File submitted for USGenWeb/MOGenWeb Lincoln County Missouri History Page by Phyllis Lake, 9 November 1998.  Link change or update: 4 Dec 1999

From The History of Lincoln County, Missouri, (Chicago : Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888).

CHAIN OF ROCKS.

Is situated on the north side of the Cuivre River, about four miles above Old Monroe. In 1885 the Free Press published the following sketch of this village: " It is one of the places that might have been, for two railroad surveys were run through the place one for the long and one for the short line.* When these surveys were made much business was transacted at Chain of Rocks. There were three general stores, a mill, a box factory, a blacksmith shop, two boot and shoe shops, three doctors and a saloon. During most of the year a line of steamboats made regular trips and bore away the produce, and when boating was impracticable, the produce was hauled to St. Louis direct, or to O'Fallon, on the North Missouri (now the Wabash). After the completion of the two railroads the business of the town gradually decreased down to one store, a blacksmith shop and one physician. It afterward revived, and now (1885) there are three general stores, a blacksmith shop and wagon shop, a shoe shop, two doctors, and a telegraph line to Old Monroe. RELLER & POLLARD conduct the largest business in the town, consisting of dry-goods, groceries, clothing and tinware. J. T. SCHACHER, general merchandise; J. T. HAISLIP, groceries; Conrad F. SCHACHER, blacksmith; Geo. J. POHLMEYER, wagon-maker; George SCHACHER, boot and shoe maker; J. J. & L. C. MCELWEE (father and son) physicians; Stephen RELLER, postmaster. The telegraph line to Old Monroe was completed in March, 1885, the money being raised by subscription from the business men of the Chain and Monroe, and the farmers of the Chain vicinage. It was erected by C. K. SITTON and Dr. L. C. MCELWEE. A handsome wagon bridge across Cuivre to St. Charles County, 192 feet span, fourteen feet wide, with a tested capacity of three threshing engines, was erected by the two counties, and by subscription of the residents of the contiguous neighborhoods in each. The bridge is partly iron and partly wood, and cost originally over $6,000. Dr. W. E. BROWN was commissioner for Lincoln and A. P. GILL for St. Charles."

Since the above was published the town has again slightly retrograded, the business at present (1888) consisting of two general stores, kept respectively by RELLER & POLLARD and J. F. SCHACHER, and a blacksmith shop by C. F. SCHACHER. The telegraph line remains, and a daily mail is had from Monroe. The town was laid out on a Spanish grant about the year 1835. The name was given it by Gen. Amos BURDYNE, on account of a section of archimides limestone exposed in the bank of the Cuivre River in front of the town.


*The St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railroad is commonly called the "long line" and
the railroad via Troy, the "short line."

File submitted for USGenWeb/MOGenWeb Lincoln County Missouri History Page by Phyllis Lake, 9 November 1998.  Link change or update: 4 Dec 1999

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