Changes

American settlement in the Bloomfield area dates back to the mid-1820s; its location in the hills of Crowley's Ridge made it more favorable to the early settlers than the swamps to the west and east. When Stoddard County was organized, government surveyors determining the site of a county seat chose the property of Absolom B. Bailey, a local notable who built the first courthouse and represented the territory in the state legislature for a time. The community was incorporated in 1835; although it may have initially been known as Castor, the name was soon changed to Bloomfield, supposedly for a large field of flowers on the site.<ref>https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_stoddard.html</ref>

American settlement in the Bloomfield area dates back to the mid-1820s; its location in the hills of Crowley's Ridge made it more favorable to the early settlers than the swamps to the west and east. When Stoddard County was organized, government surveyors determining the site of a county seat chose the property of Absolom B. Bailey, a local notable who built the first courthouse and represented the territory in the state legislature for a time. The community was incorporated in 1835; although it may have initially been known as Castor, the name was soon changed to Bloomfield, supposedly for a large field of flowers on the site.<ref>https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_stoddard.html</ref>

Thanks to its status as the seat of local government, and its connection to Cape Girardeau via a road known variously as "Bloomfield Road," "Old Cape Road," or "the Red, White, and Blue Road," Bloomfield grew rapidly during its first decades. During the Civil War, though largely pro-Confederate in sentiment, the area changed hands several times. A small Southern army under M. Jeff Thompson was stationed at Bloomfield in the first months of the war, but was soon driven out by Union troops. During this time of Union occupation, in November 1861, some of the soldiers took over the printing press of the local newspaper, ''The Herald'', and produced the first issue of [[''The Stars and Stripes'']], the newspaper of the American armed forces (though it would not become a regular publication until the 20th century).

Thanks to its status as the seat of local government, and its connection to Cape Girardeau via a road known variously as "Bloomfield Road," "Old Cape Road," or "the Red, White, and Blue Road," Bloomfield grew rapidly during its first decades. During the Civil War, though largely pro-Confederate in sentiment, the area changed hands several times. A small Southern army under M. Jeff Thompson was stationed at Bloomfield in the first months of the war, but was soon driven out by Union troops. During this time of Union occupation, in November 1861, some of the soldiers took over the printing press of the local newspaper, ''The Herald'', and produced the first issue of ''[[The Stars and Stripes]]'', the newspaper of the American armed forces (though it would not become a regular publication until the 20th century).

Bloomfield suffered severely in the war, with most of the town burned before the end of hostilities; it eventually recovered, however, and continues to be fairly prosperous thanks to its status as the county seat and its central location in the county.

Bloomfield suffered severely in the war, with most of the town burned before the end of hostilities; it eventually recovered, however, and continues to be fairly prosperous thanks to its status as the county seat and its central location in the county.