Pike County, Missouri
Pike County, Missouri | |
|---|---|
The Pike County Courthouse in Bowling Green | |
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri | |
| Coordinates: 39°20′N 91°10′W / 39.34°N 91.17°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| Founded | December 14, 1818 |
| Named after | Zebulon M. Pike |
| Seat | Bowling Green |
| Largest city | Bowling Green |
| Area | |
• Total | 685 sq mi (1,770 km2) |
| • Land | 670 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
| • Water | 14 sq mi (36 km2) 2.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 17,587 |
• Estimate (2024) | 17,961 |
| • Density | 26.8/sq mi (10.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Website | www |
Pike County is a county on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Missouri, bounded by the Mississippi River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,587. Its county seat is Bowling Green. Its namesake was a city in middle Kentucky, a region from where many early migrants came. The county was organized December 14, 1818, and named for explorer Zebulon Pike. The folksong "Sweet Betsy from Pike" is generally thought to be associated with Pike County, Missouri.
Pike County is said to be the home of Momo (The Missouri Monster). The first reported sightings in the 1970s were traced to various locations throughout the county.