Difference between revisions of "Malden, Missouri"
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Revision as of 00:17, September 3, 2019
Malden is a city in northern Dunklin County, Missouri. It is the second-largest community in the county, with a population of 4,275 at the 2010 census.
History
A trading post was established a few miles north of what became Malden about 1850. It was dubbed "Cotton Hill," as cotton was grown on the low sandy ridge that ran through this part of the county. When the Cottonbelt railroad was routed through northern Dunklin County in 1877, it passed to the south of Cotton Hill, whose buildings were then relocated alongside the railroad. There are two competing theories for how Malden received its name; one, that it was named in honor of Colonel T. H. Mauldin, a respected local landowner and Stoddard County court judge; two, that it was laid out by a native of Malden, Massachusetts. Historians have tended to favor the latter theory as the spellings are more compatible; however, neither explanation is foolproof.[1]
The city suffered a serious setback with the outbreak of a devastating fire in January 1899, but it quickly rebuilt and prospered, thanks largely to the especially fertile soil in the vicinity that supported the growing of cotton, corn, and melons and other fruit. Fruit-growing continues to be an important part of the local economy today.
Geography
Malden is located near the intersection of Missouri State Highway 25 and U.S. Route 62 in northeastern Dunklin County, adjacent to the border with New Madrid County. It lies about seven miles south of Bernie, and 22 miles north of Kennett. Its exact coordinates are 36°34’19”N 89°58’16”W.
The city has a total land area of 7.53 square miles, and an average elevation of 292 feet.[2] It lies on the Mississippi Alluvial Plain a few miles east of Crowley's Ridge, but is slightly higher in elevation than the surrounding bottomland, owing to the presence of the sand ridge which makes the area good for agriculture.