Medicine Creek (Missouri) facts for kids

Medicine Creek is a cool stream (a small river) in Missouri, a state in the United States. It flows through four different counties: Grundy, Livingston, Putnam, and Sullivan. Medicine Creek is like a smaller helper river that eventually joins a bigger one called the Grand River. This means it's a tributary to the Grand River.

Where Does Medicine Creek Start and Go?

Medicine Creek begins in northern Putnam County. It starts where two smaller streams, the East Fork Medicine Creek and Middle Fork Medicine Creek, meet up. This spot is about 900 feet south of the border between Missouri and Iowa.

From there, the creek flows south. It passes by several small towns. In Putnam County, it goes past Powersville and Lucerne. It even flows under U.S. Route 136 near Lucerne.

Next, Medicine Creek enters western Sullivan County. Here, it flows by towns like Newtown, Harris, and Osgood. After Osgood, it turns southwest and enters Grundy County, just east of Galt.

The creek then flows past Laredo. It turns south again and enters Livingston County. It continues south, flowing under U.S. Route 36. Finally, Medicine Creek joins the Grand River northwest of the town of Bedford.

How Much Water Flows in Medicine Creek?

At the town of Laredo, a lot of water flows through Medicine Creek every year. On average, about 293 cubic feet of water pass by each second. Imagine a box that's about 6 feet tall, 6 feet wide, and 6 feet long – that's roughly one cubic foot! So, 293 of those boxes of water flow by every second. This measurement helps scientists understand how much water is in the creek over time.

How Did Medicine Creek Get Its Name?

Medicine Creek has a very interesting name! It was named because Native Americans used to find natural medicines along its banks. They would gather special herbs and plants that grew near the creek. These plants were used to make traditional medicines. So, the creek was a very important place for them to find what they needed for healing.