Cities, Towns and Villages, Harrison County

Harrison County is well supplied with a number of towns and villages which are well distributed throughout the county, affording unusual conveniences for trading points.

Bethany, the County Seat, is the largest town in the county. It is located on the Burlington Railroad in Bethany Township. The principal religious denominations are here represented and Bethany has been known for many years for the high standard of its schools. The principal streets are paved and the town has a good water and sewerage system and a municipal electric light plant. Banking and all business and professions are well represented and Bethany is a thriving commercial town. Its population, according to the census of 1920, was 2,080.

Cainsville, the second largest town in the county, has a population of 1,050. Cainsville is located in the extreme eastern part of Madison Township near the Mercer County Line on Grand River. For many years coal mines were operated in its vicinity. The town commands an extensive trade from a large scope of surrounding country both in Harrison and Mercer Counties. There is a weekly newspaper published here. Banks and other business enterprises are well represented. There are a number of churches representing the principal religious denominations and the town has a good public school system. Cainsville is located at the terminal of a branch of the Burlington Railroad which connects with the main line of that system in Iowa.

Ridgeway is located on the Burlington Railroad on the dividing line between Marion and Grant Townships. The town site occupies a portion of section 33 in Marion Township and portions of sections 3 and 4 in Grant Township. Ridgeway has two banks, an excellent hotel, and practically all branches of mercantile business are represented here. The school system of Ridgeway ranks high. The population of Ridgeway is 812 and it is one of the progressing and enterprising business centers of Harrison County.

Gilman City has a population of 618 and is located on section 30 in the Southeastern corner of Sugar Creek Township. The Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railway, which is a part of the Burlington System, passes through Gilman City. This is a progressive town of churches, good schools and enterprising business and professional men.

New Hampton, which is located on the Burlington Railroad on sections 7 and 8 in White Oak Township, is a live business center and an important shipping point. There are two banks, two elevators and a number of progressive merchants here. New Hampton has a population of 519 and its schools are among the best in Harrison County.

Eagleville is one of the old towns of the county and since its establishment has maintained an important commercial position, notwithstanding the fact that it is not on a railroad. Its nearest railroad is at Blythedale, a distance of about four miles. Eagleville has a bank, an excellent high school and several important mercantile establishments and is in the center of a rich agricultural country. The town site occupies a part of section 6 of Marion Township and section 1 of Union Township and the population in 1920 was 340.

Mount Moriah, another inland town of Harrison County which has maintained a position of local commercial importance despite the fact that it was "missed" by the railroad has a population of 331 and is located in sections 22 and 23 of Trail Creek Township. The town has a bank and several stores and for many years has commanded an extensive trade from the surrounding country.

Blythedale, a thriving village of 294 population on the Burlington Railroad is located on sections 34 and 35 in Colfax Township. This is an important trading and shipping point and has some of the leading mercantile establishments of the county and the banking interests are represented here by one of the substantial banks of the county. Blythedale has a number of churches and is known for the excellency of its public schools. Melbourne, a town located on the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad in Sugar Creek Township has a population of 159 and is a progressive village. There is a bank and mercantile establishments here.

Other villages of Harrison County where business centers are maintained are Brooklyn, which is located on section 27, Union Township, and has a population of eighty-four; Andover, a village on the Burlington Railroad in Colifax Township; Akron, an inland village in Clay Township; Blue Ridge, in Adams Township; Bridgeport, Cypress Township; Hatfield, Lincoln Township; Martinsville, Dallas Township; Matkins, Butler Township and Pawnee, Hamilton Township.

The population of Harrison County is 19,719, census of 1920. 

 Harrison County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Harrison County, Missouri, by Geo. W. Wanamaker, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1921