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WELCOME! This website has been newly expanded by volunteers from the Cooper County Historical Society, county residents, and volunteers from other historical groups from the Boonslick area. O ur goal is to preserve as much of Cooper County’s early history as possible - online, in one place, for future generations to come! Other Historical groups that have contributed to this website are: Friends of Historic Boonville, River, Rails & Trails Museum, South Howard County Historical Society, Boonslick Historical Society, Arrow Rock State Historic Site, and the Boonslick Road Association. ​ Each of these groups share the same goal of preserving the area’s history, but each has a different focus on what is collected – yet each group preserves several different areas of information. We complement each other’s historical research and resources beautifully. Click here for more information about our volunteers and developers. A FEW ICONIC MONUMENTS Katy Depot Roslyn Heights Hannah Cole Statue Barn Quilt Katy Bridge Thespian Hall Photos from the collections of Wayne Lammers and Edward Lang THANK YOU, HANNAH COLE ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Picture of the Hannah Cole statue ​ ​ Prior to the coming of the Cole families, what would someday become Cooper County was explored by several early explorers starting with Charles Ravensway in 1658, Daniel Boone in 1799 and later Lewis and Clark in 1803-1804 after Missouri became a state. The area was already well known to fur traders. Hannah Allison Cole must have been a very adventuresome, determined, courageous and hardy woman. She was a widow, and almost 50, when she crossed the Missouri River in something similar to a large canoe, called a “dugout” or “pirogue.” She was accompanied by her nine children, her beloved slave Lucy, her sister Phoebe, and Stephan, her husband, and their five children. That’s 18 people in a hollowed-out log, which was usually 15 to 18 feet long. The pirogue or dugout would usually be maneuvered through the water by men using long poles. Although explorers and trappers visited what was to become Missouri in the 1600’s and later, the Coles were the first white families to settle on the South side of the Missouri River. When the family crossed the Missouri River, just before Christmas in 1810, the river was swift and full of ice. Evidently, the men made two trips across the river, the first to carry the women and children to their planned destination, plus swim their stock across the river. The second, to retrieve supplies and provisions that could not fit in the boat on the first trip across the river. That second trip also included dismantling their wagon and bringing it, and probably tools and seeds to the other side of the river. However, the day after they made their initial trip across the river, there was an violent storm. Due to the raging river and ice, the men had to wait eleven days before they could retrieve their wagon and supplies. As the family probably had no little or food with them in the dugout, all they had to eat were acorns, slippery elm bark and one wild turkey. Due to the bad weather, game would have been hard to find, and since it was December, most of the acorns would be gone. That must have been very disheartening for the 18 members of the family. Yet, they all survived! Hannah’s family constructed a small cabin near the river’s edge just up from where Boonville is located today. They lived peacefully for a year or so until there was an Indian uprising, encouraged by the British, known today as the War of 1812 (Yes, the same war when we fought the British and they burned Washington). By this time there were other hardy souls who had crossed the river for a new life in the newly opened territory. Later, for protection, a fort was built on a rocky, very steep bluff that jutted out almost to the river. Looking at the property today, which is still very heavily wooded, you will wonder “how in the world, did they get up there,” as the location had to be reached by climbing through the dense, almost vertical virgin forest and then down a very steep forested hill. Hannah must have been a very giving person who really loved people. During the Indian uprising she invited other families to stay in her fort, providing them a safe place to live. She eventually found teachers to provide education for the children, and preachers to provide hope and inspiration to everyone. The fort had many other uses after the War. Click here for more information. ​ By Barbara Dahl, Editor

MAJOR MISSOURI/COOPER COUNTY EVENTS 1874-1993 Map of Missouri showing cropland devastation by the Rocky Mountain locust plagues of 1866 and 1874, State Historical Society of Missouri Map Collection. (1874) “The GRASSHOPPER PLAGUE” began in western Missouri as the first swarms of locusts from the Rocky Mountains traveled eastward eating everything in its path. (Courtesy of the Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “Small flying grasshoppers, known as Rocky Mountain locust, hatched in an unusually large number in the spring and by the summer of 1874 , the locusts began their travel eastward in search of food. Kansas and Nebraska were their first stops and heavily hit, devouring crops in large swaths stretching from the interior of Canada to the southern border of Texas, including the western regions of Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. The following spring of 1875 , trillions of the locusts hatched, a number unseen since that time. The large swarms continued until 1877 , causing an estimated $200 million in crop damage. Not only did the locusts eat crops, it ate leather, wood, sheep’s wool, and reportedly the clothes off a person’s back! Vivid firsthand accounts told of the clouds that hailed grasshoppers, falling to the ground like snowflakes. Missouri offered $1 a bushel for locusts collected in March in an effort to stop the insects from multiplying. Later, farmers planted more resilient crops such as winter wheat that matured in the early summer before the migration of locusts. It’s uncertain what led to the end of the plague, but researchers have studied and theorized what caused this fortunate mass extinction of the Rocky Mountain locust.” ​ (1896) JESSE JAMES TTRAIN ROBBERY. The infamous James train robbery at Otterville on July 7, 1896 received little newspaper attention since it was at the same time as the battle of Little Big Horn out west. Keith Daleen, a Civil War reenactor and historian, has researched the eight robbers who boarded the stalled train at Rocky Cut, robbed the passengers and the railroad safe, and disappeared to divide the loot at Flat Creek. They netted about $15,000 from the robbery, a nice sum in those days. Their names were Jesse and Frank James, Cole and Bob Younger, Clell Miller, Charlie Pitts, Bill Caldwell (aka William Stiles) and Hobbs Kerry. ​ Jesse had many friends in the Otterville area and would hide out in an old building on the edge of town when he came to Otterville. So, the gang was very familiar with the area and the best escape routes. ​ Frank James was jailed for a very short time in the Cooper County jail, but was released on bond. Kerry was the only one convicted and jailed. The others were later convicted of robbing the Northfield Bank in Minnesota and were known then as the James/Younger Gang. Later, the others were convicted of robbing the Northfield Bank and jailed. There is a descriptive marker at “Robber Cut” at the Brownfield Roadside Park on old Route 50 overlooking the place where the robbery occurred. You might like to take a video “tour” of the old Cooper County Jail and see the luxurious accommodations that Frank and Hobs Kerry enjoyed as a guest. Historic Cooper County Jail - YouTube Marie Oliver Watkins stands behind the original Missouri flag that she designed, 1943 circa, (P1103) State Historical Society of Missouri. (1913) The OFFICIAL MISSOURI STATE FLAG designed by Marie Watkins Oliver, was signed into law. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) In 1908 , the Daughters of the American Revolution appointed Marie Watkins Oliver chairperson of the committee to design a flag for Missouri. Oliver gathered information about how other states had designed their flags and began work on a design centered on the Missouri coat of arms signifying Missouri's independence as a state. The blue stripe in the flag represented vigilance, permanency and justice. The red striped represented valor and the white stripe represented purity. Oliver asked Mary Kochtitzy, an artist from Cape Girardeau, to paint the flag on paper for a State Capitol viewing in 1908 . The bill to make the flag official failed to pass twice because of a competing design. After the Missouri State Capitol fire of 1911 destroyed Oliver’s original sample, a second flag made of silk was completed and Governor Elliott Woolfolk Major signed the bill to make Oliver’s design the official state flag. The Missouri State Flag. Adopted by State Legislature State Seal Sheriff John Grothe and Deputy James Morton with captured moonshine still in St. Charles, 1924, (S1083) State Historical Society of Missouri. (1920 - 1933) PROHIBITION era begins across the U.S. affecting many of the German immigrant-owned beer companies in Missouri(Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “Beginning in 1882 , Missouri counties and towns passed local option laws to turn communities dry. By World War I, over 90 of the state’s 114 counties were dry through these laws. On January 16, 1919 , Missouri ratified what would become the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Under the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act, Missouri's flourishing alcohol and wine industry took a significant step back, particularly German-immigrant owned breweries. After a decade of inefficient enforcement, and with the deepening of the Great Depression, the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment, was ratified in 1933 .” ​ Boonville had a very successful brewery, Griessmaier & Roeschel Brewery/Winery, which opened in 1874 and closed in 1878 . After prohibition, another brewery known as the Haas Brewery, operated from 1933-1942 . So Cooper County did not have any “legal” establishments put out of business during prohibition. There is no record about where, or if, County residents obtained “adult beverages” during prohibition. 1929 Stock Market Crash (Courtesy of the Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) St. Louis Soup Kitchen, 1939. Charles Trefts Photographs (P0034) State Historical Society of Missouri. (1929) The stock market crash led to the Great Depression of the 1930s. (Courtesy Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “The Great Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as “Black Thursday,” started in the late Fall of 1929 when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange collapsed. The crash caused an economic downfall throughout the state as Missouri businesses struggled to survive. About 300 Kansas City industrial companies closed by 1933 and other cities and towns across Missouri would suffer from the fallout of the crash. The fallen markets, alone, did not cause the Great Depression. Only 16 percent of Americans were in the market. However, it caused widespread panic that worsened an ongoing recession, it lowered consumer spending, and contributed to the banking crisis”. The “Great Depression” was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. It started after the stock market crash in October 1929 when over one million investors were wiped out. ​ Farmers suffered during the Depression from drought, insect swarms and lower farm prices. Many family farms were lost to creditors during this time. This is a good concise explanation of the Depression. