Historical Marker
Cedar County
Cedar County · Missouri
Erected by State Historical Society of Missouri and State Highway Commission, 1958
The health resort on the plaque still gathers its crowd. El Dorado Springs grew up beside its spring in 1881, founded by the brothers Nathaniel and Waldo Cruce, who meant to profit from the water, and it has had a post office since that year. The town claims Missouri's oldest municipal band. Its Founder's Day Picnic, held in City Park since early in the town's history, now runs three nights with free concerts paid for by the City Council and draws thousands, the largest event of the year in a town of 3,493 at the 2020 census.
What the plaque says
Cedar County Here where the Ozark Highland borders on the Western Prairie Region of Missouri, Cedar County was organized in 1845. The name is for the trees along Cedar Creek. Stockton, the county seat, platted in 1846 on land given by Zimri and Marian Crabtree, was first named Lancaster. Another town in Mo. also took this name, so Cedar Countians called their town Fremont until, displeased with political views of Gen. John C. Fremont, they took the name honoring Mexican War Commander R. F. Stockton in 1859. Cedar County, furnishing troops to both sides, was torn by violence in the Civil War. In Aug., 1862, Union Majors Douglas Dade and Samuel Montgomery drove Confed. Col. J. T. Coffee from Stockton and on July 11, 1863, Confed. Major T. R. Livingston and Union Lt. W. A. McMinn were killed in an affray there. Gen. J. O. Shelby routed a Federal garrison and burned the courthouse on Oct. 5, 1863. The present courthouse in Stockton is a handsome monolithic concrete structure. It was dedicated in 1940. The first courthouse, 1855-63, was replaced by a second in 1867 which was torn down in 1940. (See other side) Erected by State Historical Society of Missouri and State Highway Commission, 1958 Cedar County (Continued from other side) Cedar County, 317,440 acres of woodland and prairie, is a livestock, grain, and dairy area. Osage tribes ceded the region in 1808 but Indians roamed in the county into the 1830's and some 95 mounds and a village site remain in Cedar County. First settlers were John Crisp, Robert Graham, Thomas English, and a "Mr." Crump in 1832. They located two miles east of Stockton where a big hollow sycamore gave them partial shelter. Early settlers came largely from Tennessee. In Cedar County is El Dorado Springs, one of Missouri's health resorts. Mineral springs were discovered by the Joshua Hightower family and a town laid out there by N. H. and W. P. Cruce in 1881. To the south, about the same time Jerico Springs grew up near another spring. A number of Germans and Bohemians settled in that area. The spring in Stockton's City Park issues from a cave which underlies the town. Stockton is the birthplace of the noted veterinarian J. W. Connaway (1859-1947); and soldier, congressman, Lieutenant Governor of Missouri Joseph J. Gravelly (1828-72) lived in Cedar County. Erected by State Historical Society of Missouri and State Highway Commission, 1958
Where it stands
37.69815, -93.79633 · Directions
Worth the stop nearby
- Osage Village State Historic Site — 30 miAn open hilltop in Vernon County where 2,000 to 3,000 Osage people lived in about 200 lodges between 1700 and 1775, a Wazhazhe town of the Osage River country.