Difference between revisions of "Doniphan, Missouri"
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==History== | ==History== | ||
| − | Doniphan was erected on the site of an older Indian village, whose name is not known. Owing to its location on the Current River, a trading post, called Galigini, existed there as early as 1802. Around 1819, Lemuel Kittrell, one of the first settlers in the future Ripley County, built a house and mill overlooking the river next to the trading post, and after a road from [[St. Louis]] to Little Rock, [[Arkansas]] had been constructed through the area, a | + | Doniphan was erected on the site of an older Indian village, whose name is not known. Owing to its location on the Current River, a trading post, called Galigini, existed there as early as 1802. Around 1819, Lemuel Kittrell, one of the first settlers in the future Ripley County, built a house and mill overlooking the river next to the trading post, and after a road from [[St. Louis]] to Little Rock, [[Arkansas]] had been constructed through the area, a community gradually took shape around Kittrell's home. |
| − | In 1847, the community was incorporated, and at that time named for Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan. Doniphan, a noted lawyer and politician, had led a formation of 800 Missouri militia to [[Mexico]] the previous year to fight in the [[Mexican War]], and was a popular figure in the state at the time. At this time, Ripley County was much larger than today, and the county seat was at Van Buren farther north; however, it was in the territory separated in 1859 to form Carter County. Owing to its relative size and its location along an important transportation route, Doniphan was then chosen as the new county seat.<ref>https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/ripley-county</ref> | + | In 1847, the community was incorporated as a village, and at that time named for Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan. Doniphan, a noted lawyer and politician, had led a formation of 800 Missouri militia to [[Mexico]] the previous year to fight in the [[Mexican War]], and was a popular figure in the state at the time. At this time, Ripley County was much larger than today, and the county seat was at Van Buren farther north; however, it was in the territory separated in 1859 to form Carter County. Owing to its relative size and its location along an important transportation route, Doniphan was then chosen as the new county seat.<ref>https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/ripley-county</ref> |
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| + | Though the town was flourishing at this time, it suffered a serious setback during the [[Civil War]]. The Doniphan area was strongly pro-Southern in sentiment, and several [[Confederate]] regiments were formed in Ripley County. Because of this, [[guerrilla warfare]] was constant during the war, and in September 1864, [[Union]] troops burned Doniphan, including the new courthouse (though its records were hidden away by a clerk and returned afterwards). Rebuilding in the post-war era was a lengthy process but was sped along by the extension of a branch of the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1883, after which logging in the Current River valley provided an economic boom. Doniphan was incorporated as a fourth-class city in 1891. | ||
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| + | During the early 20th century, farming supplanted logging as the area's chief economic activity, including fruit orchards as well as staple crops like corn and wheat. After World War II, the local economy was further diversified with industrial plants, such as the Hunt Garment Factory and Wright Leather Specialty, and more recently with tourism along the Current and in the nearby Ozarks.<ref>https://www.ripleycountymissouri.org/history.php</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 03:06, July 11, 2020
Doniphan is the largest city and county seat of Ripley County, Missouri. It had a population of 1,997 at the 2010 census. The city was named for Alexander Doniphan, a famous Missouri soldier and politician of the 19th century.
History
Doniphan was erected on the site of an older Indian village, whose name is not known. Owing to its location on the Current River, a trading post, called Galigini, existed there as early as 1802. Around 1819, Lemuel Kittrell, one of the first settlers in the future Ripley County, built a house and mill overlooking the river next to the trading post, and after a road from St. Louis to Little Rock, Arkansas had been constructed through the area, a community gradually took shape around Kittrell's home.
In 1847, the community was incorporated as a village, and at that time named for Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan. Doniphan, a noted lawyer and politician, had led a formation of 800 Missouri militia to Mexico the previous year to fight in the Mexican War, and was a popular figure in the state at the time. At this time, Ripley County was much larger than today, and the county seat was at Van Buren farther north; however, it was in the territory separated in 1859 to form Carter County. Owing to its relative size and its location along an important transportation route, Doniphan was then chosen as the new county seat.[1]
Though the town was flourishing at this time, it suffered a serious setback during the Civil War. The Doniphan area was strongly pro-Southern in sentiment, and several Confederate regiments were formed in Ripley County. Because of this, guerrilla warfare was constant during the war, and in September 1864, Union troops burned Doniphan, including the new courthouse (though its records were hidden away by a clerk and returned afterwards). Rebuilding in the post-war era was a lengthy process but was sped along by the extension of a branch of the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1883, after which logging in the Current River valley provided an economic boom. Doniphan was incorporated as a fourth-class city in 1891.
During the early 20th century, farming supplanted logging as the area's chief economic activity, including fruit orchards as well as staple crops like corn and wheat. After World War II, the local economy was further diversified with industrial plants, such as the Hunt Garment Factory and Wright Leather Specialty, and more recently with tourism along the Current and in the nearby Ozarks.[2]