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression Another explanation from The Balance https://www.thebalance.com/great-depression-timeline-1929-1941-4048064 (1937) Missouri voters approved a CONSTITUTIONAL AMMENDMEENT to create the Missouri Conservation Commission. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “On July 1, 1937 , the constitutional amendment creating the Missouri Conservation Commission took effect, creating a politically-appointed, science-based conservation agency with exclusive authority over forests, fish and wildlife. Over the next 75 years, the “Missouri plan” allowed the state agency, Missouri Department of Conservation, to build what is acknowledged as one of the nation’s top conservation programs. Prior to the creation of the commission, Missouri’s forests, fish, and wildlife resources were being quickly depleted in the state”. (1939) CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (by Elizabeth Davis) FDR’s Alphabet Soup Comes to Boonville Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was Governor of New York when Black Tuesday hit on October 29, 1929 . The Great Depression followed and lasted the better part of ten years. In 1932 , the Democratic Party talked FDR into being their candidate for President of the United States. In his acceptance speech, he promised the American people a New Deal. Elected by a landslide, FDR took office on March 4, 1933 . Five days later he called the 73rd Congress into emergency session. By the end of the month, Congress had passed the Emergency Conservation Work (ECW) Act and it had been signed into law. On April 5, FDR issued Executive Order 6101 authorizing a program which would become known as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). ​ But this was just one of FDR’s New Deal programs to get the unemployed trained and back to work. At the time, twenty-five percent of the population was unemployed. His first program: recruit the young and unemployed, create a peacetime army, and fight to save our nation’s natural resources. On January 21, 1935 , The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 was passed by joint resolution and signed by the President on April 8. FDR signed Executive Order 7034 on May 6 of that year which established the Works Progress Administration (WPA). It was renamed the Work Projects Administration (still known as the WPA) in 1939 . ​ Both these programs took the unskilled and unemployed young men of this country, put them to work on public projects, and taught them skills for the future. Because most of the President’s programs became known by their acronyms, they were collectively referred to as FDR’s “alphabet soup”. ​ The CCC Campsite was active in Pilot Grove from 1939-1942 . The CCC program dealt mostly with land and conservation while the WPA put up thousands of public buildings around the country. In 1939 , the WPA came to Boonville. Sumner School was built for the black students in the community. That changed in 1959 when desegregation became law and all students went to the same school. ​ The Emergency Conservation Work (EWC) Act, Senate Bill S.598, was introduced on March 27, passed both houses of Congress and was on Roosevelt’s desk by March 31. Executive Order 6101, dated April 5, authorized the program which would become known as the Civilian Conservation Corps. Robert Fechner was appointed director and an Advisory Council consisting of representatives of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and War, was created. The first enrollee signed up on April 7, and, ten days after that, the first CCC camp opened. By July 1, over 275,000 men occupied 1,300 camps in all 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. ​ Single men who were between the ages of 17 and 25, out of school and unemployed were eligible for enrollment. The pay was $30-a-month plus food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Mandatory monthly allotment checks of $25 were sent to their families. For those who had no family, the funds were held in an account for him until discharged from the program. Communities close to these camps profited as well. They averaged $5,000-a-month additional revenue which saved many small businesses from going under. Almost immediately, two important modifications became necessary. Enlistment was extended to about 14,000 American Indians who were living well below the poverty Level. Over time, the program helped more than 80,000 of them reclaim land that had once been theirs. About 25,000 locally experienced men (LEM) were also authorized to enroll in order to train inexperienced men with axes, shovels, and other skills they needed to perform their jobs. This had the added benefit of allowing the locally unemployed to be eligible for enrollment. ​ On May 11, 1933 , President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6129 which opened enrollment to about 25,000 Spanish American and World War I veterans with no age or marital restrictions. They performed duties in conservation suited to their age and physical condition. Nearly 250,000 veterans were given belated opportunities to rebuild their lives after serving their country. ​ With unemployment down and World War II just around the corner, CCC was on its last leg. Congress never actually abolished the CCC program; they just stop funding it. CCC officially went out of existence on June 30, 1942. ​ A partial summary of the work accomplished by the CCC between 1933 and 1942 includes: the erection of 3,470 fire towers, construction of 97,000 miles of fire roads, 4,235,000 man-days fighting fires, the planting of more than three billion trees, and the arresting of soil erosion on more than twenty million acres of land. During those eleven years, nearly 3 million men found employment in more than 2,650 camps. ​ While 137 camps are listed in Missouri, it should be noted that Pilot Grove is the only location listed in Cooper County. According to the CCC Legacy website (www.ccclegacy.org ) a camp was established in Pilot Grove on October 17, 1939 . (SCS-34, 3762). However, records indicate that a second CCC camp was established in Pilot Grove on June 30, 1941 . (SCS-38, 1771) ​ Thanks to previous research done by Judy Shields, it appears the first camp was outgrown and a second camp was built either adjourning or close by the first one. When completed, the first camp was closed. When asked, Shields said she had been unable to identify any original buildings from the camp. ​ A bronze plaque has been provided by the Friends of Pilot Grove and was dedicated at Pilot Grove’s City Park by city officials in 2018. ​ HISTORICALLY YOURS, by Liz Davis (Published Jan 31, 2018) (1945) Missouri ratified the state's fourth and current constitution. (Courtesy of the Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “The first Missouri Constitution was written in only 38 days and was adopted July 19, 1820 . Subsequent drafts were drawn up because of changes related to the state, such as population size and major events like the Civil War. The fourth Missouri Constitutional Convention took place in Jefferson City on September 21, 1943 , and took just over a year before it was approved. Voters ratified the changes made to the Missouri Constitution on February 27, 1945 .” ​ (1984) Missouri voters pass a one-tenth-of-one-percent sales tax to fund state parks and soil and water conservation efforts. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “Missouri had the second highest rate of erosion in the nation and a statewide park system in much need of repair at the time the state sales tax was passed. The tax portion for soil and water conservation measures assist agriculture landowners through voluntary programs developed by the Soil and Water Districts Commission. The other portion of the tax revenue provides most of the budget for operation and development of state parks. The tax has a sunset clause of 10 years, and has been renewed by more than two-thirds majority of Missouri voters since 1984 .” (1990) The first section of the 240-mile Katy Trail along the Missouri River opens at Rocheport for walking and bicycling by the public. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “The Katy Trail is the longest rail-to-trail in the US, running largely along the Missouri River for 240 miles. It was built on the former corridor for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and was converted to a walking and bicycle gravel trail by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources with a large donation from Edward D “Ted” and Pat Jones, and supported by a Missouri trail advocacy group. The Katy Trail takes visitors on a journey along part of the trail explored by the Lewis and Clark’s expedition. There are more than two dozen trailheads and four fully-restored railroad depots along the trail, as well as the state’s oldest and beloved Burr Oak “Big Tree” at McBain in Boone County. The Burr Oak was a young tree when Lewis and Clark traveled by it. Construction of the Katy Trail began in 1987 . The first section of trail at Rocheport was opened in 1990 . The trail’s 25th anniversary was celebrated in 2015 .“ ​ Katy Trail history began more than a hundred years ago during the golden age of railroads. In 1865 the Union Pacific Railroad built the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and established the network as the Southern Branch. The route was also commonly called the KMT, (Kansas, Missouri, Texas) and eventually the Katy. ​ The last KATY train to leave Boonville was in 1986 . Through legislation, land grants, and donations, the first section of the Katy Trail opened near Rocheport in 1990 . Since then, more sections have been added, extending the trail to its current 240 miles. The trail winds through some of the most scenic areas of the state with the majority of the trail closely following the Missouri River. ​ Katy Trail is also part of the American Discovery Trail, and has been designated as a Millennium Legacy Trail, and was added to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Hall of Fame in 2008 . ​ (1992) Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved terms limits for state legislators by amending the Missouri Constitution. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) The Missouri State Legislative Term Limits, also known as Amendment 12, was on the November 1992 ballot. The law, approved by voters, caps service at eight years (two terms) in the Missouri House. ​ (1993) Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “The Great Flood of 1993 destroyed farmland, homes, and other properties through the Midwest with some towns never recovering. In 1992 , the Midwest experienced an unusually wet Fall causing high soil moisture. To make matters worse, the area was hit by persistent storms, sometimes lasting four days at a time. Water began to fill the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and their tributaries between May through September 1993 , causing major flooding in Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The Great Flood resulted in over 50 deaths and billions of dollars of damage. Crest was 37.10 feet.” (2019 ) Second worst flood of the Missouri River and the longest flooding event in Missouri River history. May 31, 2019 , the Crest was 33.73 feet.

