City of Doniphan

Doniphan City Hall

     The City of Doniphan, the Ripley County Seat, is administered by Mayor Larry Ponder and a four-member city council. City offices are located at 124 W. Jefferson Street. Economic development for Doniphan is coordinated by its local chamber of commerce, the city government, and the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission.

     According to the 2000 census, Doniphan has a population of 1,932, up 7.5 percent from the 1990 count of 1,713. Doniphan has eight full-time policemen.

     Ripley County's per capita income, in 1999, was $14,199. The unemployment rate of Ripley County is 5.8 percent, with an available workforce of 5,299. Only

305 people in Ripley County are unemployed, while 4,994 have gainful employment. The average hourly wage for the county is $9.29 per hour in the manufacturing sector and $7.39 in non-manufacturing. The county's major employers include the Doniphan R-1 School District, with 194 employees; Vitronic, an industrial manufacturing facility employing 163; Current River Nursing Center, with 110 employees; Ripley County Memorial Hospital, with 107 employees; and Missouri Forge, an industrial manufacturer, which employs 80 people.

     Ozark Border Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Poplar Bluff, provides electric power for the City of Doniphan. The city provides water for its residents. The water plant has a capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day, with peak consumption at 350,000 gallons per day. The plant has a storage capacity of 480,000 gallons. Sewer services are provided by the city through its aerated lagoon. The plant has a capacity of 1,140,000 gallons. Residents obtain natural gas through United Cities Gas Company in Caruthersville.

     The residents of Doniphan obtain telephone service from Alltel in Doniphan. Local citizens and businesses obtain internet service from a local internet service provider in Poplar Bluff and Cyberlinks Networks, based in Doniphan.

     The City of Doniphan has two medical clinics within the city limits. Ripley County Memorial Hospital, with 30 beds, serves the community of Doniphan and Ripley County.

     There are three public schools and one private school in Doniphan. The nearest public community college, Three Rivers Community College, is located in Poplar Bluff and boasts an enrollment of 2,824 (fall, 2001). Students wishing to attend a technical school can enroll in Current River Area Vocational School. Arkansas State University, a public four-year college located in Jonesboro, AR, is the nearest higher learning facility. Fall, 2001, enrollment for the university was 10,572 students.

Doniphan Muncipal (X33). Location: 5 mi. NNE of city. Coordinates: N36-41.62; W090-47.09. Mag var: 3E. Telephone: 573/996-7177, 573/996-9494. Fax: 573/996-3303. Hours: Irregular Elevation: 635. Pattern altitudes: 1500 MSL all aircraft. Runways: 7-25 2,560 x 57, asphalt, treated; right tfc ry 25, trees W end, lights PCL (NSTD) Lights: 123.0 (5 clicks in 5 sec, low intensity). Obstructions: wildlife in vcnty a.m. & p.m. Fees: hangar, tiedown. FSS: Saint Louis 122.2, 122.65. Com freq: UNICOM 123.0; CTAF 122.9. Charts: St. Louis. Transportation: public.

     Residents in Doniphan and Ripley County travel U.S. Highways 160, 142 and 21 and Missouri Hwy. Y. It is 22miles to the nearest four-lane thoroughfare and 80 miles to the nearest interstate interchange.

    The Doniphan Municipal Airport, with a 3,000-foot runway, is seven miles outside the city. The nearest commercial airport is Cape Girardeau Airport, 105 miles east.

     Residents have a choice of three local financial institutions. Firstar, Peoples Community State Bank, Southern Missouri Savings & Loan, and the Bank of Grandin. Folks in Doniphan get their news from the weekly newspaper and a local radio station.

     Doniphan residents worship at either the Catholic Church or one of the 11 Protestant churches. Visitors to the area have a choice of three hotels/motels. There are also two shopping centers in town and a public library. Within a 20-mile radius, there is a country club, a ptivate golf course, and four public parks.

     Current River is the nearest public access stream. Residents and tourists enjoy camping, fishing, hiking/fitness/nature trails, motor boating, canoe and tube floating, swimming, and water skiing. Average temperatures for Doniphan range from 18 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 91 degrees Fahrenheit in July. The area sees an average rainfall of 45 inches per year.

      The city is represented by 153rd District State Representative Mike Dethrow (R) and 25th District State Senator Rob Mayer (R).  U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R) represents Doniphan in the Eighth Congressional District.