1830s–1844 · Frontier settlement
Before the county
Osage and Sac and Fox homeland; settlers on Stark's Creek and Judy's Gap; Antioch church; mastodon sold abroad.
Follow the county story decade by decade.
Anchored by the Society's year-by-year timeline (1830–1950), now hosted here: full timeline.
1830s–1844 · Frontier settlement
Osage and Sac and Fox homeland; settlers on Stark's Creek and Judy's Gap; Antioch church; mastodon sold abroad.
1845–1860 · County formation
Formed 1845; Hermitage and Quincy platted; courthouse fires; population climbs past four thousand.
1861–1865 · Civil War
Home Guards, militia service, Quincy raid, roughly equal Union and Confederate affiliation among men in service.
1866–1899 · Towns, schools, mills
Wheatland, Cross Timbers, Weaubleau College, The Index, banks, bridges, mining near Pittsburg.
1900–1918 · Peak & Great War
Population zenith; Wilson's History; first automobiles; 533 draft registrations; influenza.
1919–1945 · Roads & World War II
U.S. 54 paved; population decline; war funds; memorials after the second war.
1950–present · Society era
Historical Society organized; museum in the Williams House; publications and public programs continue.