COOPER COUNTY IS FORMED Howard County Has Been Named “The Mother of Counties” Two years after Howard County was organized, there was so much immigration into the southern part of the county that there was a great demand for the division of Howard County and for the formation of another county south of the Missouri River. Because of this demand, the territorial Legislature, on December 17, 1816 , formed the new county of Cooper, which included all of Howard County south of the Missouri River. In 1803, the United States had more than doubled its size with the Louisiana Purchase. The following year, what would one day become the State of Missouri was divided into four districts. On October 1, 1812 , the area was reorganized into five counties and named the Missouri Territory. ​ Although a few changes took place in the Territory between 1813 and 1815 , the biggest change occurred on January 23, 1816 , with the organization of Howard County. Named after Benjamin Howard, the first Governor of the Missouri Territory, Howard County covered more than one-third of the state. It reached all the way to what would become Kansas and Iowa. Howard County would eventually form all or parts of 39 additional counties. Boonville, which was south of the Missouri River across from Franklin, was the county seat. ​ As the population increased south of the river, people began requesting Howard be made into two counties, one on each side of the Missouri River. Finally, after less than three years, Howard was divided. On December 17, 1818 , everything north of the river remained Howard County, and everything south of the river became Cooper County, which was named after Sarshel Cooper and his brother Benjamin, early settlers of the area. ​ The one drawback to the division was the county seat. Boonville was Howard County’s seat of government, but it was on the wrong side of the river. Laid out in 1823 , Fayette became Howard County’s county seat. ​ This territory included what now forms 11 counties and parts of five others. Cooper County was gradually decreased in size by the formation of new counties. By 1845 , the boundaries of Cooper County were as they are today. ​ HISTORICALLY YOURS, by Elizabeth Davis HOW COOPER COUNTY CAME TO BE By Dr. Maryellen H. McVicker The area that is now known as Missouri, was originally divided into 5 counties in 1812 by Territorial Governor William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition: St. Louis, St. Charles, New Madrid, St. Genevieve, and Cape Girardeau. ​ These 5 counties had their origins in French settlements mostly along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. On January 13, 1816 , Howard County was created out of portions of St. Louis and St. Charles counties, and eventually encompassed enough land that 39 counties, or approximately 1/3 of the entire state of Missouri, would be formed from the original Howard County territory. Cooper County was one of those counties. It was organized as a separate county on December 17, 1818 . By 1821, Missouri had 25 counties. Eventually there would be 114 counties, and the City of St. Louis. The central Missouri region experienced rapid growth during the first 2 decades of the 19th century. By 1820 , what is now Howard and Cooper Counties, had a population of over 20,000 people, which was about 1/3 of the entire population of the Territory of Missouri. The population of the entire United States was between 9 and 10 million. Now, two hundred years later, over 300 million call the United States their home and approximately 38,000 people live in the two-county region. Cooper County will soon be 200 years old. Cooper County predates statehood. The 1876 Levens and Drake History of Cooper County tells a story about an early county employee: “Sometime during the year 1817 , William Gibson, …was appointed by the Territorial Court constable. …Soon after his appointment, there being some trouble down on the Osage, he was sent there with a warrant for the arrest of a man who had caused the trouble. …As he was on his journey back, and also having an execution against a Man who lived on the road, he stopped at the man’s house and proceeded to levy a tax on the feather beds, as nothing in those days was exempt from levy (taxation—ed.) But, as soon as he made his purpose known, four women, who were the only persons at home, threatened to give him a thrashing, so he was forced to retire as fast as he could, and return with the execution unsatisfied. To add to this, the court only allowed him, for his journey of one hundred and forty miles, which occupied four days, the magnificent sum of twenty-five cents. Mr. Gibson thinking the office not quite lucrative enough to justify him devoting his whole time to its duties, and not wishing to risk his life at the hands of angry women, quietly sent in his resignation…” Some things never change! Notice the size of Howard County compared to Cooper County COUNTIES THAT WERE FORMED FROM COOPER COUNTY Not only were 14 counties formed from Cooper County, many of these counties, in turn, were the parent county to new counties. Cooper County as originally formed comprised the present day counties of Bates (Formed 1841 from Cass County), Benton (Formed 1835 from Pettis County), Camden (Formed 1841 from Benton County), Cass (Formed 1835 from Jackson County), Cole (Formed 1820 from Cooper County), Henry (Formed 1834 from LaFayette County), Jackson (Formed 1826 from LaFayette County), Johnson (Formed 1834 from LaFayette County), LaFayette (Formed 1820 from Cooper County), Miller (Formed 1837 from Cole County), Moniteau (Formed 1845 from Cole and Morgan Counties), Morgan (Formed 1833 from Cooper County), Pettis (Formed 1833 from Cooper and Saline Counties), St. Clair (Formed 1841 from Henry County), and Saline (Formed 1820 from Cooper and Howard Counties). ​ References : Ann Betteridge

STAGE COACHES When many of us think of stage coaches we think of them in relation to the “wild west”. But stages coaches were a very important means of travel in Cooper County for many years. A stage coach was a vehicle much like an enclosed wagon with a high roof, wooden sides and doors with windows on both sides. It had an elevated seat in the front where the driver, or “whip,” was seated. Inside were seats for the passengers. The passengers sat with their baggage on their lap and mail bags under their feet. If they wanted to sleep, they had to sleep sitting up. The stage coaches were designed for travel, not comfort! They were safer than traveling alone and were often the only way to travel any distance. Roads at this time were only dirt, often rocky, and muddy after rain or snow. There was no such thing as “road maintenance.” If something on the stage coach broke during the trip it would be up to the driver to fix it, hopefully he was carrying the needed spare parts such as axels, wheels or springs. Coaches were pulled by draft horses, many of them Clydesdales, because of their good temperament. Stages were pulled either by two horses or a team of four. The coaches were called “stage” coaches because the travel route was done in “stages.” Stations, or stage stops were usually 10 to 15 miles apart. The horses traveled about 5 miles per hour, and pulled the coach for two to three hours. At the end of the trip between one stop and the next, the horses were replaced by another team and the tired horses rested until the return trip. Some stages traveled 60 -70 miles a day. At some stops a meal or beverages might be available (at an extra cost), and some had provisions for sleeping. The cost of the journey was usually 10 to 15 cents per mile, which would be quite expensive based on today’s dollars. In the 1830s , a stage coach depot was located along the road between Boonville and Jefferson City. Known as "Midway" the stop was about 1 ½ miles east of the present site of Prairie Home, at Tompkins' Inn. In the mid-century, stagecoaches made regular trips to various towns in Missouri. The Tipton to Boonville Stage Coaches operated in the Cooper County area from 1850 to 1860 . ​ ​ Tipton-Boonville Stage Changed Horses at Biler Home Near Speed An interesting account of the "Tipton-Boonville Stage " written by Mrs. L.H. Childs appeared in The Boonville Advertiser - Rural Life Edition , in 1940. ​ One and one-half miles east of Speed, in central Cooper County, stands a dilapidated but vivid reminder of the past. On the southwest corner of the crossroads at that point is an old-fashioned log house, and to the rear, only partly standing is an old barn. ​ Up until 1868 this place buzzed with activity. It was the home of Mr. Abram Biler, his wife and two daughters, and the Boonville-Tipton stage coach made a regular stop there to change horses. The horses were cared for until the return trip, when they were changed again. The ladies served meals to the travelers. ​ Mr. William Eller told that when he was a small boy, he would hear old Mike, the driver, come down the road blowing a bugle to let the people know the stage was coming. It is said Mike could crack his whip so loud the sound would travel almost a mile in the clear air as he drove his fine horses. Sometimes the road was hard and dry, and at other times the mud was ankle deep or the snow was drifted high, but the stage went through. ​ The road, which now is of all-weather construction, was little more than a trail at that time. Jr. Irving Harness’ father sold the stage line a number of fine horses, as only the best animals were used to pull the coaches. It was quite a thrill for a number of small boys of the neighborhood when Mike would let them ride the stage to the bottom of the hill to the south. They never seemed to mind the tiresome walk back. ​ In the 1830s, a stage coach depot was located along the road between Boonville and Jefferson City, known as "Midway." The stop was about 1½ miles east of the present site of Prairie Home, at Tompkins' Inn. In the mid-century, stagecoaches made regular trips to various towns in Missouri. The Tipton to Boonville Stage Coaches operated in the Cooper County area from 1850 to 1860. Stage coaches were also very instrumental in bringing immigrants, especially from Germany and Ireland, to the County. ​ Stage coach days carried their humor and tragedy, as all generations do. When Mike would linger to talk to Miss Puss Biler, some of the passengers would grow quite impatient, but that would have no effect on Mike as he would have his little visit out before he would go. ​ ​ John King: first German-born immigrant of Lone Elm and Stagecoach driver. John King was born February 15, 1828, in Holstein, Germany. After fighting in the war between Germany and Denmark, he immigrated to the US for more freedoms. Entering the country at New Orleans, he went first to Iowa where he heard about free and cheap land available in the Kansas territory. He went to St. Louis, boarded a river steamer, and headed west for Atchison. ​ At a stop in Boonville, King met some fellow countrymen and decided to stay in Cooper County. He got a job as a hostler in a stable on the stage route between Boonville and Jimtown. He made $12 a month, but made more when he became a stagecoach driver. His next job was on a farm near Pisgah making $15 a month. Four years later, Colonel Pope made him a partner. In three years, King had saved enough money to buy 180 acres of undeveloped prairie land in Lone Elm for $15 an acre. King kept buying land until he had 560 acres. John King was the first German-born immigrant of Lone Elm. In 1859 John married Miss Sophia Friedmeyer, who was also born in Germany. ​ During the American Civil War, King served in the Missouri State Guard under Captain Tom George. ​ Mr. King influenced many Germans to immigrate to America. For several years, John would meet newly arrived immigrants from Germany in New York, and help them on their journey to Cooper County, bringing them to Cooper County by Stagecoach. ​ John King died on November 10, 1916. Sophia followed him in death seven years later on April 24, 1924. They are buried side by side