This week for my Thursday Doors post, I have a piece of yesteryear in CharitonCounty Missouri to share.
Tucked at the junction of Highways 5 and WW, there stands this abandoned building that I believe was once a school house. But I can’t quite be sure. There is not a signpost or placard visible and I didn’t want to trespass. Not that I’m afraid of being confronted….
more that I’m not a huge fan of ticks.
The schoolhouse theory could be wrong as I’m not sure there’d be attic windows like these used during this era. So for me, it’s a mystery.
I’d like to state that I think this would make a pretty fine farmhouse too just for the record. And yes, that is a tv antenna on the roof.
I love old maps!
Historically, Chariton County was originally part of Howard County (outlined in bold above). In 1816, its current name and boundaries were given.Icouldn’t find any information on the building above, but I found a little excerpt from a Dept. of Natural Resources document describing the desirability of the area during this time frame.
In one 1819 account from Old Chariton David Manchester wrote to his sister in New York about the new land and how several young bachelors had fared during the 1818-19 winter. Manchester related the federal government land price of $1.50 per acre, but he said that most nearby land sold from $2-6, and the majority aroundChariton was $4 and up. complained of Looking into the future young Manchester the damned contracted New England men are our greatest opponents. They are jealous of us and envy us because they think that we will be admitted into the union on equal footing with the other states and become a large and powerful state. Poor insignificant Devils, who care for you? We will have our right in spite of you. But now [they] want to make slaves of us, no the people of Louisiana never will submit. • The boys are employed in building some houses in Chariton for themselves. . Our employment last winter was carrying on the distillery business. (David Manchester letter, 19 April 1819 #2064 Joint Collection, UMC) This one anecdote accurately described the relatively high value of Chariton district land and the desire of immigrants to make a new home in the Far West.
I wonder if Manchester was also on the search for a beau for his sister?? And a future lil’ homestead in Missouri?
