Springfield, Missouri is home to approximately 154,777 residents who live near the population center of the United States. A dubious distinction given by Forbes Magazine is that of one of “America’s Wildest Weather Cities.” Its weather is so varied and so unpredictable that Forbes felt justified in this description. The territory of Missouri was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The actual city of Springfield was incorporated in 1838.
Industry that drives the city’s economy is almost as diversified as it citizens. The major industries are Education and Health, Retail, Government, Tourism and Hospitality, Professional and Business Services and Manfacturing. The city has over 900 doctors and other health professionals, while manufacturing finds 18,000 employed by various major companies, including the city’s largest manufacturers: Kraft Foods, Hutchens Industries, SRC Holdings, Regal-Beloit, Carlisle Power Transmission, Solo Cup, Northrup Grumman Interconnect Technologies, Reckitt Benckiser and 3M and a few others. Companies that have their headquarters in Springfield include: Bass ProShops, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts and Noble & Associates. The local business directory is packed with major corporations.
Since 2001, there has been a surge in the development of the Arts. The first phase of the Jordan Valley Park opened as did the Mediacom Ice Park. That same year saw the opening of The Creamery Arts Center, the building owned by the city and located inside Jordan Valley Park. It is home to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Ballet, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. The project also provides office and meeting space for various other arts organizations serving the community. The center also now features two art galleries with monthly exhibitions, an Arts Library, rehearsal studios, and classrooms providing art workshops and hands-on activities. The Arts section of Missouri yellow pages is growing exponentially.