July 21, 2026
It is hard to think of a time before Marceline, Missouri was a town. Below are some newspaper articles during that time period along with some articles of when it was turning into a business district.
November 24, 1887
Chariton Courier:
The new town of Marceline has been surveyed, plotted, and laid out this week. A round house for 38 stalls has been staked off, and it is expected that a good town will be built up. - Brookfield Chronicle.
December 1, 1887
Brookfield Gazette:
D. J. Welbanks informs us he has a contract for a building to be put up in Marceline, and that there is every prospect of a wild west boom setting in there in the spring. Several small structures are already up and material rolling in.
March 15, 1888
The Bulletin:
Marceline is booming all along the line... Marceline contains at least 222 houses. All have been built since Christmas; 25 buildings is about the weekly average of new buildings here. The city has 4 drug stores, 3 dry goods houses, 2 hardware stores, 3 meat markets, 3 barber shops, 1 bakery, 2 furniture stores, 2 blacksmith shops, 1 wagonmaker, 8 restaurants, 1 jeweler and watchmaker, 6 grocery stores, 1 photographer. The large railroad hotel of Wright & Loder is in course of construction. Herriman & Machan have the contract for building it. The Marceline Town Co. have their building on Santa Fe Avenue nearly completed. Mr. J. M. Scott is moving his stock of hardware into his new and commodious store on Santa Fe Ave. A sidewalk has been built from the depot to the business portion of Santa Fe Ave. Mr. Thos. Martin has completed his large livery and feed stable. Strangers coming to Marceline and wanting a No. 1 place to board horses should go to Martin's stables, corner of Santa Fe Ave. and Chestnut Street. Marceline has three lumber yards and more lumber is handled here than in all the other towns and cities of Linn combined. This may sound big but come and see the heavy trains of lumber and building material that are being daily unloaded at the metropolis of North Missouri and all doubt of the future greatness will disappear. The Logue Bros. are building a meat market on Santa Fe Ave, east of the R. R. ... The Methodist Episcopal quarterly meeting was held at the school house Sunday at 11 a.m. Elder J. M. P. Martin, missionary Baptist, preached at the same place at 3 p.m. ... Strangers visiting Marceline are somewhat annoyed at the mud, but wait a little and our city dads will have sidewalks built throughout the city. ... If our boom continues to boom at the rate it has boomed since Jan. 1, 1888 until Jan. 1, 1889 we will have the largest city in Linn Co.
September 13, 1888
Chariton Courier:
Business is flourishing. ... Miss Anna McLaughlin commenced school at New Mendon this week. ... Prof. Jones will take charge of the Marceline school, and will have three assistants. ... Frank Smith and sister, Miss Regina, who have been seriously ill, are convalescent. ... The Marceline band has been practicing for several weeks, and are now ready to toot. ... New buildings are numerous, such as cottages, large dwelling houses, business houses, churches, etc. ... Miss Amanda McCauslin, of Stanberry, Mo, was the guest of Misses Anna and Grace McLaughlin last week. ... The Marceline club gave a grand ball last week, the lads and lassies of both Bucklin and Marceline being present, and numbering some twenty-five couples. ... A festival was given by the Christian church on Wednesday night of last week; also one for the benefit of the Catholics. The latter denomination will erect a new church building in the near future. ... Some have said that Marceline would never amount to much. This is a mistake. We have professors of various kinds, teachers who teach during the week, and some of whom give "special lessons" on Sunday. We have merchants till you can't rest, lawyers and doctors by the dozens and pretty women and brave men; in fact, the only thing we need to make Marceline a real city is a few ten cent dudes.
