The capital of Missouri is Jefferson City
. It is located on the Missouri River, near the geographic center of the state, and is the seat of Cole County
. The city was named in honor of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson and was laid out by Daniel M. Boone, son of the famous Kentucky frontiersman
. The Missouri state legislature selected Jefferson City as the state capital in 1821
. Some notable features of Jefferson City include:
- The Missouri State Capitol, which is the third permanent structure to serve as the seat of state government and the sixth capitol in the state's history
- The state prison, which was constructed in 1833 and is now operated by the Missouri Department of Corrections
- Lincoln University, founded in 1866 by African American Union Army veterans and now racially integrated
Jefferson City has a population of 43,228 as of the 2020 census, making it the 15th largest city in the United States
