Adair County is located in the north-central region of Missouri, and is one of the state’s 114 counties. It covers an area of 582 square miles and has a population of over 25,000 people. The county seat is Kirksville, which is also the largest city in the county.
Adair County was founded in 1841 and named after John Adair, a soldier from South Carolina who fought in the War of 1812. The county was originally populated by Native Americans, but settlers began to move into the area during the early 1800s. As they settled in Adair County, they built small farms along with small towns and villages.
The economy of Adair County relies heavily on agriculture and manufacturing. Corn, soybeans, wheat, hay, and beef are among some of its main crops while poultry production is also significant to the economy. Manufacturing includes furniture production as well as food processing plants located near Kirksville. There are also several businesses that specialize in timber harvesting and processing throughout Adair County.
Adair County has a diverse range of recreational activities for visitors to enjoy including camping at Thousand Hills State Park or fishing at Lake Wapello State Park which offers excellent trout fishing opportunities. Other attractions include museums such as the Drury-Goodwin House Museum or visiting historic sites like Fort Madison which was used during the Black Hawk War in 1832. The county also offers plenty of hiking trails for those looking to explore its natural beauty with several areas designated as part of Mark Twain National Forest.
The county has several educational institutions including Truman State University located in Kirksville which is considered one of Missouri’s top-tier public universities offering over 100 undergraduate majors and minors as well as graduate degrees in select fields such as business administration or education leadership & policy studies. Another college located in Adair County is Hannibal-LaGrange University providing students with a liberal arts education through its various degree programs such as nursing or criminal justice technology & legal studies among others while Avila University provides students with religious studies programs at its campus located near La Plata city limits within Adair County boundaries.
Adair County prides itself on having a strong sense of community no matter what town or village you may visit within its borders since many residents have lived there all their lives making it easy for newcomers to get acquainted with their new neighbors quickly and easily regardless if you are living temporarily or permanently here there will be plenty for you to do all year round from outdoor activities like hiking & fishing to cultural events like concerts & theater performances held throughout Kirksville area each month making sure everyone can find something fun & enjoyable no matter what season it may be.
History of Adair County, Missouri
Adair County, Missouri is located in the northern part of the state and was established on January 29, 1841. It was named after John Adair, a politician from Kentucky who served as the eighth Vice President of the United States under President Andrew Jackson. The county itself was formed from parts of nearby counties including Macon, Schuyler, and Knox Counties.
The first settlers to Adair County were mostly farmers who moved to the area in search of good arable land for their crops. As more settlers moved into the area, towns began to form including Kirksville which was founded in 1841 and became the county seat. In addition to farming, timber became an important industry and railroads were eventually constructed across Adair County making it easier for people to travel between towns and transport goods.
In 1861 when the Civil War broke out, Adair County declared its secession from Missouri and joined the Confederate States of America. Soon after it changed its allegiance back to Missouri and remained loyal throughout the remainder of the war. Afterward, many veterans returned home to Adair County where they began raising livestock such as horses and cattle instead of just farming crops. This allowed them to become more prosperous than they had been before they left for war.
In 1867, a school opened at Kirksville which eventually became Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University). This school provided an excellent education for students in Adair County as well as those from other areas who wanted to come study there.
The 20th century saw much growth in Adair County with new businesses opening up such as factories that produced food products like canned vegetables or dairy products like cheese and butter. The railroad also continued to be an important mode of transportation with most towns having a train station where passengers could board or disembark from trains heading east or west across Missouri or even farther away destinations such as Chicago or St Louis.
Today, Adair County is still largely rural but has seen some growth in recent years due to new businesses coming into town such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, etc., making it an attractive place for people looking for a slower paced life outside of larger cities like Kansas City or St Louis. Its population has grown steadily since 2000 reaching just over 25 thousand people by 2018 according to census data estimates. The county is still largely agricultural with corn being one of its main crops along with soybeans and wheat being grown on smaller farms throughout Adair County’s rolling hills.