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In
the summer of 1831, the commissioners , Hancock
S. Jackson of Randolph County, Stephen Glascock
of Ralls County, and Joseph Holliday of Pike County,
selected the site to be the county seat of the new
Monroe County . They then retired to the home of
J.C. Fox, near Middle Grove to consider a name. They
allowed Mrs. Fox to name the town, Paris after her
home town of Paris, Kentucky.
Paris
is nestled in the agriculturally fertile Salt River
Valley. Despite its small size (1,500 in Paris
and less than 9,000 in the county), the area offers
virtually every accommodation and novelty found in
much larger population centers. And Paris and the
surrounding community are quickly becoming a focal
point of the newly formed 18,000 acre Mark Twain Lake
.
Visitors
to the newly completed Mark Twain Lake will be
attracted to Florida's Mark Twain Shrine. The museum
is in tribute to Samuel Clemens, who was born in the
county. Along with Twain's original birthplace,
the museum possesses the author's handwritten
manuscript of "Tom Sawyer".
Paris
is the "hometown" of internationally
acclaimed artist Gordon Snidow, whose works can be
found in the county's historical society's museum at
the courthouse, and the late Mary Margaret McBride,
author and radio and television personality.
The
area is proud of its past. One of Missouri's four
remaining covered bridges can be found just west of
town and the county's history can be found uniquely
muraled in the rotunda of the courthouse. Annually,
thousands make a trek to Paris to help salute
America's agricultural past when they visit the Mark
Twain Old Threshers Association Steam Show.
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Paris,
Mo. county seat of Monroe County, Pop.1,374.
It
is the home of Mark Twain Lake & Park. There
are several small manufacturing companies, Carter
Barber Shop ( The best haircut in the area), also, one
of the last remaining covered bridges, Union Covered
Bridge that I as a small child of 5 y.o. walked across
with my sisters and brothers to Union School, now
nonexistent. (submitted by Cathlene Stewart)
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PARIS
(The
following article was extracted from an edition of MISSOURI
SHOWS YOU, a publication of the Missouri
Recreation Association, Inc., dated abt. 1949)
On
U.S. Highway 24, Highway 15 & 154, Wabash R. R.
Historic
– Three covered bridges. Glenn House (Hotel of
Jefferson) scene of Civil War "Battle of
Paris". Burial place of Tom Blue, Negro, only man
ever sentenced to death in county, later found
innocent. Burial place of John Irvin, Confederate,
captured by General Grant, sentenced as spy, released
by personal letter to Grant from General Lee. Birth
house of Hugh Glenn, pioneer plainsman, "Wheat
King of World", for whom Glenn County,
California, is named. Brick Flanders House, first
house built in Paris. At Florida, 12 miles east, is
1280 acre Mark Twain State Park – museum, Mark Twain
birth house. Also house where General U.S. Grant made
first field headquarters, and burial place of Braxton
Pollard, Revolutionary War hero. Six miles west of
Paris, cliffside Indian pictographs, 400 years old.
Ten miles mortheast, tavern where Lincoln’s
"Other Mary" once lived.
Famous
People – Home Mary Margaret McBride, authoress,
radio star; former home Boone Hel, noted Old West
desperado; editorial office and home Jack Blanton,
"The Country Editor" of Norman Rockwell
(Saturday Evening Post) fame.
Fishing,
Hunting – County reared by four branches of Slat
River, and Main Salt; several tributary streams. Over
800 miles fishing waters, greatest fishing water
mileage any Missouri county. Bass, crappie, bluegill,
channel catfish, rough fish. Quail, rabbit, squirrel,
raccoon or possum, skunk, muskrat, mink coyotes. Fine
fox hunting.
Paris
has modern hotel, tourist court and trailer camp
facilities, cafes featuring Dixie-type cooking for
which county is famous. Smoked country hams, golden
sorghum molasses. Free publication memorial library of
10,000 volumes; seven churches; third oldest high
school in state; Crispus Attucks (Revolutionary
War’s first hero) Negro school; municipally owned
light, water, ice, sewage plant; 40 blocks concrete
streets; one of finest Missouri courthouses; over
three million bank deposits; natural amphitheatre;
playground; seat annual Monroe County Fair; has all
chief lodges, literary clubs, Legion, Progressive Club
(Junior Chamber of Commerce), Rotary, Commercial
Association.
On
Wabash railroad through freight line, and
transcontinental bus and freight truck routes.
Rolling
prairie and river hills. General grain farming,
clover, soybeans, cane, bluegrass; outstanding
livestock breeding and fattening. Dairying, pultry,
Saddle horses. Potters’ and firebrick clay. Some
coal. County contains a few of the finest type
colonial homes, still in use.
Paris
on direct highway to home President Truman,
Independence; 24 miles from boyhood home General
Bradley, Moberly; 25 miles from Mexico, world saddle
horse center; 18 from Perry, eastern gateway Mark
Twain Park.
Paris
reached from east, from Hannibal, boyhood home Mark
Twain, over Highways 61, 19 into Perry, No. 154 to
Mark Twain birthplace, No. 154 to Paris, or Highways
36 or 24; from west over No. 24; north and south over
No. 15.
With
a Virginia and Kentucky heritage of courtesy;
interesting and historic spots, recreation, highway
and freight routes, low living costs, available labor,
Paris is a pleasant and interesting place to visit or
live, and a fertile field for establishment of small
industry, especially based on agricultural raw
products.
Submitted
by Lisa Perry
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