Membership

History

Relocation

What's New

Store

Moberly Area Chamber Of Commerce

Contact Information

Table Of Contents:
Moberly Area History

Randolph County was carved from its neighbor to the west, Chariton County, in 1829. Eight years later, a chunk of northern Randolph County helped create Macon County. In over 150 years, Randolph County as it now exists, has bid farewell to the native Fox and Sac Indians, endured war among families and neighbors, given birth to a magic city and watched industries come and go. Sometimes known as Little Dixie, the area was settled by pioneers from the southern states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Some were slave owners, others strict abolitionists. During the Civil War no major battles were fought on county soil, but the war took its toll. The North Missouri Railroad Company, with its north-south line, was a target of both sides. The town of Renick was burned twice and many families lost loved ones to their cause.

On September 27, 1866, the largest city in Randolph County was born, a product of a railroad auction. In connecting with the Chariton and Randolph Railroad at Moberly, the North Missouri Railroad Company began a legacy of railroading in the county lasting to this day. With the coming of the Wabash Railroad Shops in 1873, Moberly seemed to spring from the prairie overnight and was subsequently dubbed the "magic city."

A unique geographic feature of the county is the "great divide." This high ridge of land stretches from Boone County (to the south) to Iowa and is easily distinguished as one travels through the county. Interesting to note, water falling on the eastern slopes of this divide drains to the Mississippi River, while water falling on it's western slopes flows to the Missouri River. Moberly sits on a high point of this divide, and because of this, was thought to be safe from tornadoes. Unfortunately, this folklore was disproved on July 4, 1995 when a tornado ripped through the center of town.

Famous Randolph Countians include General Omar Bradley, five-star general from World War II. Be sure to visit Bradley's birthplace in Clark and his grand memorial statue in Moberly's Rothwell Park. Moberly has produced authors Elizabeth Seifert Gasparotti, a prolific romance novelist, and Jack Conroy, whose most famous work, The Disinherited, is a tale of the Great Depression. Moberly Area Community College houses the Jack Conroy Room which contains a large collection of his writings and numerous book reviews. Also at MACC is the Stan Isle Room which houses a collection of the Moberly native who wrote for The Sporting News for many years.

While in Moberly you may want to take a driving tour of statuary found in Rothwell Park and in Oakland Cemetery on Rollins Street. Don't miss the historical Burkholder-O'Keefe house built in 1872. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, this impressive dwelling can be found at 605 S. Fifth Street. Another period home is the H. P. Jennings home at the corner of Fourth and Wightman Streets. Built in 1883, this house was the second brick home in Moberly. The Huntsville Historical Society operates a museum and also exhibits the original cabin built and lived in by the first non-Native American family to settle what is now Randolph County. Both can be found on Main Street in downtown Huntsville.

For more information about area history and genealogy, visit the Randolph County Historical Society at the corner of Williams and Reed Streets, or stop in at Little Dixie Regional Libraries, 111 N. Fourth Street, both in Moberly.