in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Lone Elm. ​ Sources: Carol Normal, Great granddaughter of John King, Elisabeth Davis of Historically yours. ​ Another early settler from Germany was Stephen Young, who settled in Clear Creek in 1848. ​ ​ Stage Coaches and the Civil War During the last years of the Civil War period, an order was issued calling in all guns in an effort to stop guerrilla warfare. One evening, however, the report of a gun was heard and when neighbors investigated, they found M. Biler slain in his cucumber patch. Mr. Biler is buried with many other pioneers in the old Concord cemetery. When the branch railroad was completed between Boonville and Tipton, there was no further need for the stage line and it faded into history. Probably the last visible stage stop in Cooper County is located on the North side of Highway 5 between Boonville and Billingsville. The limestone block building was built by O.H.P. Shoemaker in 1860 and the stone was cut from a nearby quarry. He used smoother stone for the front of the building and rough-cut stone for the sides. The road in front of the house was the stage coach road/mail route to Warsaw. On the lintel above the door of the house is engraved “O.H.P. Shoemaker 1860 ”. ​ The Shoemakers were Unionist, coming originally from Kentucky and Illinois. A son (or nephew) Horace, became a Captain during the Union occupation of Boonville and organized a voluntary cavalry unit to escort the mail, guard the telegraph wires and escort captured Confederates to Jefferson City. Capt. Shoemaker became a marked man when he took a local man named Spencer from imprisonment at the Boonville courthouse to Harley Park and hanged him without a trial. ​ When General Price and the Confederates took control of Boonville in October 1864, Shoemaker surrendered and was confined with his family to his house in Boonville. In the dark of night, according to Van Ravensway, Spenser’s sons came for Shoemaker pretending to have orders from General Price. They took him away and Horace Shoemaker was never seen again. General Shelby was quoted later that the incident “will remain the most regrettable occurrence during the war”. East of the stone house three serious skirmishes took place that October. General Fagan stood off attacks by Union Generals Eppstein and Sanborn with heavy loss of life at Anderson’s Branch. ​ Mrs. Shoemaker and her family, fearing further retribution fled to Oregon. The property was parceled and sold in 1866 $2,000 to Christian Osten and John Dumolt. In 1868 The Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad was completed between Boonville and Tipton and the stone house was convenient to the depot at Billingsville. New immigrants arriving from Germany by steamboat took the train to Billingsville where they found welcome in their native language with the Dumolts who were originally from Alsace Lorraine. Once the railroad came through Cooper County, there was no longer a need for the stage coaches. Interestingly, once trucks and cars became popular, there was little use for trains for transportation and most of them eventually disappeared. ​ The Dumolts and Fredericks lived in the stone house for many years, adding a kitchen and an extension to the living space at the back of the stone building. There were extensive log and frame stables on the property until the present owners, the Burnetts, cleared away the worn wooden structures, but saved the stone cottage and a large chiseled stone horse trough to preserve this part of Cooper County history. ​ References: The Boonville Advertiser, 1940 CCHS Files Linda Burnett Dumolt Stage Stop on Route 5 near Billingsville Photo by Krista Jeppsen

MISSOURI RIVER AND TRANSPORTATION Missouri River West of Boonvillle Bridge Wayne Lammers Collection Before the white man traveled up the Missouri River, the Indians had paddled their canoes on it for centuries. Later came the French trappers and explorers in their pirogues, canoes, mackinaws, bateaus and keelboats. At this time, these types of boats were the only means of river transportation. When the first settlers arrived, the main routes of commerce and travel were still the water courses. Neither steamboats nor railroads were available yet. Because transportation was so important, the main settlements were made on the banks of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. ​ ​ Ferries Hannah Cole and others ​ During the first court on July 8, 1816, at Cole’s Fort, Hannah Cole’s sons were granted a license to run a ferry on the Missouri River between Boonville and Franklin. At the same time B.W. Levens, Ward and Potter, and George W. Cary were also granted a license to keep a ferry across the Missouri at the present site of Overton. The rates charged at the Levens’ ferry were as follows: ​ For man and horse $0.50 For either separately $0.25 For 4 horses and 4-wheeled wagon $2.00 For 2 horses and 4-wheeled carriage $1.00 For horned cattle $0.04 each For polled cattle $.02 each ​ No one seems to remember what the cost to cross the River on the Dorothy was. Later, other ferries were licensed to help travelers cross the “Wide Missouri” River. ​ Until 1924 , when the first Boonville Bridge connecting New Franklin to Boonville was built, one had to take a motorized ferry across the Missouri River to get to Boonville from New Franklin, or go to Howard County from Boonville. The last Ferry to operate was the “Dorothy,” which ceased operating when the Route 40 bridge was finished in 1924. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Dorothy ferry on the Missouri at Boonville. ca 1890's. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Dorothy Ferry Boat circa 1918. ​ ​ Source: "Discover Cooper County" by Ann Betteridge. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ From the Wayne Lammers collection Joseph L. Stephens ferry boat in the 1890s, in front of Boonville In operation until 1924 ​ Front of Stephens Ferry Boat Rocheport Ferry - Cooper County in the background, notice 3 covered wagons and horses. Steam engine moved the paddle wheel. Lamine Ferry 1930's, from the Jim Higbie collection (colorized). Corps of Discovery near Boonville (Keel boat) - a reproduction of the Lewis and Clark boat. The reproduction burned, but was rebuilt 1/2 scale and is in the River, Rails and Trails Museum. Photo by Wayne Lammers The pirogue was a small type of canoe. The canoe was the most commonly used type of boat, and was the simplest of all river crafts. It was usually made from a cottonwood log, hollowed out, and was usually from 15 to 18 feet long. It was generally manned by three men: one to steer and two to paddle. It was used mostly for short trips, though occasionally was employed for long trips. The mackinaw was a flatboat, pointed at both ends, and was from 40 to 50 feet long. It usually had a crew of five men: one steersman and four oarsmen. The bullboat was usually used on shallow streams because of its light draft. It was made of buffalo bull hides sewn together and stretched over a frame of poles, and needed two men to handle it. Keel Boat Jolly Flat Boatsmen by George Caleb Bingham The keelboat was considered the best and largest craft for transportation before the steamboat. It was 60 to 70 feet long, with the keel running from bow to stern. It could carry a larger cargo than any of the other boats mentioned. It was usually poled. Several men at a time pushed long poles into the river bed, and literally pushed the boat upstream. In deep, fast, or rough water, or if other problems caused poling not to work well, the keelboat was then propelled by means of a cordelle. The cordelle was a line practically 1,000 feet long, one end of which was fastened to the top of the 30-foot mast in the center of the boat. It was well-braced from the mast and the rope extended to the shore. At the shore end of the line, some twenty or thirty men walked along the river bank and pulled the boat upstream. Cordelling was extremely difficult and exhausting work, especially when the edge of the river was full of brush, or the banks so soft that they gave way under foot. Sails were used at times, when the wind was right. Many years after the steamboat made its appearance, people continued to use the keelboat. Flatboat and Steam boats on the Missouri River The First Steamboat at Franklin was on May 29, 1819 . The trip of the Independence from St. Louis to Franklin took 13 days (six of which they were grounded on sandbars). Captain John Nelson had charge of the steamboat. The day after the arrival of the Independence a dinner was given by the citizens of Franklin in honor of the occasion. The trip of the Independence from St. Louis to Franklin was the beginning of steamboat traffic upon the Missouri. The development of the steamboat changed the whole process of river transportation, making it possible to travel much faster than previously, and with much larger cargoes, and was one of the chief factors in the development of Boonville and Cooper County. The second steamboat to arrive at Franklin was the Western Engine, one of several steamboats that came up the river in 1819 as part of Major Stephen Long’s “Yellowstone Expedition.” The boat reached Franklin on June 13, 1819 . The design of the Western Engineer was startling. The prow was upturned and carved into the shape of a serpent’s head. By means of a flue, steam could be directed to come out the hinged jaws. It was intended to frighten the Indians, and it did. The real beginning point of commercially feasible steam boating began about 1830 . Because of the rush of immigration at that time, boats could not be built fast enough. ​ ​ Packets on the Missouri River A Packet , or packet boat, is identified by its function rather than by any distinctive vessel type. Historically, packets originated as vessels under contract with the government to carry mail. With this official duty as their primary purpose, packets could be distinguished from any other vessels by their speed and regularity of service on a fixed route, between designated ports. Steam driven packets were used extensively in the 19th century on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, supplying and bringing personnel to forts and trading posts and carrying freight and passengers. Today, while steamboats are but a distant memory, the Missouri River is alive and well in Missouri. ​ Sources: Elizabeth Davis "Historically Yours", Ann Betteridge "Discover Cooper County" ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Steamboat "Plow Boy" at Boonville unloading wheat at Boonville Mill. From the Wayne Lammers collection. