Crawford County, Missouri
Crawford
County, in the east-central part of the state,
is bordered on the north by Gasconade and Franklin
counties, on the east by Washington County, on the
south by Dent and on the west by Phelps County. It
has a land area of 476,000 acres.
No one knows for certain who the first settlers were
to claim the area now known as Crawford County their
home. The county was organized by a Legislative act
on January 23, 1829, out of territory that had
previously been attached to Gasconade County. It was
named for Georgia Sen. William H. Crawford.
The cities in this 744-square-mile county are
Bourbon, Cuba, Leasburg, Saint Cloud, Steelville and
Sullivan. A three-person commission governs the
23,000 residents of Crawford County. Top employers
include Paramount Headwear Inc. (Bourbon); Olin
Corporation and Versa Tags (Cuba); San Val, Inc.
(Steelville); Meramec Industries, Inc. and Aerofil
Technology Inc. (Sullivan); Crawford County
Government; Crawford County Schools; and Missouri
Baptist Hospital.
The county’s most popular attractions aren’t
manmade, but the creation of nature itself: Indian
Hills Lake; Meramec River; Huzzah River, Courtois
River, Mark
Twain National Forest, Meramec County
Music Show, Antique & Craft Shops, Onondaga
State Park, W.K. Woods Wildlife Area and
the Huzzah Wildlife Area.
The majestic, 6,896-acre Meramec
State Park offers year-round access to
camping, picnicking and trails. Visitors can take
guided tours Fisher Cave, one of more than 40 caves
in the park. Additional facilities include a park
store that offers raft and canoe rentals, campsites
(including three group sites), rental cabins, motel
rooms and a conference center.
Crawford County also boasts several
bed-and-breakfast inns. The popular Wildflower Inn
B&B in Bourbon sits on 42 acres in the foothills
of the Ozarks, surrounded by natural springs and
abundant wildlife.
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