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<br /> C-") <br /> r:"" <br /> N <br />.', U1 <br /> U1 <br /> CJ <br />" <br /> <br />~, <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />S('V(~l1ty-thrce pl~rC('nl ] tvpo ill jnC(lflH)lRt('d (()mmllnitic~.R <br /> <br />Because of the greater Joplin population center, tne Newton- <br />Jasper County area has a high"r average d,.""ity (85.7) than thco <br />ststc (65.2), but has fsiled to grow in density (84.8 in 1940 to <br />85.7 in 1960), as has the State of Mia80uri (54.7 in 1940 to 62.5 <br />in 1960), and the State of Kansas (22.0 in 1940 to 26.6 in 1.960).9 <br />This listing indicates the population pattern of dwindling farm <br />population, reduced population density of strictly rural areas, <br />and population density increases in the major population centers. <br /> <br />The Newton-Jasper County area was populated under the "Boom'- <br />of lead and zinc mines with a peak period about 1910. Population <br />sagged as the ore deposits were depleted. Slow population recovery <br />on a more stable basis followed. Activation of Fort Crowder in <br />Newton County provided a smaller transient boost to local economy; <br />the relatively short term Rocketdyne operation followed. <br /> <br />Population projections have been made so that effective plan- <br />ning of needed water and sewer facilities may proceed. Population <br />projections are shown on Table 1. <br /> <br />Agriculture has always been an important segment of the Newton- <br />Jasper area economy, even through the boom days of mining activity. <br />Like most other areas of Missouri, the region began 8S an agricul- <br />tural area~ As people moved into the region, stores, shops and <br />banks opened to serve the growing population's needs. The region <br />experienced a mining boom when lead and zinc deposits were discovered, <br />and thus, big business moved into the region and thrived. Joplin <br />became a center for manufacturing, transportation, and services. <br />Manufacturing now maintains a primacy in the economic growth of <br />Jasper and Newton Counties as it has OVer the years, but mining <br />in teres ts support much of tlle region I s prosper i ty. More and more <br />businesses and industries are finding the area an attractive place <br />to locate. <br /> <br />Farm size is steadlly increasing with a corresponding decrease <br />in the number of individual farms. Mechanization of farm operations <br />8tlows morc acres to be farmed per worker; this together with im- <br />proving technology that produces more product per arre provides a <br />more profitable operation per farm. <br /> <br />Pou I try produc tion is impor tan t to .the economy of the area. <br />One egg production operation in the area' has about 180,000 lsying <br />hens while several operations each have over 15,000 laying hens.lO <br /> <br />Permanency of agricultural production trends is nebulous as <br />pruduction patterns are affected by open economy and by governmental <br />policies, but oVer the past ten years dairy production has decreased <br />snd beef production has more than doubled; chicken egg production <br /> <br />96 <br />