Exploring the District: Crawford County
Last week, I began a series of columns focusing on the five counties that make up the 16th Senatorial District. I began my exploration at the western edge of the district, Camden County. This week, I will discuss the easternmost portion, Crawford County.
Organized in 1829, Crawford County was named for William Crawford, a U.S. Senator from Georgia and one-time candidate for the presidency. It was the 31st county established in Missouri. About 24,500 people call Crawford County home today. Leading employment sectors are manufacturing, health care, social assistance and retail. The median household income in 2017 was $37,000. The county has three public school districts, which are based in Cuba, Steelville and Bourbon.
Crawford County’s original settlers arrived about 1808, just five years after the Louisiana Purchase. Traveling from Kentucky and points east, they followed paths blazed by Osage Indians. Later the Frisco Railroad and the accompanying Wire Road cut a swath across the region. With the advent of the automobile, U.S. Route 66 brought more visitors. Today, Interstate 44 has erased most of “The Mother Road,” but its spirit lives on in the county.
Named for the island nation, Cuba is the county’s largest town, with a population of about 3,400. Cuba recalls its history in a dozen outdoor murals, earning it the moniker “Mural City.” A number of businesses cater to Route 66 enthusiasts, car clubs and nostalgic travelers. The Wagon Wheel Motel has operated continuously as a motor lodge since 1938.
West of Cuba, the formerly World’s-Largest (now second-largest) Rocking Chair stands 42 feet tall, luring highway travelers to a nearby gift shop. The Osage Legacy Monument, a grouping of statues depicting an American Indian family moving west, overlooks travelers on the interstate. To the east, the town of Bourbon was named for the barrel of distilled spirits kept at a general store frequented by 19th-century railroad workers. Today, the large “Bourbon” tower at the edge of town contains only water.
Bourbon is home to Paramount Apparel, a global producer of caps and t-shirts. Even before the final touchdown or home run is scored in a national championship, this company’s presses are ready to roll so that apparel can be shipped to merchants around the country.
Steelville proudly proclaims itself the “Floating Capital of Missouri.” Thousands of visitors travel to the area each year to paddle canoes, kayaks and rafts supplied by liveries operating along the Meramec River and Huzzah and Courtois creeks.
Steelville is also known as a destination for live music. The Meramec Music Theatre, operated by the Steelville Arts Council, presents concerts by nationally known bluegrass, gospel and country music artists. Wildwood Springs Lodge, a historic resort built in the 1920s, hosts classic rock groups and folk-rock performers in an intimate setting each fall.
The landscape of Crawford County is typical Ozarks. Steep, rocky hills are covered with forests, while clear-running streams flow through the valleys. A large part of southeast Crawford County is federal land, managed as part of the Mark Twain National Forest. The 6,200-acre Huzzah Conservation Area and the 5,600-acre Woodson K. Woods Memorial Conservation Area offer an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities. The Ozark Trail, a 400-mile hiking route through the Ozarks, has its northern terminus within Huzzah Conservation Area. A portion of Meramec State Park is located in Crawford County, as is Onondaga Cave State Park.
Anglers will not be disappointed in Crawford County. The county line passes through the privately owned Maramec Spring Park, where the Conservation Department operates a trout hatchery. Westover Farms near Steelville provides an upscale trout fishing experience. Several wild trout management areas are located within the county, and the Meramec River offers some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the state.
Another popular tourist destination in Crawford County is Dillard Mill, located near Davisville. Visitors to Dillard Mill State Historic Site can see one of Missouri’s best-preserved 19th-century water-powered gristmills in operation.
Just as early settlers struggled to eke out a hardscrabble living from the area’s thin, rocky soil, modern residents find much of the county to be inhospitable to traditional farming. Today, the county ranks 104th out of Missouri’s 114 counties for agricultural production.
For nearly 200 years, travelers have passed through what is now Crawford County. Then, as now, many of those visitors were smitten by the area’s rugged and remote hills and made a home. Sojourners enjoy the county’s blessings for a moment, but those who stay discover a charming area, rich with wildlife and natural wonders to last a lifetime.
It’s my honor to serve as your senator for the 16th District. If you have questions or need any assistance, please call my office at 573-751-5713 or log onto my webpage at https://www.senate.mo.gov/brown for more information.