River, involving about 5,400 Union troops and 12,000 Confederates. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon was killed, the first Union general to die in combat, and the Confederates were victorious. Union troops fell back to Lebanon, then Rolla, and regrouped. When they returned to Springfield, the Confederates had withdrawn.

The First Battle of Springfield, or Zagonyi's Charge, occurred on October 25, 1861. It was the only Union victory that year in southwestern Missouri. The fighting led to increased military activity in Missouri and set the stage for the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862, which essentially cemented Union control of the state.

For the next year, possession of the city seesawed. Then on January 8, 1863, Confederate forces under Gen. John S. Marmaduke advanced toward the town square and the Second Battle of Springfield ensued. As evening approached, the Confederates withdrew. The next morning, Gen. Marmaduke sent a message to Union forces asking for proper burials for Confederate casualties. The city would stay under Union control until the end of the war.

Two years after the war ended, Springfield National Cemetery was created. The dead of both the North and the South were interred there, though separated by a low stone wall (later removed). In 1960, the National Park Service, recognizing the significance of the 1861 battle, designated Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. The 1750 acre battlefield near Republic remains greatly unchanged and stands as one of the most historically pristine battle sites in the country.

1865 Wild Bill Hickok shootout
On July 21, 1865, Springfield helped give birth to the Wild West era when the town square was the site of the nation’s first and only recorded duel shootout, a “quick draw” duel between Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt Jr.

Following a poker game in the Lyon House Hotel on South Street, Tutt claimed Hickok owed him money and took his pocket watch as collateral. Tutt claimed he would wear it in public to show that Hickok didn’t pay his debts. The next day Tutt fired a shot at Hickok from 75 yd away, barely missing his head. Hickok fired back and killed Tutt with a bullet through the heart. The event made nationwide news, and the incredible marksmanship exhibited by Hickok made him known worldwide.

Two small brass plaques inlaid into the pavement on Park Central Square mark the locations of both Hickok and Tutt during the famous shootout.

1906 Lynching
On April 14, 1906, a mob broke into the town jail, then lynched two men: Horace Duncan and Fred Coker, for allegedly sexually assaulting Mina Edwards. Later they returned to the jail and lynched another man, Will Allen, accused of murder. They were hanged and burned by a mob more than 2,000 strong in the town square. The men were hanged on the town square from the Gottfried Tower which held a replica of the Statue of Liberty. In the immediate aftermath, two commemorative coins were reportedly issued. Evidence suggests that all three men were innocent, including testimony from Duncan's and Coker's employer. The lynching sparked a mass exodus of African-Americans from the area, who still remain a small minority demographic in Springfield. A small plaque on the southeast corner of the square is the city's only reminder.

Geography
Springfield is located at °N, °W (37.195098, -93.286213), on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.8 sqmi, of which, 73.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.6 sqmi of it (0.87%) is water. The city of Springfield is mainly flat with rolling hills and cliffs surrounding the south, east, and north parts of the city. Springfield is located on the Springfield Plateau, which reaches from Northwest Arkansas to Central Missouri. The majority of the plateau is characterized by forest, pastures and shrub-scrub habitats. Many streams and tributaries such as the James River, Galloway Creek and Jordan Creek flow within or near the city. Nearby lakes include Table Rock Lake, Stockton Lake, McDaniel Lake, Fellows Lake, and Pomme de Terre Lake. Springfield is near the population center of the United States, about 80 mi to the east.

Climate


Springfield is characterized by four distinct seasons. It experiences an average surface wind velocity comparable to Chicago, Illinois according to information compiled at the National Climatic Data Center at NOAA. It is placed within "Power Class 3" in the Wind Energy Resource Atlas published by a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy; having an average wind speed range of 6.4 to 7.0 miles per hour.

Springfield falls just short of clearly being in the humid subtropical region (Cfa) and is in the zone that transitions northward to a humid continental climate (Dfa), as defined by the Köppen climate classification system. As such, it experiences times of exceptional humidity; especially in late summer. The city averages 31.7 °F in January and 78.5 °F in July, and has an annual mean of 56.2 °F. Temperatures of above 90 °F occur on an average 43 days per year, and occasionally reach 100 °F, while 4 nights of below 0 °F can be expected in winter. It has an average annual precipitation of 45 in, including an average 20 in of snow.

