Changes

==Geography==

==Geography==

Butler County lies in southeastern Missouri, just northwest of the so-called Bootheel. It is approximately though not exactly quadrilateral in shape, the most irregular boundary being that formed on the east by the St. Francis River, which "bows" eastward in its middle. As it was formed exclusively from Wayne County, its boundaries have changed very little since its formation. It is bordered to the north by Wayne County, to the east by [[Stoddard County, Missouri|Stoddard County]], to the southeast by [[Dunklin County, Missouri|Dunklin County]], to the south by the state of [[Arkansas]], to the west by Ripley County, and to the northwest by Carter County.  

Butler County lies in southeastern Missouri, just northwest of the so-called Bootheel. It is approximately though not exactly quadrilateral in shape, the most irregular boundary being that formed on the east by the St. Francis River, which "bows" eastward in its middle. As it was formed exclusively from Wayne County, its boundaries have changed very little since its formation. It is bordered to the north by Wayne County, to the east by [[Stoddard County, Missouri|Stoddard County]], to the southeast by [[Dunklin County, Missouri|Dunklin County]], to the south by the state of [[Arkansas]], to the west by [[Ripley County, Missouri|Ripley County]], and to the northwest by Carter County.  

The county has a total area of 698.99 square miles, including 694.67 of land and 4.32 of water.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20131021170230/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt</ref> It is roughly bisected by the Mississippi Escarpment, a sharp slope which runs through the county from northeast to southwest. This marks a division between two geographical regions: to the northwest are the foothills of the [[Ozarks|Ozark Plateau]], characterized by high, heavily wooded hills and steep, narrow valleys. The county's highest elevation is 769 feet above sea level, located near Cane Creek in the extreme northwestern portion.<ref>https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=22213</ref> Southeast of the escarpment is the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, which is generally flat, devoted to agriculture, and much lower in elevation; several points near the Arkansas state line average only about 300 feet above sea level.

The county has a total area of 698.99 square miles, including 694.67 of land and 4.32 of water.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20131021170230/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt</ref> It is roughly bisected by the Mississippi Escarpment, a sharp slope which runs through the county from northeast to southwest. This marks a division between two geographical regions: to the northwest are the foothills of the [[Ozarks|Ozark Plateau]], characterized by high, heavily wooded hills and steep, narrow valleys. The county's highest elevation is 769 feet above sea level, located near Cane Creek in the extreme northwestern portion.<ref>https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=22213</ref> Southeast of the escarpment is the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, which is generally flat, devoted to agriculture, and much lower in elevation; several points near the Arkansas state line average only about 300 feet above sea level.