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Steamboat pulled by a tugboat with the Katy bridge in the background. From the Wayne Lammers collection. ​ ​ RIVER TRAFFIC BECAME HEAVY In 1838 , the government began to clear the Missouri River of snags, and river travel became somewhat less hazardous. As the steamboat trade increased, boats became bigger and fancier, changing from the appearance of a floating shack to a floating palace. The Boonville Register of May 20, 1841 , stated “the first boat built in the city of Boonville, is to be launched on Monday, the 24th.” The boat was built under the superintendence of Captain Courtney and was to be called the Warsaw. The “Golden Era” of the Missouri River steam boating was between 1850 and 1860 , and reached its highest prosperity in the year 1858 . There were then not less than sixty packets on the river, besides 30 to 40 transient boats called tramps, which came on the river from other streams and made one or two trips during the season. The packets had regular schedules and carried the United States mail, express, freight, newspapers (both daily and semi-weekly). Their arrival was booked forward to along the Missouri River with a great deal of interest. The discovery of gold in California, and later gold in Montana, caused many people to ride the steamboats on their way west and north. People flocked to the wharves whenever a steamboat arrived. There were so many boats on the lower river during this period that it was a common sight to see as many as five or six lying at the Boonville landing at the same time. These were prosperous days for the river towns. During the boating season, which continued from March to November, there was never a time when a boat wasn’t visible. The Missouri River freezing solid made it impossible to travel by boat during the winter months. The Missouri River was one of the most difficult streams in the United States to navigate because of its shifting channel, its swift current, and its many bends, which, with the many snags, made a continual menace to river traffic. No pilot approached a snag, especially at night, without fear and caution. The average life of a Missouri River steamboat was less than five years. Other problems, such as fires, boiler explosions, and floods as well as low water, also made traveling by steamboat hazardous. A major disaster in this area was the sinking of the El Paso after it hit a snag below Boonville in 1855 . Another period of prosperity were the years 1866 , 1867 , and 1868 . Captain C.H. Kinney, made the sum of $45,000 in profits from one trip. A number of residents in the Boonville area were involved in river trade as owners, captains, or pilots of steamboats. Many made their fortunes on the river. Perhaps the best known was Captain Joseph Kinney, who lived in Boonville from 1850 to 1860 . He built Riverscene mansion across the river from Boonville in 1869 . It was said that Captain Kinney picked out the lumber for his elegant home along the banks as he traveled the river and had it cut and delivered to the building area. Today the river is still important to the county’s economy. Barges are used to transport grain and other products. ​ Brief History of Steam boating on the Missouri River By Bob Dyer ​ References : Steamboats on the Missouri River Steamboat unloading wheat for the Sombart Mill in Boonville Nadine Excursion Boat near Boonville The St. Jacobs Oil steamboat at Boonville 1870's-Macurdy. Boonville Mill in the background THE MISSOURI RIVER CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE Why does the Missouri flood more now than much earlier? The only bad flood in the 1800 ’s (#4) was in 1844 . The next bad one did not come until 1944 (#8), one hundred years later. There is a lot of finger pointing that the river has been changed by straightening, and building reservoirs and levees. However, heavy snow falls and late spring rains upstream also are big contributing factors. The flooding in 2019 was believed to have been triggered by record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Wyoming along with near-record spring rainfall in central and eastern Montana. All six major dams along the Missouri River released record amounts of water to prevent overflow which led to flooding threatening several towns and cities downstream. ​ Missouri also had record rain in late May in 2013 and 2019 . All six major dams along the Missouri River released record amounts of water to prevent overflow, which led to flooding downstream, which flooded several towns and cities. The result - buildings and homes were severely damaged, and some washed away. Roads and bridges were underwater, as were the just emerging spring crops. Precious topsoil helped to make the Muddy MO even muddier. Cars, buildings and machinery were badly damaged, or also washed away by the force of the rushing water. Countless animals drowned and the number of human deaths from the flooding is unknown. ​ Historic Flood Crests of Missouri River at Boonville (1) 37.10 ft on 07/29/1993 (2) 33.73 ft on 05/31/2019 (3) 33.14 ft on 05/19/1995 (4) 32.70 ft on 06/21/1844 (5) 32.62 ft on 07/17/1951 (6) 32.02 ft on 06/27/1947 (7) 31.85 ft on 10/05/1986 (8) 30.93 ft on 04/27/1944 (9) 30.74 ft on 04/07/1983 (10) 30.72 ft on 06/02/2013 ​ Source: Historical Crests for Missouri River at Boonville US Weather Service Scroll to read the story about the Flood of 1993 Bob Dyer’s poem for a friend who lost his home to the flood of 1993 Poem by Bob Dyer, courtesy of Sharon Dyer Highway 40 during the 1951 Flood just across the river from Boonville. From the Wayne Lammers collection. Video of 2019 Missouri River at Boonville Flood Videos by Tracy and Ashley Friedrich @FarmAlarm. Boonville YouTubers ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Map of the Missouri River and it's tributaries. Source: Wikipedia ​ The Missouri River is North America's longest river, beginning in western Montana and ending 2,341 miles away, north of St. Louis, Missouri, where it enters the Mississippi River. The name 'Missouri' is derived from the Missouria tribe name, meaning 'people with wooden canoes'. The Missouri River and its tributaries have been important to people for more than 12,000 years, for many reasons including transportation, fishing, irrigation, and as a water source for animals which in turn helped to feed the people in the region. During the westward expansion of the United States the Missouri River played an important role. Because of industrial and agricultural use in the 20th century, the water quality, and animal and fish populations have been greatly impacted. ​ ​ Other Interesting Missouri River Facts It is believed that the Missouri River formed about 30 million years ago, but because it changes its course over time, the current course of the Missouri is estimated at 115,000 years old. ​ Major tributaries to the Missouri River include Yellowstone River, Platte River, and the Kansas River. The Missouri River flows through several states including Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. It flows past Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas. The first explorers to lay their eyes on the Missouri River were Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette. These Frenchmen were floating along the Mississippi River in 1673 when they spotted it. ​ Lewis and Clark were the first to travel the entire length of the Missouri River, which they accomplished in 1804. The Missouri River flows from Montana's Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers for 2,341 miles to the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, Missouri. The Missouri River is the world's 15th longest river. The Missouri River basin (area of land drained by the river) is 529,350 square miles in size. ​ Approximately 10 million people live in the Missouri River basin. This includes people from 10 states, from a small region in Canada, and from 28 different Native American tribes. The dams that have been built along the Missouri River have changed its ability to flow freely. Although this stops flooding in many regions, it changes the natural environment as well. The Missouri River has been called "Big Muddy" and "Muddy Mo" because of its ability to relocate large amounts of soil on occasion. ​ There are approximately 150 fish species in the Missouri River, and about 300 species of birds live in the Missouri River's region. The Lewis and Clark Historic Trail follows the Missouri River, making it possible for people to follow. Along the trail are roughly 100 historical sites to explore. ​ Many National Parks in the United States are located in the Missouri River's watershed, including Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Badlands National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. ​ Source: SoftSchools.com Snoddy's Store by boat Flyover by drone of the Missouri River at Boonville Flood flyover in airplane

EARLY HOMES AND BUILDINGS 1810 – 1940 ARCHITECTURE Cooper County has an abundance of lovely, well maintained older homes and buildings representing many different architectural styles, ranging from simple wood or stone houses to elegant Victorian, Italianate, and “Queen Anne,” mansions. A walking or driving tour in downtown Boonville will introduce you to many of the beautiful historic homes and buildings in the area. Main Street still retains many well maintained, early buildings, and most are still being used. And, outside of Boonville Township there are other impressive homes and buildings that are worth the trip to see. Maps and information on historic Cooper County homes and buildings are available at: Cooper County Historical Society; Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce; River, Rails and Trails Museum; Friends of Historic Boonville; and the Frederick Hotel. ​ River, Rails and Trails Museum has a colorful and informative booklet for a self-guided tour of Boonville homes and buildings. Historic Homes and Buildings to look for in Boonville ​ Take walking tour of Boonville, or a drive on the following streets from beginning to end: ​ High Street: Frederick Hotel, (Main & High Street) 513, 603, 611, 616, 617, 622, 703, 724 Bell House with Bell’s View Park across the street East Morgan Street: 719, 711, 707, 629, 614, 519, 515; Old Jail East Spring Street: 716, 630 Sixth Street: 630, 612, 615, 711, 720, 1308, 1307, 747; Sixth & Locust – Early school for girls Main Street: 1304, 745 (GG Vest Home); 821 (Roslyn Heights – state DAR headquarters) Commercial buildings from the 1800’s and early 1900’s: Fourth Street: 412 Hain House; 510 Sombart; Christ Episcopal Church; 607- Pre-Civil-War School; Center Street: 309 – built 1859; 303 – built 1870 Third Street: (600-700) former Kemper Military School, now State Fair Jr. College; Boonslick YMCA; and soon to be Boonslick Regional Public Library; House 600; - also 601 Hitch House A colored map with pictures is available from the Cooper County Historical Society, and other locations, which feature homes and buildings in Boonville. ​ There are also many lovely older homes in Boonville and Cooper County that are not on the Historic Register, but are well worth viewing. ​ ​ Interesting Homes and Buildings Out in the County Blackwater - hotel, telephone museum and Depot Pilot Grove - old Jail and Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Pleasant Green - Burwood, Crestmede and Pleasant Green Plantation New Lebanon - Cumberland Baptist Church and one room school; Cemetery and Uncle Abe’s Store Cotton - Dick’s Mill and school Bell Air - Ravenswood Mansion; Bell Air Methodist church and Pauley House Billingsville - Old Stage Stop and St. John’s United Church of Christ Rural Boonville - Gross Brothers Home on Highway 98 ​ Ravenswood near Bellair Pauley House near Bella ir Pleasant Green Plantation in Pleasant Green Burwood House near Pleasant Green Gross Brother's Home in rural Boonville on Route 98 Restored Crestmead Home Photo from Wayne Lammers Collection Many of the older buildings in Cooper County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, the Cooper County area boasts area over 400 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. How to Find Cooper County Homes and Buildings l isted on National Register: Go to: SHPO Inventories (State Historic Preservation Officer) Select State (Missouri) Select Missouri National Register Listings Select County (Cooper) Click on the individual site name to see the full report, bibliography and photos. BOONVILLE RECYCLED, REVITILIZED, AND REPURPOSED HISTORIC BULDINGS Old Commercial Buildings with new lives Thespian Hall 1855 ; is the oldest theater west of the Alleghanies, now a home for the arts Frederick Hotel was a hotel in 1905 , then became a retirement home; now restored a modern hotel with its 20th century charm; also features a restaurant River, Rails & Trails Visitor’s Center and Museum : Former Wholesale Grocery built in 1902 Mitchel Car Museum once was a chicken hatchery Hamilton Brown Shoe Factory is now Selwyn Senior Apartments Kemper Military School is now the Boonslick Heartland YMCA, State Fair Community College, and the future home of the Boonslick Regional Library Turner Hall was originally a Baptist church in 1847 ; then a place for German gymnastics and musical groups, now a venue rental. Ballentine House –a hotel in 1822 , and now houses business offices KATY Train Depot now the Chamber of Commerce building with an old MKT caboose and train signal light Boonville Trail Depot at night Thespian Hall Left: River, Rails and Trails Museum, formerly Shryack - Givens Wholesale Grocery Right: Selwyn Senior Apartments, formerly Boonville Shoe Factory Balentine House, formerly a hotel, now business offices Hotel Frederick, formerly apartments Downtown Boonville in the 1930's This is a photo taken by James McCurdy about 1873. The workers are raising a large bell to the top of the roof of the Central National Bank in Boonville, owned by Joseph L. Stevens. Workers are raising a large bell to the roof of the bank. Today the bell is in the front of LSE School. ​ These bronze mastiff statues were originally in front of the Central National Bank near the entrance, which is now Snapp's Hardware. In the mid 1880's, Jay Gould gave the two large mastiff statues to Joseph L. Stevens in gratitude for Steven's support in bringing the Katy Railroad to Boonville. The mastiff statues were placed on the front of the bank near the entrance. ​ Today the mastiffs are on the roof of the LSE school above the northwest entrance, and the bell is on the lawn in front of the school. Central Bell and the two Mastiff statues at LSE on Main Street Photo by Wayne Lammers