According to a 2007 story in Forbes magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the United States.

Demographics
According to the 2000 United States Census, 151,580 people, 64,691 households, and 35,709 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,072.0 people per square mile (800.0/km2). There were 69,650 housing units at an average density of 952.1 per square mile (367.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% White, 1.5% African American 2.0% Other

There were 64,691 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,563, and the median income for a family was $38,114. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $20,980 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,711. About 9.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy


Springfield’s economy is based on health care, manufacturing, retail, education and tourism.

With a Gross Metropolitan Product of $13.66 billion in 2004, Springfield's economy makes up 6.7% of the Gross State Product of Missouri.

The city’s Gross Metro Product was $14.7 billion in 2005, 127th of 361 U.S. metro areas ranked by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed employment by sector in 2008 as:


 * 1) Education and Health Services 35,000 (17.4%)
 * 2) Retail Trade 25,700 (12.8%)
 * 3) Government 26,500 (13.2%)
 * 4) Leisure and Hospitality (Tourism) 19,400 (9.7%)
 * 5) Professional and Business Services 19,200 (9.6%)
 * 6) Manufacturing 18,200 (9.1%)

Springfield’s top 10 employers in 2008 were St. John’s Health System (7,717), CoxHealth (6,834), Wal-Mart Stores (3,927), Springfield Public Schools (2,822), Missouri State University (2,772), United States Government (2,540), Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine (2,525), State of Missouri (2,283), City of Springfield (1,842) and Citizens Memorial Healthcare (1,600). More than 18,000 people are employed in manufacturing. The city’s largest manufacturers in terms of employment include the Paul Mueller Company, Kraft Foods, Hutchens Industries, SRC Holdings, Loren Cook Company, Positronic Industries, Regal-Beloit, Carlisle Power Transmission, Solo Cup, Northrup Grumman Interconnect Technologies, Reckitt Benckiser and 3M.



Bass Pro Shops, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, BKD, LLP, Noble & Associates, Assemblies of God and O'Reilly Auto Parts have their national headquarters in Springfield.



Springfield is a regional shopping center serving southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. It is the third-largest market in the state and one of the top 150 U.S. markets. Total retail sales exceed $4.1 billion annually in Springfield and $5.8 billion in the Springfield MSA. Its largest shopping mall is Battlefield Mall.

According to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, an estimated three million overnight visitors and millions of day-trippers visit the city annually. The city has more than 60 lodging facilities and 6,000 hotel rooms. The Convention & Visitors Bureau spends more than $1 million annually marketing the city as a travel destination.

Culture
Like many cities across the nation, Springfield has seen a major resurgence in its downtown area. Many of the older buildings have been, and are continuing to be, renovated into mixed-use buildings such as lofts, office space, restaurants, bars, boutiques, and music venues. Located within the Downtown Springfield CID (Community Improvement District) are historic theaters that have been restored to their original state, including the Gillioz Theatre and the Landers Theatre.

In 2001, Phase I of Jordan Valley Park opened along with the Mediacom Ice Park. Phase II of Jordan Valley Park will be complete in late 2011 or early 2012. 2001 also saw the opening of The Creamery Arts Center, a city-owned building inside Jordan Valley Park. It is home to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Ballet, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and provides office and meeting space for other arts organizations which serve the community. The center has been recently renovated to include two art galleries with monthly exhibitions, an Arts Library, rehearsal studios, and classrooms offering art workshops and hands-on activities. The facilities also include a outdoor classroom.

A March 2009 New York Times article described the history and ascendancy of cashew chicken in Springfield, where local variations of the popular Chinese dish are ubiquitous.

There are several arts events that occur annually including the Springfield Art Fest and the Missouri Literary Festival. Also the First Friday Art Walk occurs the first Friday of every month.

Birthplace of Route 66
Recognized by convention as the birthplace of US Route 66, it was in Springfield on April 30, 1926 that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.

John T. Woodruff of Springfield was elected as the first president of the U.S. Highway 66 Association, organized in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1927. Its purpose was to get U.S. Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway. In 1938, Route 66 became the first completely paved transcontinental highway in America — the “Mother Road” — stretching from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Coast.

