| 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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