BY BARBARA ANNE BOOTH
The Stone County Historical Genealogical Society and Museum will conclude our travels through history with stops through north Stone County.
Brown's Spring was a small community in the north area of Stone County in the 1800s. One building was a church and also a schoolhouse known as Oak Hill. When the Missouri Pacific Railroad was being built through Brown's Spring, the workers and their families lived in tents. This was sometime before 1898.
Brad Field in Grant Township, five miles north of Crane on Hwy. 173 and 13, was known as Wells Town in the early beginnings and was located a quarter mile west of the present site. The Charity School was located across the road. In early 1800s a small country store was in operation and maintained operation through the 1900s. The store was located on the north side of the road from the Charity (Bradfield) Cemetery. In 1886 a mail route was established which ran by the store on the way south to Crane, Galena and Flat Creek. Bradfield had its own post office with their own postmark by April 1896.
Jamesville was listed as a post office in 1897-1900. An old store building still stands that was built in 1880. Jamesville is located west of highway M and U, at the bank of James River. The mail was picked up in Janesville and carried by horseback to Hurley, Oto and Galena.
Hotten Town has long been a favorite place for boating, swimming and camping. It is located on the James River east of Hurley.
Union City at one time was a booming community. There was a church, store, post office, mercantile store, two doctors, drug store, milliner shop, blacksmith shop, flour mill, fruit drying business, hotel, and large tomato and bean canning factory. The historic original train depot still stands and is now a church. Union City is located close to Clever and the Christian County line.
Cross Roads, the first country store, was built in 1919. People came by foot, horseback, buggy and wagon and later had a gas pump for cars.
McCord Bend was known for the large campground area that brought people to camp and fish and was surrounded on three sides by the James River. The village organized into a Village Government after the development of Table Rock Lake. It’s now a housing community along Table Rock Lake.
You are invited to stop by the Stone County Historical Museum and research the many hamlets that are too numerous to mention, and for more in-depth research on the above history. We have a genealogist available to assist you on Friday afternoons. Museum hours: Thursday and Friday, 10 to 4; Saturday, 10 to 2.
Stone County Historical Genealogical Society and Museum is located at 103 S. Main St, Crane. Phone: 417-230-0800 or 417-239-7527.
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