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'''Centerville''' is the county seat of [[Reynolds County, Missouri|Reynolds County]], [[Missouri]]. It had a population of 191 at the 2010 census.
'''Centerville''' is the county seat of [[Reynolds County, Missouri|Reynolds County]], [[Missouri]]. It had a population of 191 at the 2010 census.
==History==
Though its exact date of settlement is unclear, the present community of Centerville (often spelled "Centreville" until about 1896) was in existence by 1852 at the latest. Most likely its name derived from its position near the geographic center of Reynolds County, though an alternate theory has it that a large [[sycamore]] tree in the middle of town was the true source. During its first years, it was not the county seat, that honor belonging to the town of Lesterville to the east. The courthouse there was burned during the [[Civil War]], however, and it was eventually decided to build a new courthouse at Centerville instead. The current structure dates from the 1870s.<ref>https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/reynolds-county</ref>
Most economic activity was located in other towns, and despite its status as county seat, Centerville never became very large. By 1990, its population had dwindled to a mere 89 residents. In the late 1980s, though, the new West Fork Mine opened nearby, which led to a significant recovery for the town. Now operated by the Doe Run Company, the mine produces some 46,000 tons of [[lead]] per year in addition to smaller quantities of [[copper]], [[silver]], and [[zinc]], making it among the more important mining operations in Missouri.<ref>https://www.mindat.org/loc-26180.html</ref>
==Geography==
Centerville is located along Missouri State Highways 21 and 72 in central Reynolds County, about 14 miles east of [[Bunker, Missouri|Bunker]] and 13 miles north of [[Ellington, Missouri|Ellington]]. Its exact coordinates are 37°26’10”N 90°57’40”W.
The city lies within Ellington Hollow, a small basin within the St. Francois Mountains, with the West Fork of the Black River running just to the northeast. Reeds Spring Mill, a preserved 19th-century gristmill along the West Fork, lies a short distance to the east. Centerville has a total area of 0.30 square miles, and an average elevation of 741 feet.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Missouri Cities and Towns]]
[[Category:Missouri Cities and Towns]]