THE PONY EXPRESS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Depiction of the construction of the first Transcontinental Telegraph , with a Pony Express rider passing below. Source: Wikipedia. ​ March 1861: The Pony Express reduces its route from Salt Lake City, Utah to Sacramento, California When Cooper County mail, that was headed west by stage coach, reached Saint Joe, Missouri, it would be picked up at the Pony Express office by one of the 80 riders, and start on a 2,000-mile wild ride by horseback to the next station. The mail and newspapers would reach San Francisco in 10 days. By stage coach, the same trip would take three weeks! There were 153 Stations, some in hotels and some in shacks. The rider would ride 10 to 15 miles before changing horses and then continue his ride to the next station and a new horse. Five hundred horses were used for each round trip. The ride was not comfortable for the rider or the horse. Bad weather, rough terrain and Indians were constant threats. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Ad in the Sacramento Union, March 19, 1860 “Men Wanted" The undersigned wishes to hire ten or a dozen men, familiar with the management of horses, as hostlers, or riders on the Overland Express Route via Salt Lake City. Wages $50 per month and found.” On June 16, 1860, about ten weeks after the Pony Express began operations, Congress authorized a bill instructing the Secretary of the Treasury to subsidize the building of a transcontinental telegraph line to connect the Missouri River and the Pacific Coast. ​ The passage of the bill resulted in the incorporation of the Overland Telegraph Company of California and the Pacific Telegraph Company of Nebraska. While the lines were under construction the Pony Express operated as usual. Letters and newspapers were carried the entire length of the line from St. Joseph to Sacramento, but telegrams were carried only between the rapidly advancing wire ends. ​ On October 26, 1861, San Francisco was in direct contact with New York City. On that day the Pony Express was officially terminated, but it was not until November that the last letters completed their journey over the route. ​ In June, 1860 Congress authorized the incorporation off the Overland Telegraph Company of California and Pacific Company of Nebraska. The Pony Express lasted only 19 months from April 1860 to October 1861, but it successfully connected the East to the West in record time. Sources: Adapted from National Geographic National Park Service National Historic Trail

COMMUNITY/TOWNSHIP SETTLEMENT Once the War of 1812-1814 was over, the Missouri Territory was considered safe for settlers. The pioneers steadily poured into the Boonslick area, looking for a new start in the frontier. They found rich soil for crops, prairies for livestock grazing, springs and streams, plus the Missouri River for water, trees for building, and fish and abundant large and small game for food. Soon, small communities were formed and in some, churches and schools were established. Farms, mills and small local businesses were important communication and trade centers in the early communities. ​ Many of the communities were as small as a few homes or farms near each other, and many of these settlements were never officially platted on the County map. Over time, there were over 65 named communities in Cooper County. If we divide the County into 5 parts, (below) you can see the location of some of the towns/settlements on the map, plus you can locate where some of those settlements that are no longer in existence might have been. ​ Railroads helped further settle the County and were very important to the economic growth of the area. The first railroad, the Missouri Pacific, was completed through Otterville, in 1860. The second, the Osage Valley and Southern Kansas, ran from Boonville to Versailles, stopping at Billingsville, Joe Town, New Palestine (Speed), Petersburg, Bunceton and Vermont. The third was the “KATY” which went through Prairie Lick, Pilot Grove, Harriston, Pleasant Green and Clifton City. ​ With the coming of the railroads through several small, sleepy towns they became very busy centers of commerce, attracting merchants, banks, hotels, doctors and a variety of businesses, plus they gained a major growth in population. ​ Since most roads at this time were rough, and often just wagon trails, trains offered passengers a comfortable way to travel, and cattle, grain and other products could be moved quickly and efficiently to larger markets, usually Saint Louis. Plus, mail was delivered to the towns by rail, instead of by horseback or carts. ​ However, things began to change by 1915, when early automobiles and pickup trucks became more numerous, and plank and gravel roads (but not paved), became more common. The last train to make its final trip out of Cooper County was the which left Boonville on 1986. ​ As local train service was eliminated, people and businesses started leaving, and some of the towns that had been well populated lost businesses and residents, as people sought jobs and/or higher wages in larger towns. While some towns became just a shadow of their former selves, others just disappeared. ​ A loss of a post office seems to indicate that a town had grown too small to support one. You will notice that some post offices were closed during the Civil War. The decrease in population was also accelerated by the Great Depression and the drought during the 1930’s. Note: Post Office column displays the delivery dates; "Never" means the place never had a post office; and "Gone" means the town does not exist anymore. Looking at the map below you will see that early Cooper County was dotted with towns. Eventually, many of the towns were officially platted, but some settlements remained as just settlements. Of the over 65 settlements/towns that were in early Cooper County, by 2021, only a few remain as active cities, towns, villages, or as viable unincorporated areas. References: Memorabilia of Cooper County, Missouri, 2020 PDF Edition Discover Cooper County by Ann Betteridge CHANGES IN COOPER COUNTY POPULATION AND TOWNS FROM 1820 UP TO 1960 When we look at the history of Cooper County, we see that a few towns were originally settlements, then became towns, or cities, and have been active since the early 1820's. Yet, others had a good start, but after a few years, the population was greatly diminished and, in some cases, almost all traces of those early towns are totally gone. ​ Cooper County’s population was greatly affected by its history and available means of travel Some Background: Cooper is one of 115 counties in Missouri. As of 7/1/2022, Cooper County had a population of 17,059, with a total of 7,282 households. Cooper ranks #62 in size of Missouri County populations. The growth rate for 2020 to 2022 was 0.11%. For 2022-2027 it is forecast to be 0.01%. ​ Source: HomeTownLocator When we examine the history of Cooper County, we are lead to wonder why early residents chose to make the trip. Why did they choose to come, and why might they have decided to stay or leave? We find many reasons to come, and which events influenced population growth and decline. Adventurers – The challenge to come to a new area of the country, to live off the land, perhaps find gold, silver or other treasure, or to become famous for an unusual deed encouraged some to come. ​ A Second Chance at the Good Life – They may have had a less than desirable background and the newly opened territory might have given them a chance to redeem themselves and start life over. Early Settlers – They came to stay. They proved that Missouri was a wonderful place to settle. Abundant wildlife, fertile ground, plenty of water and timber, and land was free or not expensive. Transportation – Missouri was blessed with several early means of travel by land and water - ferries, wagons, stage coach’s (but no roads) , Steam Boats, and later, railroads, cars and trucks. Wars – we need to factor in that during the Civil War, World War I, II, and later wars, many local men and women died and did not return home to start or maintain families. Some families left the area and relocated elsewhere after the death of a loved one. Depression – The depression of the 1930's had some serious effects on the population, yet some towns regained much of their earlier strength and population, while others did not. Cooper County population was greatly influenced by many events 1810 – The Cole families settled in what would become Cooper County 1812 – Lamine was settled 1812 – War of 1812-1814 in Cooper County 1816 – Hannah Cole’s sons operated the first ferry between Cooper and Howard Counties 1818 – Cooper became a County 1819 – First Steamboat on the Missouri River 1820 – Missouri Packet - First steam boat to sink in the Missouri River near Boonville 1821 – Missouri became the 24th state 1821 – Trade Route to Santa Fe opened (Santa Fe Trail) 1827 – Town of Franklin, located across from Boonville, washed away in a major flood of the Missouri River 1860’s – Stage Coaches carried passengers and the mail 1860 – First railroad established in the County (Missouri Pacific) 1861 - 1864 – Civil War – two battles and two occupations in Cooper County during years 1861 – Missouri was the first state to emancipate all enslaved persons 1901 – First automobile driven in Cooper County/road improvement began 1914 - 1918 – World War I in Europe 1918 - 1919 – Many died from the “Spanish” Flu. (NO Cooper County figures available) 1930 -1939 – Nation-wide Depression 1940 - 1945 – World War II 1943 – Highway 40 Bridge over the Missouri River connects Howard County to Cooper County 1960 – Route I-70 by-passes Boonville, but passes through Cooper County ​ Population Growth in Cooper County ​ Missouri became the 24th state on August 10, 1821. Cooper County was established when Howard County was divided into what was to become Cooper County along the Missouri River. Following the War of 1812, the population of Cooper and the surrounding area began to increase, especially along the Missouri River. The majority of early settlers were from Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Settlers from Germany and Ireland helped to increase the population. In the year 1820, only about 12% of the population of Missouri was foreign born. According to the 1820 US Census, Cooper County had a population of 6,959, but the population ten years later was only 6,904, a loss of 55. However, a good case can be made for an increase of more than 8,700 rather than the official drop. In November 1820, after the 1820 census had been taken, three counties were formed out of Cooper County: Cole, Lafayette, and Saline. Their 1830 census totals were 3,023; 2,912; and 2.873 respectively. Had those counties not been established, these figures would have been part of Cooper Counties