Chariton River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chariton River |
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Major Missouri rivers, with Chariton River highlighted red.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa, Missouri |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Iowa 40°49′50″N 93°30′32″W / 40.83056°N 93.50889°W |
| River mouth | Missouri 39°18′46″N 92°57′29″W / 39.31278°N 92.95806°W |
| Length | 218 km (135 mi) |
The Chariton River is a river that flows through Iowa and Missouri in the United States. It is about 218-mile-long (351 km). This river is a branch, or tributary, of the much larger Missouri River.
The Chariton River starts in southeastern Clarke County, Iowa. It then flows into Rathbun Lake, a large reservoir in Appanoose County, Iowa. After leaving the lake, it travels about 30 miles (48 km) before entering Missouri. In Missouri, it forms a border between Putnam and Schuyler counties. Finally, it joins the Missouri River in Chariton County, near Keytesville.
About 112 miles (180 km) of the river are in Missouri, and 106 miles (171 km) are in Iowa. The Chariton River is sometimes called Missouri's "Grand Divide." This is because streams to the west of the Chariton flow into the Missouri River, while streams to the east flow into the Mississippi River.
Contents
River History
How the River Got Its Name
The Chariton River is thought to be named after a French explorer named Joseph Chorette. He was part of an expedition in 1795. Sadly, Joseph Chorette drowned while swimming in the river. Over time, his name changed slightly to "Chariton."
Ancient Times and Native Americans
People have lived in the Chariton River valley for at least 1,500 years. Near the river in Adair County, there are ancient rock carvings called petroglyphs. These carvings were made by Native Americans and show that people lived here long ago. There are also old burial mounds found near the riverbanks. The petroglyph site is a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Native American tribes like the Sac-Fox and Iowa tribes used the northern Missouri areas along the river. They mostly used these lands for hunting. They did not usually live there permanently. Most of the time, the tribes and early settlers got along peacefully.
However, there was a small conflict in 1829. It happened between settlers and a group of Iowa hunters led by Chief Big Neck. The Sac-Fox tribe had given up their hunting rights in northern Missouri in 1825. But Big Neck and his group did not agree with this. There were a few small fights between Big Neck's group and the Missouri militia. The biggest one happened at a place called "Battle Creek." This area is now in southern Schuyler County, Missouri.
Pioneers and New Communities
White settlers started moving into the Chariton River valley in the early 1820s. They came from Howard County, Missouri. Except for a short time during the Black Hawk War, more and more people moved to the valley in the 1830s and 1840s. Many new counties were formed, and towns were built near the river in both Missouri and Iowa.
Just like the Native Americans before them, the early settlers found a rich area. There was plenty of game for hunting and many fish in the river. There were also large forests with lots of timber.
Changes to the River
Over the years, parts of the Chariton River have been changed. Below the Highway 136 bridge at Livonia, Missouri, the river has been channelized and dredged. This means its path was straightened and deepened. A lot of this work was done in 1948 and 1949 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Because of these changes, the river's natural habitat has been affected. This has made it harder for some fish and other river creatures to live there.
The Chariton River has some important smaller rivers that flow into it. These are called tributaries. Two major ones are Mussel Fork Creek and Shoal Creek. The Little Chariton River used to be a tributary. But because of the channelization, it now flows directly into the Missouri River. A part of the Little Chariton was dammed in Macon County, Missouri to create Long Branch Reservoir.
Namesakes
Many places and things have been named after the Chariton River:
- The town of Chariton, Iowa
- Chariton County, Missouri
- Chariton Township, Appanoose County, Iowa
- The Chariton Review, a literary magazine
- The Chariton Collector, a local history magazine that is no longer published
- The USS Chariton River (LSM(R)-407), a rocket-launching ship from World War II
Images for kids
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A very large catfish caught in the Chariton River.