A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, and traces of the Mother Road are still visible in downtown Springfield along Kearney Street, Glenstone Avenue, College and St. Louis streets and on Missouri 266 to Halltown. The red booths and gleaming chrome in mom-and-pop diners, the stone cottages of tourist courts and the many service stations along this route saw America fall in love with the automobile. Red's Giant Hamburg, said to be the birthplace of the drive-up order window, was located on the route.

"Crossroads of country music"
During the 1950s, Springfield ranked third in the U.S. for originating network television programs behind New York and Hollywood. Four nationally-broadcast television series originated from the city between 1955 and 1961: Ozark Jubilee and its spin-off, Five Star Jubilee; Talent Varieties; and The Eddy Arnold Show. All were carried live by ABC except for Five Star Jubilee on NBC; and were produced by Springfield's Crossroads TV Productions owned by Ralph D. Foster. Many of the biggest names in country music frequently visited or lived in Springfield at the time. City officials estimated the programs meant about 2,000 weekly visitors and "over $1,000,000 in fresh income."

Staged at the Jewell Theatre (demolished in 1961), Ozark Jubilee was the first national country music TV show to feature top stars and attract a significant viewership. Five Star Jubilee, produced from the Landers Theatre, was the first network color television series to originate outside of New York City or Hollywood. Ironically, Springfield's NBC affiliate, KYTV-TV (which helped produce the program), was not equipped to broadcast in color and aired the show in black-and-white.

The ABC, NBC and Mutual radio networks also all carried country music shows nationally from Springfield during the decade, including KWTO’S Korn’s-A-Krackin’ (Mutual).

The Ozark Hillbilly Medallion
The Springfield Chamber of Commerce once presented visiting dignitaries with an "Ozark Hillbilly Medallion" and a certificate proclaiming the honoree a "hillbilly of the Ozarks." On June 7, 1953, U.S. President Harry Truman received the medallion after a breakfast speech at the Shrine Mosque for a reunion of the 35th Division. Other recipients included US Army generals Omar Bradley and Matthew Ridgway, US Rep. Dewey Short, J. C. Penney, Johnny Olson, Ralph Story and disc jockey Nelson King.

Museums and other points of interest

 * Air & Military Museum of the Ozarks
 * Battle of Springfield Driving Tour
 * American Civil War Library at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
 * Dickerson Park Zoo
 * Dr. Michael J. Clarke History Museum of Ozarks Scouting
 * Commercial Street Historic District
 * Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
 * Founders Park
 * Gray-Campbell Farmstead


 * History Museum for Springfield-Greene County
 * Missouri Institute of Natural Science - Riverbluff Cave
 * Springfield Art Museum
 * The Creamery Arts Center
 * Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
 * US Route 66 marker
 * Wild Bill Hickok–Davis Tutt shootout site
 * Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium - Closed for construction

National Register of Historic Places

 * Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque
 * Christ Episcopal Church
 * Gillioz Theatre
 * Jefferson Avenue Footbridge
 * Landers Theatre
 * Park Central Square
 * Springfield National Cemetery
 * Stone Chapel
 * Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
 * Walnut Street Historic District

Springfield Register of Historic Sites

 * St. John's Episcopal Church

Recreation
There are 92 parks including the Botanical Center at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, three golf courses, a zoo and other facilities owned or managed by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. Its programs, such as Hearts ‘n Parks, encourage people to enjoy a more active lifestyle. The department incorporates a network of linear parks and trails that run near and around geologically unique areas of the Ozarks, such as creek beds and springs. The facilities have been host to state, local and national tournaments in softball, soccer, hockey and tennis. Six recreational lakes are within 100 mi of Springfield. Table Rock Lake and the Branson entertainment area are within 45 mi.

Sports
Springfield plays host to college teams from Missouri State University (NCAA Division I-Football Championship Series), Drury University (NCAA Division II), and few minor professional teams (see below). Springfield is also home to a number of amateur sporting events. The PGA sponsored Price Cutter Charity Championship is played at Hiland Springs Country Club on the southeast side of Springfield. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is located near the city as well.