totals. ​ Sources: Discover Cooper County by Ann Betteridge and A History of Pilot Grove. The population numbers increased with each census until 1890, when Cooper County had a population of 22,707. From then on, the population started to decline to 14,643 in 1980. Cooper County has continued to slowly grow, and the US Census of 2010 showed a population of 17,601, but in 2020 it was 17,103. Although there are many small, unincorporated communities in Cooper County, there have been only six incorporated cities. ​ Boonville was already platted when Missouri became a state in 1821, but it wasn't incorporated until 1839. Its first official census wasn't taken until 1850. There were 2,326 residents in Boonville that year, the smallest ever recorded for the city at that time, but Boonville, the County Seat of Cooper County, continued to grow. The numbers weren't always higher than the previous count, but they tended to go up. The highest count recorded in Cooper County population was 21,596 in 1880 and 22,707 in 1890. By 1990 the total population had dropped to 14,835. In the 2010 Census it climbed back to 17,601, but dropped back to 17,103 in 2020. In order of establishment, Otterville became the second city in Cooper County. Platted in 1837, Otterville didn't have an official census until 1880 and recorded 505 residents. Source: Wikipedia The population was pretty stable and peaked at 507 in 1990. In 2010, the official population was 454. ​ The other four cities were established in the space of twenty years: Bunceton in 1868, Pilot Grove in 1873, Prairie Home in 1874, and Blackwater in 1887. Bunceton had 493 residents in 1890 and no census was reported in 1900. The population for the next two census reports of 1910, and 1920 was 788, and 860 respectively. Growth after 1920 never increased. The official population in 2010 was 354. ​ Pilot Grove and Prairie Home were founded just a year apart, in 1873 and 1874. Pilot Grove started with 209 residents at their first census in 1880 and in 2010 reached 768. Prairie Home's census was similar. They started with a low of 43 in 1880 and by 2010 they had reached 280. ​ Blackwater was the last of the current six incorporated cities in Cooper County. Founded in 1887, their first census wasn't taken until 1900 and it recorded a population of 285. The community grew until 1930, when the population peaked at 506. The number of residents and businesses continued to decline with only a minor spike in 1980 until the 2010 census showed Blackwater at just under 60 percent of its first headcount. ​ While many towns and communities have existed in Cooper County over the past two hundred years, there are only six official towns there today: Blackwater, Boonville, Bunceton, Otterville, Pilot Grove, and Prairie Home. ​ Using only the census records, the smallest town in Cooper County was Prairie Home in 1880 with a population of 43. It reached its peak of 2010 with 280. The smallest town by population today is Blackwater. It started with 285 in 1900, topped out in 1930 with 506, and has now dropped below 200: 199 in 2000 and 162 in 2010. ​ Otterville started with 505 people in 1880 and peaked in 1990 with 507. Currently, Otterville’s 2010 population was 454. Pilot Grove and Bunceton appeared to have competed for fifty years for the title of “Second largest town in Cooper County.” While Pilot Grove started first, the population in 1880 was only 209. Bunceton’s population was officially 493 by 1890 but only had 493 people to Pilot Grove’s 560. By 1900, Bunceton had taken the lead from Pilot Grove: 856 to 631. For the next three decades, Bunceton was the second largest town in Cooper County, with Pilot Grove in third place. In 1940, the tables turned. Pilot Grove had exactly 100 more people than Bunceton. While Pilot Grove’s population has had its ups and downs, it has managed to maintain its number two spot in the county with its highest population of 768 being recorded in 2010. Using only the census records, the smallest town in Cooper County was Prairie Home in 1880, with a population of 43. It reached its peak in 2010 with 280. ​ Sources: Adapted from Discover Copper County, by Ann Betteridge and Historically Yours by Elizabeth Davis

THE BEEKEEPER'S BEEKEEPER Mr. Brengarth Brengarth Honey Label Brengarth Family Beekeeping was unknown in the Western Hemisphere until after the first European settlers arrived. Bees were imported from England and Germany to the colonies where beekeeping became an important home industry. In 1641, bee colonies in New England were sold for 5 pounds apiece, the equivalent of 15-days labor by a skilled craftsman. By the end of the 18th century, bees were fairly common throughout the eastern half of the continent. Often bees would swarm and form a colony in a hollow tree. As bees slowly moved westward, they would swarm and often form a colony in a hollow tree. Early settlers were always on the lookout for a “bee tree” to provide sweetening for their food, as sugar was not readily available in early central Missouri. The Missouri Indians were very familiar with “bee trees by the time the early settlers arrived. Native Americans referred to honey bees as “the white man’s fly, and regarded their presence as indicating the coming of white settlers.” (source USDA Agriculture Handbook number 335) Eventually, some who had become successful working with bees, became backyard or commercial beekeepers. The central Midwest now has modest honey production. However, the increased use of chemicals used in farming has been very detrimental to honey bee colonies. In the last 15 years bee diseases seem to have become much more prevalent and the use of neonicotinoids has been fatal to honey bees and many other insects such as bumble bees and butterflies. ​ ​ Colony Collapse Disorder in the U.S. The number of managed colonies in the United States for honey production has been in decline since the 1940s and these losses have increased since the early 2000s. Colony losses during winter are normal within beekeeping, however the rate of honeybee colony deaths, higher losses during the summer, as well as the inability to find a determinate cause of these deaths has caused alarm. In 2006, some beekeepers reported losing 30-90% of their hives. Total colony loss reached 45% between 2012 and 2013, up from 28.9% and 36.4% in previous years. While annual losses above 30% are not out of the ordinary, the symptoms of these colony losses do not all match with those normally produced by known pests and pathogens. The amount of loss experienced as well as uncertainty around the cause of the loss lead to the coining of the term Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) by the beekeeping community. ​ Source: Wikipedia Musings of a Lady Beekeeper In 1970, before we had children, we decided to try beekeeping as a hobby. We lived on 10 rented acres near Waukegan, Illinois. I had grown up in the suburbs of Milwaukee, so country living was new to me. We had a small garden and also raised chickens, rabbits, peacocks, dogs, cats and two baby raccoons. But our favorite pastime was "working" our bees. We started with two hives and 15 later years we were up to 45 hives. Some of the hives were the result of swarms caught from our own bees. Many came from removing bees from live and dead trees, inside and outside of buildings, and a few strange places. One of the strangest places was on the roof of a local one-story bank where the bees were draped over the front door. At the time, I was working as an Extension Agent. The office occasionally got calls from people who needed to have bees removed, and we, or two others in the area, would hurry to help when a call came in. One day a call came and no one was available to help. As my husband was an excavator with his own business, I volunteered, and dashed home, got my "bee shirt," veiled hat and gloves, plus a hive body and cover, my smoker and a bee brush, and hurried to the bank. They provided the ladder and I was able to capture the bees by gently brushing them into the hive body with a frame of sealed honey inside. (They only stayed in the box because I was fortunate to capture the queen. The hardest part was getting the box, bottom board and cover down from the roof intact.) My bee recovery made the front page of the Grayslake paper. We never charged for our service, although some were very time consuming, because we felt that the bees were our reward. In 1992 we made a huge mistake, which we still regret. We had run out of hive bodies for our bees. We answered an ad in the paper from someone who was "getting out of the bee business". This very pious man sold us enough hive bodies for 8 more hives of bees, assuring us that his bees had been healthy, but that he was just "too old" to keep bees and wanted to sell his equipment. We added swarms to the new "used" boxes in our largest bee yard which had about 25 hives. Up until this time, our hives had all be very healthy and we had never lost a hive. Soon, we discovered that these hive bodies were not "disease free" and our bees started to diminish in population. The state bee inspector checked the hives and said that they must be destroyed - bees and all, that nothing could be done to save them. We learned that the disease that they had contracted, was “foul brood, ”but we did what we were told to do. We had to burn the hives with the bees in them. I want to cry, even now, when I remember what we had to do. Our enthusiasm for beekeeping diminished greatly after that. When we moved to Missouri in 2006, we again wanted to try beekeeping. The kids were grown and gone, we were retired, and we had 11 acres in the country. What could go wrong? Well, farming practices had changed a great deal since 1992. Many more dangerous chemicals are being used now than we had experienced in Illinois. Using pre-emergent or post-emergent chemicals, spraying by plane, and nicotinoids (chemicals with nicotine in them that protect the plants, but confuse the bees when they collect the nectar, so they cannot find their way home). This is believed to be the major cause of “colony collapse”. We bought two "boxes" of bees after my husband constructed two new hive bodies. I think we paid about $60 for each two-pound box of bees with a queen. (Since bees are almost an endangered species today, the same 2-pound box today would probably be closer to $200.) We caught two swarms and added them to the new hives. The first winter we lost one hive, but do not know why. That Spring we added two new hives from our swarms. The hives that summer were loaded with honey and we took off half of it in mid-July. A week after extracting the honey I went to do a weekly check on the bees and found that all the bees were GONE, and so was the rest of the honey. The hives were empty except for a few sealed egg cells. Evidently three things might have happened: 1) the bees ingested the nicotine from the nectar of the crops that surround us on three sides, or 2) they were caught gathering nectar when the crops were sprayed so they could not find their way home and died 3) "robber" bees cleaned out what was left of the honey and took it their hives located elsewhere. Since bees can travel as far as two miles in search of nectar and honey, this seems a reasonable conclusion. After three years of trying our hobby of beekeeping for the second time it was time to call it quits. What I miss most about beekeeping, beside working with the bees, and working as a team with my husband, is the wonderful aroma that greets you when you open a healthy hive to inspect it or to gather honey. It is hard to describe - wonderfully fruity, sweet, fragrant and clean. Impossible to describe perfectly, but I really miss the joy of being greeted by it. ​ By: Barbara Dahl, Editor

