Bartonville, Missouri facts for kids

Bartonville, Missouri, was once an important town. It was chosen as the second county seat for Gasconade County in 1825. A county seat is like the main office town for a county, where important government decisions are made. Sadly, Bartonville was abandoned because of big floods from the Gasconade River. For a long time, no one knew exactly where it was.

Bartonville: A Lost Missouri Town

Bartonville is known as a "lost town" because its exact spot was forgotten for many years. It was located in what is now Osage County. This was right across the Gasconade River from a place called Cooper Hill.

Finding the Lost Town

It wasn't until 1998 that Bartonville's location was finally found again. A researcher discovered an old document. This document was about a sheriff's sale and it included a detailed description of the "Bartonville tract" of land. This helped people pinpoint where the old town used to be.

Why Bartonville Was Important

Bartonville served as the county seat for Gasconade County starting in 1825. This meant it was the center of local government. Important meetings and decisions for the county happened there.

The Flooding Problem

The town's location near the Gasconade River caused big problems. Just like the first county seat, Gasconade, Bartonville suffered from severe flooding. These floods made it impossible for people to live there safely. Because of the constant flooding, the town had to be abandoned in 1828.

Moving the County Seat Again

After Bartonville was flooded, the county seat had to move. It was moved to a higher town called Mount Sterling. This new location was safer from the river's floods. Later, in 1842, the people of the county voted to move the county seat one more time. This time, it was moved to the town of Hermann, where it remains today.

Setting the Historical Record Straight

Sometimes, history books can have small mistakes. An old book called The Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, published in 1901, had a few errors about Bartonville. It incorrectly said that Bartonville was the very first county seat of Gasconade County. Actually, the city of Gasconade held that title first. The encyclopedia also mistakenly thought that Mount Sterling was just a new name for Bartonville. But these were two completely different towns, located in different places. It's important to know the true story of these early Missouri towns!