JQH Arena, which opened in 2009, is home to the Missouri State University Bears and Lady Bears basketball teams, and O'Reilly Family Events Center, which opens fall 2010, will be the new home to the Drury University Panthers mens and women's basketball teams. Both venues, along with the Shrine Mosque, regularly host concerts and other events.

Government
Springfield city government is based on the council-manager system. By charter, the city has eight council members, each elected for a four-year term on a non-partisan basis, and a mayor elected for a two-year term. The mayor is Jim O'Neal (term expires 2011). The city manager, appointed by the council to be the city's chief executive and administrative officer, enforces the laws as required by the city charter. The presiding officer at council meetings is the mayor. Council meetings are held every other Monday night in City Council Chambers. City council elections are held the first Tuesday in April.

Education
The Springfield Public School District has about 24,000 students attending 50 schools.

Public high schools:
 * Central High School
 * Kickapoo High School
 * Hillcrest High School
 * Parkview High School
 * Glendale High School

Private high schools:
 * Springfield Sudbury School
 * The Summit Preparatory School
 * Greenwood Laboratory School is a lab school located on the Missouri State campus.
 * New Covenant Academy
 * Springfield Lutheran School
 * Springfield Catholic High School
 * Christian Schools of Springfield
 * Grace Classical Academy

Higher education
With over 42,000 college students, Springfield has several colleges and universities within the city. Missouri State University (MSU) is the state's second largest university with nearly 23,000 students. For the seventh consecutive year, MSU has been selected for The Princeton Review’s 2010 list of “Best Colleges: Region by Region.” MSU is most known for its College of Business, and Theater and Dance School attended by Kathleen Turner, John Goodman and Tess Harper. Drury University is a private university with nearly 5,000 students and consistently ranks in U.S. News and World Report's Top 10 Universities in the Midwest. Drury University was attended by game show host Bob Barker and Ernest R. Breech, former chairman of Ford Motor Co. and Trans World Airlines. Ozarks Technical Community College is the second largest college in Springfield with approximately 12,000 students. MSU, Drury, and OTC are all located in and around downtown Springfield.

Other colleges in Springfield include Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Baptist Bible College, Central Bible College, Evangel University (known until 2000 as Evangel College, or EC), Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, St. John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University, Everest College, Cox College (Nursing and Allied Health), Webster University, and University of Phoenix.

Transportation
Springfield is served by Interstate 44 which connects the city with St. Louis, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) carries traffic north towards Kansas City, Missouri. U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 65, and U.S. Route 160 pass through the city. Formerly U.S. Route 66 and U.S. Route 166 passed through Springfield, and sections of historic US 66 can still be seen in the city. US 166's eastern terminus was once located in the northeast section of the city, and US 60 originally ended (westbound) in downtown Springfield. US 60 now goes through town on the James River Freeway. Major streets include Glenstone Avenue, Sunshine Street (Missouri Route 413), National Avenue, Division Street, Campbell Avenue, Kansas Expressway, Battlefield Road, Republic Road, West Bypass, Chestnut Expressway and Kearney Street. Springfield is also the site of the first diverging diamond interchange within the United States, located at the intersection of I-44 and MO-13 (Kansas Expressway) (at 37.2503°N, -93.3107°W). Springfield has public transportation operated by City Utilities (CU) that serves most areas inside the city limits with its fleet of biodiesel-fueled buses.

Airports
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) serves the city with direct flights to 12 cities with 33 daily flights. It is the principal air gateway to the Springfield region.

In May 2009, the airport opened its new passenger terminal. Financing included $97 million in revenue bonds issued by the airport and $20 million of discretionary federal aviation funds, with no city taxes used. The new building includes 275000 sqft, 10 gates (expandable to 60) and 1,826 parking spaces. Direct connections from Springfield are available to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa and Los Angeles. Future connections may include Daytona Beach, New York City and destinations in the Caribbean. No international flights currently have regular service into Springfield-Branson, but it does serve international charters.

The Downtown Airport is also a public use airport located near downtown.

Railroads
Passenger trains have not served Springfield since 1967, but more than 65 freight trains travel to, from, and through the city each day. Springfield was once home to the headquarters and main shops of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (Frisco). The Frisco was absorbed by the Burlington Northern (BN) in 1980, and in 1994 the BN merged with the Santa Fe, creating the current Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway.

