Would love to have a photo of the place to put here.
Kirksville, the county seat, named in honor of Jesse Kirk, is located on a high
rolling prairie, near the center of the county, and about six miles east of the Chariton River.
It is on the St. L., K. C. & N. R. W., 203 miles from St. Louis, and on the Q., M. & P. R. R.,
70 miles from Quincy, and on the grand divide between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, where the best of water can be obtained at a depth of from 15 to 20 feet.
The town was laid out in 1842, and incorporated in 1857. The first Board of Trustees were M. P. Hannah, John Thomas, Wm. Lough, O. H. Beeman, Jesse C. Thatcher,
John D. Foster and E. W. Parcels.
Kirksville has 6 churches,--M. E. Church, M. E. Church South, Presbyterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, Baptist, Free-Will Baptist, Christian, Episcopal and Colored
Baptist, costing in the aggregate about $20,000. The M. E. Church South worships in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Christians with the Freewill Baptists.
The educational facilities of the town are found in the public schools, which are under the supervision of superior teachers. The State Normal School, originally
established by Prof. Joseph Baldwin, as a private institution for the training of teachers and others, with primary and intermediate departments, was first opened
September 2d, 1867. It was, through laborious and untiring efforts of Prof. Baldwin and his able assistants, Profs. Nason, Greenwood and others, continued as first
commenced, with increasing success, until 1871, when it was opened as a State Institution. The Legislature in 1870 made provision for two State Normal Schools, one
south and the other north of the Missouri River. Several counties in North Missouri competed for the location, but by an appropriation of $100,000 voted by this county,
and the donation by John W. Morris and J. A. Richter of fifteen acres of ground, beautifully situated, and the additional fact that the private Normal of Prof. Baldwin
had secured more than a State reputation, the location was secured at this point, and the first session of the North Missouri State Normal School was opened January 2d,
1871, in the same building previously occupied by Prof. Baldwin. In the spring of 1872, the Legislature appropriated $50,000 to complete the building, an imposing and
suitably arranged structure, which was completed and occupied the following December. The annual appropriation for the support of the school was first fixed at $5,000.
In 1873, the Legislature increased it to $10,000. Tuition is free except an incidental fee of $3.00 per term, and board can be obtained at from $3.00 to $3.50 per week.
During the term commencing Sept. 2d, 1873, 400 students were enrolled. Thus it will be seen that the educational facilities at Kirksville, are equal to any in the
country, and the people being generous, sociable and free in their manners, is an additional attraction to students.
North Missouri State Normal School at Kirksville
There are 2 newspapers, The Register, W. C. B. Gillespie, editor and publisher, and The Journal, S. M. Pickler, editor and publisher; 2 banking houses,
12 dry goods stores, 4 clothing, 1 book, 9 grocery, 2 furniture, 4 drug, 2 jewelry and 3 hardware stores, 2 saddle and harness shops, 2 lumber yards, 1 wagon maker,
4 hotels, 1 hide, fur and wool purchasing store, 2 brick yards near town, 2 marble manufactories, 3 grain warehouses and a hay pressing establishments.
Kirksville has three essentials for profitable manufacturing--water, wood and coal, the latter being found in abundance about four miles west of the town--and that branch
of industry is receiving increased attention. There are 2 grist mills, 1 woolen mill, 1 plow, 1 hub and spoke factory, 1 cheese factory, 1 planing mill and furniture factory.
Source: Campbell's Gazatteer of Missouri, R. A. Campbell, Publisher, 1875.
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