MILLS Upon arrival in a new area, settlers would look for a mill site. Going to the mill in the early days of the county was difficult, because there were no roads, no bridges, and hardly any conveniences for traveling. It was difficult to cross the rivers and streams. The trip to the mill was also a time to visit the trade center and replenish supplies. In the mid to late 1800's, mills were a place where farmers could meet and discuss various topics of common interest much like they do in local restaurants today. Mills were also a place where locally produced items could be purchased or traded. There were different types of mills. Mills could be powered by water wheels, steam power or oil- (kerosene or gasoline) powered engines. At one time, there were 22 mills in Cooper county. Most of the old mills in the county are listed and described in the next paragraphs. Rankin’s Mill (Boonville Township) on the Petite Saline operated until 1912 . It is the oldest mill established and operated in Cooper County. Matthew Rankin bought the Old Boyd water-powered mill in 1838 and his son William Rankin built a new and larger mill on the site in 1840 . It was water-powered until 1854 when it was changed to steam power. It had capacity for 800 bushels of grain per day. Silas L. and Robert S. Rankin, sons of William A., tore down the old mill in 1893 and built a more modern structure, which is now in ruins and inaccessible. ​ Gooch’s Mill/Big Lick (Saline Township) on the Petite Saline ceased operation in the 1930 's. Little of this mill is still standing. William Dixon Gooch purchased land in 1839 and built a mill, which he ran until he died in 1856. Lewis Edgar, his son-in-law, ran it until 1868 . Diedrich Molan ran it from 1868-1871 . Many people owned and operated it from then until 1950 (seldom did any one person longer than three years at a time). C.M. Lacy operated it from 1905 until 1910 . Walter Niederweimer operated it from 1912-1921 . Henry Warmbrodt was the last person to operate it until it ceased operation in the 1930 's. The area of Gooch Mill was also known for its salt lick nearby and was sometimes referred to as Big Lick. It was also the site of the famous Indian fight in 1812 in which two Indians were killed by local residents. Interesting quotes from Dave Braun, a former resident of the town, about the Gooch Mill are: “Gooch and his wife, Matilda, built the grain mill down on the creek. Folks started coming from nearby to get their corn and wheat ground into flour so they could sell it. They came to Gooch Mill ‘cause it was a lot easier than lugging a wagon-load or two up to Boonville on those old dirt wagon paths they called roads’. Almost all of Gooch Mill is gone now. The third mill is in ruins down on the creek, as the first two burned. They’d been everything from water to steam. But the ‘guts’ of the last mill are just about gone. The big Howe scale, just inside the door, still works and the weights are still there, though.” Story Courtesy of Sharon Dyer Connor’s Mill (Force’s Mill, in Saline Township) on the Petite Saline was still there in 1897 , but not by 1915 . This mill was built by Charles Force and was originally water-powered. When James F. Connor purchased it, he changed it to a steam-powered mill. Kiln-dried flour was made there and this fact was widely advertised in 1849 . Connor employed 23 assistants at one time at this mill. Oscar F. Case was a blacksmith there from 1867-1879 until he moved to Gooch Mill. Cranmer’s (Glasgow’s/Corum’s) Mill , in Otterville Township) was located on the Lamine River. George Cranmer came to Cooper County from Kentucky in 1832 and settled near what is now Clifton City. He and James H. Glasgow built what was known as Cranmer’s Mill, afterwards known as Corum’s Mill, exactly where MKT crossed the Lamine River; Cranmer named the place Clifton. Jewett’s Mill (Davis and Barker Mill, in Clark’s Fork Township) was located on Clark’s Fork on the Petite Saline. Samuel L. Jewett, born in 1834 , came to Missouri in 1840 with William Cropper (after both parents died). In 1851 , he began working in Connor’s Mill. He was there two years, then he went to college in Illinois. He spent several years there learning the milling trade. During 1854-1860 he was mining and milling in California. Jewett bought the Davis and Barker Mill property and farm in 1860 , and operated the mill from 1860-1865 . He left for a year, returned and bought back the mill land and stayed there until his death in 1917 . The mill ceased operation in 1916 . The mill had a capacity for nearly 1,500 bushels of grain per day. Jolly’s Mill (Palestine Township) was operated by Joseph Jolly who settled in Saline Township in 1812 . He moved to Palestine Township in 1826 (to the “Stephen’s Neighborhood”) and built a horse-powered mill. Hughes’ Mill (Pilot Grove Township) was located on a branch of the Petite Saline. It was the first mill built in Pilot Grove Township. It was gone by 1883 . Weeden Spenny’s Mill - (Kelly Township) was located near Bunceton. Friese’s Mill (Pilot Grove Township) was located on the Lamine. Ernest Louis Moehle traded for the mill in 1885 and operated it as a flour and saw mill until 1890 . ​ Ennor’s Mill - Blazius Efinger worked at Ennor’s Mill in Cooper County between 1885 and 1893 . Zimmerman and Neeson Mill was on the map at the corner of Otterville, Lebanon, and Clear Creek Townships on the Lamine in 1874 . Bale’s Mill is shown at the corner of Clear Creek and Blackwater Township on the Lamine in 1874 . There was a mill shown on William Roberts’ and John Taveness’ land in Palestine Township. The date was 1874 . There was a mill shown on J.S. Talbot land in 1874 on the Lamine, in Lamine Township. New Lebanon Mill was operated by a succession of men, most of whose names cannot be obtained. In 1900 , it was managed by Thomas R. Kemp, and in 1915 , it was owned and operated by J.E. Potter. In addition to all kinds of ground feed, it produced two grades of flour: “Liberty Bell” (first grade) and “Honey Creek” (second grade). It was powered by a steam engine which required “mountains” of wood for fuel. It operated off and on after 1910 and was town down in the 1930 's. Photos courtesy of Jeannette Heaton McCulloch’s Mill was in Kelly Township on a branch of Moniteau Creek. Howard’s Mill known as Old Round Mill was in Kelly Township. The Bunceton Roller Mill was built in 1871-1872 by Miller Rogers, and Company at a cost of $15,000. At its time of highest production, 200 barrels of flour were produced every twenty-four hours. One of the most destructive fires of Bunceton was on the night of February 25, 1899 , when the Roller Mill was destroyed. The cause of the fire was unknown but it was believed to have started from the office stove. There were 15,000 pounds of flour and between 1,500 and 2,000 bushels of wheat in the mill that night. The A.E. Doll Mill was built in 1900 near the Speed road. The mill was sold to Dr. J. Lawson of Sedalia. Later, Leo Felton bought the mill and tore it down. Wilkins’ Mill was on the Petite Saline near the old George Geiger farm. It was a water-powered grist and saw mill. There was also a covered bridge near the mill on the Petite Saline. The Tipton/Boonville Stage coach crossed the creek at the bridge. The bridge fell down in 1909 after almost 75 years of service. Wilkins also had an orchard planted in 1835 . ​ Dick’s Mill is located in the Cotton community, which is in South Moniteau Township. in 1826 , a water-powered mill was built by Edward Embry on a piece of property a quarter of a mile above the present site of Dick’s Mill. The mill was closed during the Civil War when Mr. Embry went to join the Confederacy. When he came home after the war, the mill had been destroyed, “probably by soldiers.” The area residents missed the mill and hoped that it could be rebuilt. ​ In 1869 , the present site of the mill, was bought by John M. Burris from John Quarles for $100. His brother, Valentine Burris, installed a sawmill propelled by a steam engine in an open shed. It is thought that the brothers sawed the lumber to build Dick’s Mill in 1868-69 . The new mill was a 25 x 35-foot grist mill with a limestone foundation and a wooden water wheel. The mill is just 25 feet from the banks of the Moniteau Creek. The Dick's Mill was run by the Burris brothers for a year, then In August of 1869 it was sold to Adolph and Peter Dick, who immigrated to America with their parents in 1852 . It was while under the ownership of the Dicks, that the mill and the Cotton community flourished and became a center of trade. The mill is an example of a steam-powered grist mill that was commonly used during the last half of the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth century. It is the only intact grist mill with the machinery of its type, left in the county. A steam engine for the mill was purchased from a ferry boat that had operated on the Missouri River. The engine was shipped by rail to Tipton, Missouri, where it was brought by wagon to the site in Cotton. The steam engine was later replaced by a 25-horsepower Bouser engine, which was powered by gasoline. ​ There were two runs of millstones used to grind corn and flour until 1892 . Then, a new roller mill system was installed at Dick's Mill. After a short time, Peter discontinued working at the mill with Adolph. Adolph worked at the mill until he sold the business to John Hall in 1903 . John Hall continued to use the gasoline engine and operated Dick's Mill and actively ground corn and wheat until 1945 . ​ The mill was closed permanently during World War II because of the shortage of equipment and a lack of business. ​ Burl and Maye Long of the Cotton community inherited the mill from John Hall. James Martin and Paul Bloch were interested in saving the historic mill building. In 1976 they approached the Longs asking to purchase the mill. An agreement was made and papers were signed October 16, 1976 . James and Nancy Martin purchased the mill and hoped to restore it to a condition that would closely resemble its state during the peak operating years of 1880 to 1900 . ​ Much of the original equipment is still in the mill. Dick's Mill is the last existing intact grist mill in Cooper County. Dick's Mill before restoration Restored Dick's Mill W.P. Harriman Flour and Grist Mill was built in the late 1860s by Anthony Johnston. Mr. Johnston was a millwright and a stone mason from Kentucky. After building the Harriman Mill, he built several other mills in Cooper County. Doc Harriman was a successful doctor and spent most of his time with the sick, which left the management of his mill, and the raising of his horses to his very capable wife, Eliza. One of Mrs. Williams’ female workers led the horses to turn the sweeps in a never-ending circle. The mill was a very important business in the 1800s to the Pilot Grove Community. It was in operation from May to November with a work day of 10 or more hours. The wage at the time for a skilled mechanic was $1.00 per day. The average wage for a laborer was $.75 per day. The estimated output in a day was 100 bushels of ground flour. The flour produced was known as the White Rose flour. The grain was brought by wagon to the Harriman elevator in Pilot Grove where it was sold. In 1918, Doc Harriman sold his interest in the mill to his son, who later sold it to an Albert Adair and his two nephews. It was then converted into a steam-powered mill and called the Pilot Grove Mill . Logs for firewood to power the mill were brought in from the Pilot Grove area. The mill was sold to Herman Rethemeyer and operated for an indefinite time. Jim Huckaby was employed at the mill for 25 years. The mill was torn down in the spring of 1935. The grindstone is on display at Pilot Grove’s town park. All other traces of the mill are gone. The Sombart Mill was located on the south bank of the Missouri River in Boonville. It was started in 1852 by two brothers, and named the CW&J Sombart Milling Company. It became a very extensive business and was renamed in 1879 as the Sombart Milling and Mercantile Company. At one time it was the most valuable milling property in central Missouri. Located in the area of the Route 40 Boonville Bridge, the property became the local M.F. A. Elevator in 1989. Sombart Mill, Flood of 1903 MFA Elevator, 2019 (Former Sombart Mill)