Perche Creek facts for kids

Perche Creek, also known as Roche Perche Creek, is a stream in Boone and Randolph counties in the Missouri state. It is a very important waterway in this area.

Perche Creek is the biggest stream in Boone County, Missouri after the Missouri River. It also creates a large part of the western edge of the city of Columbia, Missouri. The stream starts in the southeastern part of Randolph County, about six miles south of Moberly.

What's in a Name?

The name "Perche Creek" comes from a natural rock arch that used to be near where the creek met the Missouri River. The French people who lived in Missouri long ago called this rock "Roche Perche," which means "pierced rock."

When settlers from Kentucky and Virginia came to Boone County, they heard this name and started using it too. Today, Perche Creek flows into the Missouri River about one mile north of a town called Providence.