Difference between revisions of "Charleston, Missouri"
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There are several competing theories as to how the town received its name. One is that it was in honor of [[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]; another that it was named for Charles Moore, a relation of Joseph Moore, one of the founders, who later moved there from [[Kentucky]]; and yet another that it received its name from Charles Prairie, which in turn had been named for King Charles III of [[Spain]] during the colonial era. It has been suggested that this is perhaps the most likely explanation, given the common practice of naming communities for geographic features at the time. | There are several competing theories as to how the town received its name. One is that it was in honor of [[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]; another that it was named for Charles Moore, a relation of Joseph Moore, one of the founders, who later moved there from [[Kentucky]]; and yet another that it received its name from Charles Prairie, which in turn had been named for King Charles III of [[Spain]] during the colonial era. It has been suggested that this is perhaps the most likely explanation, given the common practice of naming communities for geographic features at the time. | ||
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Revision as of 01:40, August 2, 2019
Charleston is the county seat of and largest city in Mississippi County, Missouri. It had a population of 5,947 at the 2010 census.
History
The site of Charleston was originally a "prairie"--an open field slightly higher in elevation than the surrounding swampland of southeast Missouri. As settlers moved west across the Mississippi River in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, they were drawn to such prairies as locations to farm. This particular spot, known variously as Matthews Prairie or Charles Prairie, started to attract settlers soon after 1800.
A community first appeared in 1830, with the building of a small log house by one Humphrey Warren; his property was soon bought by Thankful Randol, who later operated a hotel in town. Stores and other businesses followed, and in 1837 Charleston was laid out as twelve blocks on sixteen acres of land.
There are several competing theories as to how the town received its name. One is that it was in honor of Charleston, South Carolina; another that it was named for Charles Moore, a relation of Joseph Moore, one of the founders, who later moved there from Kentucky; and yet another that it received its name from Charles Prairie, which in turn had been named for King Charles III of Spain during the colonial era. It has been suggested that this is perhaps the most likely explanation, given the common practice of naming communities for geographic features at the time.