The city of Springfield was incorporated on February 18, 1838. In March of 1916, the City elected its first Mayor and Group of Commissioners. In 1953, citizens voted to adopt the Council/Manager form of government, which continues to be the system used by the City of Springfield today. By Charter, the City has eight Councilmembers who are elected for four-year staggered terms on a nonpartisan basis, and a Mayor who is elected for a two-year term.

The City Manager is appointed by Council to be the chief executive and administrative officer of the City. He enforces the law as required by the Charter.

The 1990s have been a decade of continued growth as new subdivisions and businesses begin every day. The population is now over 155,000; in addition, Springfield serves those who live just outside the City limits, and those who commute to Springfield for work every day.

Together, we make Springfield a good place in which to live and work.

Historic City Hall

In 1894, the present City Hall was constructed as the U.S. Custom House and Post Office. This imposing structure was completed at a cost of $133,960.

It was recorded in the June 1894 edition of The Springfield Democrat as presenting "a perfect appearance of simple elegance and substantial beauty." The article also reported that an estimated 5,000 people toured the building during an opening night reception. The population of Springfield was approximately 22,000 at that time.

On October 10, 1938, City officials moved from the third floor of the Greene County Courthouse to the U.S. Custom House, which then became City Hall.

In 1978, portions of the interior of City Hall were restored to show the turn-of-the-century architectural features such as marble fireplaces, crown molding and hardwood floors. The original marble floor may still be seen in the foyer. City Hall workers performed all the interior renovation.

These features continue to be displayed to visitors at City Hall through The Museum of Ozarks History which now occupies the third floor. Visitors are treated to exhibits depicting the history of Springfield, including City Hall and local government.

The City Hall building was declared an historic site by the Historic Site Board of Springfield in 1973, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in June of 1979.

Administrative offices are now located in the Busch Municipal Building, yet City Hall continues to house some City offices, as well as the Donald H. Kelley (City Clerk from 1952-1990) City Council Chambers, used for City Council meetings.

Council meetings are held every other Monday at 7 p.m. They can be viewed on Cable Channel TV23.

Busch Municipal Building

In 1937, the Jewell Station Post Office and Federal Building was constructed as a project of the F.D. Roosevelt Administration. The building was named after Harry S. Jewell, a prominent Springfield resident who was owner and publisher of the Springfield newspaper.

The Jewell Station Post Office building was constructed by Henke Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois at a cost of approximately $700,000. It was described in the 1942 Springfield Chamber of Commerce publication, Growth of a City, as "a magnificent modernistic type structure" and "the equal of any building in the United States used for similar purposes."

The building housed the Post Office and U.S. District Court for the Southern Division of the Western District of Missouri. Some of the offices housed in the building included the U.S. Forestry Service, Railway Mail Service, Post Office Inspection Service, Social Security Division, Coast Guard, Navy & Marine Recruiting offices and the Conservation Service.

Upon completion of a new post office on Chestnut Expressway in 1988, the Springfield branch of the United States Post Office sold the Jewell Station to the City of Springfield.

In 1990, on the recommendation of a citizen's committee, City Council approved a plan to completely renovate the building to house City administrative offices.

The building, which was renamed after Donald G. Busch (City Manager from 1971 to 1989), is designed to serve the public by offering a central reception area and centralized permitting on the first floor as well as easy access to departments frequently utilized by the public. It also features energy-saving measures and a consolidated phone system in cooperation with City Utilities.

The renovation was completed in October 1992.

The City Flag

The history of Springfield's flag dates back to early 1938, when Phoebe Hensley, a skilled seamstress and active member of the Community Business and Professional Women's Club, was commissioned to handcraft the first flag.

The original banner was 4" x 6" in size and was made of one yard each of red, white and blue heavy cotton. The total cost was 75 cents.

The official Springfield flag contains a red, white and blue bar with SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI appliqued on the center white bar.

A large white star is in each of the four corners. Each star and stripe has significance:

• The red and blue bars stand for cooperation and civic pride.
• The white bar stands for the renown Springfield has received for its achievements, which are represented by the four stars of: Religion, Home, Education, & Industry

Our Sister City

The City of Springfield has enjoyed an active Sister City relationship with Isesaki, Japan since July 18, 1986.
The Sister City activities include home-stay programs, childrenÌs art and photograph exchanges, and visits between local government officials. The arrangement is part of Springfield Sister Cities Association and the International Sister Cities Association. Two visible symbols of the strong tie are found in the Stroll Garden at Nathanael Greene Park and the Azumaya ç a gift to Springfield from Isesaki ç in the CityÌs Friendship Park.

The City Seal

During this country's formative days, a serpent on a city seal was used frequently, as was a circular shape with the city's name surrounding the border. The Seal of the City of Springfield consists of this circular shape surrounded by a rope border. The center focuses on a shield bearing alternative stripes, wrapped by the traditional serpent. Rays of light shine from the shield to the inner border.

In 1953, so the story goes, a young Springfield man released a box of cobras from a pet shop on the City Square. The cobras were subsequently discovered in various locations around the City, creating quite a stir and giving Springfield national attention.

The event prompted City officials to redraw the City seal's traditional serpent to resemble a hooded cobra. However, by 1954, when the publicity died down, the seal was returned to its original design.

This seal is imprinted with a gold stamp on official proclamations and City documents.

The City Logo

The current logo was instituted in 1979. The "S" stands for Springfield, with the two parts meant to represent the roads, or infrastructure. The heart in the middle stands for our regional influence, as in "Heart of the Ozarks." The color was originally a gold and burgundy logo on beige paper. In recent years, it has become burgundy on beige.

As of 1991, the City has had a commitment to using recycled paper for stationery and business cards.

Vision 20/20 Plan

Springfield-Greene County is a vibrant community in a beautiful region. Thanks to the efforts of several hundred citizen volunteers who donated thousands of hours working in focus groups and meetings, we now have a plan to maintain this quality of life.

The essence of the Vision 20/20 plan is to make Springfield-Greene County a community in which people can learn, work, and play in safety and comfort. Future development of the community will meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their