This is a brief history of the foundation of our city.
Prior to the founding of the town transportation had an impact on the area. The Springfield - St. Louis road, which passed 1.5 miles south of present day Strafford, was the route for early immigrants and the northern overland route for the Trail of Tears. During the Civil War, the Old Wire Road, which passed through the north side of present day Strafford, was used by both Union and Confederate forces.
Following the Civil War the construction of the railroad from Rolla resumed. In July 1869, Sarah Lane, a Civil War widow, purchased 55 acres from the U. S. Government.
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad laid the first tracks into Greene County in 1870. In November 1870, Sarah granted 33 acres to the railroad for a town site. In April 1871 the railroad platted the town of Strafford, allegedly named for Strafford, Connecticut, the home town of a railroad employee.
The town prospered due to the railroad traffic and local agriculture. The construction of Route 66 in the late 1920�s transformed the economic climate of the town from rail to the automobile. This transition spurred new business opportunities. It also created a novelty listed in Ripley�s Believe It or Not for stores with two front doors (Pine Street and Route 66). Strafford was incorporated as a village in 1961 and became a fourth class city in 1964. Railroad passenger service ended in 1967.
With the completion of Interstate 44, transportation provided business opportunities which are still present today. Each year we celebrate the famous road with our Route 66 Days celebration.
Steven D. Bodenhamer, Pres.
Strafford Historical and Preservation Society
February 25, 2009
To Return
to the Strafford Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry Site.