BNSF has three switch yards (two small) in Springfield. Mainlines to and from Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis and Tulsa converge at the railroad's yard facility in the north part of the city. In October 2006, BNSF announced plans to upgrade its Tulsa and Memphis mainlines into Springfield to handle an additional four to six daily intermodal freight trains between the West Coast and the Southeast.

The Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad also operates several miles of (former Missouri Pacific) industrial trackage within the city.

In 2006, the Missouri Department of Transportation and Amtrak studied the possibility of restoring service to the city from St. Louis. The proposed service would have utilized the current BNSF "Cuba Subdivision" mainline between the two cities via Rolla. The plan, however, did not materialize because of projected travel times twice that of driving.

Utilities
City Utilities of Springfield (CU) is a community-owned utility serving southwest Missouri with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services. CU provides service to over 106,000 customers.

Healthcare
Springfield is a regional medical center with six hospitals and more than 2,200 beds. The city's health care system offers every specialty listed by the American Medical Association. Two of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. (CoxHealth and St. John’s Health System) are located in Springfield, and both are in the midst of expansion projects. The industry employs 30,000 people throughout the Springfield metro area. The United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, one of six federal institutions designed to handle the medical concerns of federal inmates, is located at the corner of W. Sunshine Street and Kansas Expressway.

Living conditions
In 2008, America's Promise Alliance ranked Springfield among its "100 Best Communities for Young People" for the third year in a row, and on June 11, 2009 Next Generation Consulting ranked Springfield 17th on its "Next Cities" list. In 2008 the magazine Best Life ranked Springfield the 10th worst city in the nation in which to raise a family using information from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics, FBI, American Association of Museums, National Center for Health Statistics, and American Bar Association.

In 2007, The Milken Institute ranked Springfield as a "Best Performing City" for creating and sustaining jobs, and Expansion Management magazine listed Springfield among "Top 20 Mid-Sized Metros for Recruitment and Attraction." Also that year, the World Health Organization designated Springfield as a "Safe Community"; and in 2008, Worldwide ERC named Springfield among "The Best Cities for Relocating Families." According to the Springfield News-Leader, the city has been ranked the second-least diverse city in the United States.

Communities within Springfield
The following are neighborhoods and communities actually within the city limits:


 * Brentwood
 * Central
 * Chesterfield Village
 * Cinnamon Square
 * Cooper Estates
 * Downtown
 * Eaglesgate
 * Fairfield Acres
 * Fox Grape
 * Glenwood
 * Galloway Village
 * Grant Beach
 * Ironbridge Estates
 * Kay Pointe
 * Kingsbury Forest
 * Kissick
 * Lakewood Village
 * Midtown
 * Mission Hills
 * National Place
 * Northeast
 * Northwest


 * Parkcrest
 * Parkwood Survival
 * Phelps Grove
 * Quail Creek
 * Ravenwood
 * Ravenwood South
 * Rountree
 * Shady Dell
 * Seminole-Holland
 * Sherman Avenue
 * Snider Street
 * Southeast
 * Southwest
 * Southern Hills
 * Spring Creek
 * University Heights
 * Walnut Street
 * Weller
 * West Central
 * Westside Community Betterment
 * Woodland Heights

Media
The Springfield Designated Market Area, or DMA, is the 74th largest in the United States, out of around 200. The area serves 31 counties in southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas, which is home to over 1,000,000 people.

Newspapers

 * The Springfield News-Leader – daily
 * Daily Events – daily
 * Community Free Press – bi-weekly
 * Springfield Business Journal – weekly

Television

 * KYTV-TV (NBC)
 * KSPR-TV (ABC)
 * KCZ-TV (CW)
 * KOLR-TV (CBS)
 * KOZK-TV (PBS)
 * KRBK-TV (MyNetworkTV)
 * KSFX-TV (FOX)
 * KWBM-TV (Daystar)

Sister cities

 * 🇯🇵 Isesaki, Japan
 * 🇲🇽 Tlaquepaque, Mexico
 * 🇫🇷 Tours, France