Washburn, Missouri

Located along the historic Trail of Tears and on the Old Wire Road,[7] Keetsville traced its official settlement to Georgia native John Cureton (1795-1853), who had served as a judge in Washington County, Arkansas before settling on the Washburn Prairie about two miles north of current day Washburn in 1840 and then procured the location of the town. In 1853, Cureton died and ownership of the land transferred to the Englishman James T. Keet (1818-1863), who then laid out the town of Keetsville. The 1850s saw the first real establishment of the town with Keet establishing a store at the site.[8] The growth of the town would be interrupted by the Civil War, as a February 1862 skirmish, a predecessor to the much larger Battle of Pea Ridge the next month in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, would result in the destruction of the fledgling town.[6] Following the war, the town was rebuilt between 1867 and 1869[9] and in 1868 it was renamed Washburn in honor of an early pioneer to the area Samuel Washburn,[10] who had lived in the area about ten years, before moving to Texas where he was killed in 1838.[6]

The Washburn train station was built by the Atlantic and Pacific Railway to transport passengers and freight in and out of the town. This photo taken circa 1910 shows the station at its peak. After passenger rail service was discontinued in Washburn in the 1950s, the station fell into disrepair and was razed in the 1960s.

In the winter of 1879 and 1880, the Atlantic and Pacific Railway — at that time a franchise of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway — built a railroad line between Pierce City and Seligman, Missouri.[11] This line ran about a half mile west of what was then Keetsville, but soon to be renamed Washburn. Instead of incorporating the Keetsville or Washburn name into the railroad stop at this location, the stop and the community that blossomed next to it was instead named O’Day, after the Irish-born John O’Day (1843-1901), a Springfield-based attorney for the railroad.[10] In the years that followed O’Day grew, adding two hotels, shops, a newspaper, dwellings and in either 1887 or 1888 a post office, while also remaining codependent of neighboring Washburn concerning educational, religious and social life.[12]

The community of Washburn, formerly Keetsville, was officially incorporated as a town on August 4, 1880,[9] though it is unclear if O’Day ever incorporated as a separate town. The two communities continued as separate entities through the 1880s and into the 1890s, when in 1892 the O’Day post office was disestablished[10] and the Washburn post office took over for a newly consolidated community, a consolidation that was likely prompted by the building of a public school between the two communities.[12]

W.B. Adcock's drug store building, which also at one time housed the town's post office and is currently used as the town's community center.

Following the establishment of the railroad and the growth of the former O’Day community, many businesses were established in what is now Washburn. Among these were the O’Day House Hotel, Felker & Johnson's mercantile, the Pratt or Cunningham grocery store, J. M. Holton's mercantile, Denbo's grocery, the Brookshire & Chandler drug store, and W. B. Adcock's drug store. Many of these businesses had previously been located in the old Keetsville site, but moved to take advantage of the railroad. The O’Day Globe newspaper was founded in 1887. That same year, Irishman Timothy Patrick Mooney (1833-1912) moved his store and warehouse there from Washburn. In 1887 Reece Brothers built a large store and Postmaster James Buchanan Hurst (1859-1934) a post-office building.[8]

In the original Keetsville location, Postmaster John O. Burton (1798-1852), John Cureton and Garrett Moore (1804-1870) had all established businesses before the war. J. W. Elliott was a silversmith in the 1870s and Blennerhassett & Co. was a hardware store. By 1872, Washburn had 200 to 300 inhabitants, six general stores, three drug stores, a stove and tin store, three hotels, a boot shop, a jewelry store, and a school. In 1880, the same year as the establishment of O’Day, the population was 575. Among the businesses at that time were a nursery, multiple general stores and drug stores. Hotels operated by Mrs. A. Foster and T. P. Mooney. Flour and saw mills and multiple saloons were also in operation at this time. J. C. Thomas was the constable, William Keene Bayless (1850-1930) was the justice of the peace, William Rhoda Felker (1855-1929) was a real estate agent and J. W. Eggleston (1821-?), James Henry McDonald (1831-1917) and James T. Means (1824-1884) were physicians.[8]

In addition to the O’Day Globe, several other newspapers were published in the Washburn area through the years, including Winger’s Journal in 1869, Professor White's Gazette was published briefly and in 1911 The Washburn Review was printed for a short time.[8]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 435 people, 178 households, and 110 families residing in the city. The population density was 483.3 inhabitants per square mile (186.6/km²). There were 203 housing units at an average density of 225.6 per square mile (87.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.0% White, 0.9% Native American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population.

There were 178 households, of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.2% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.05.

The median age in the city was 33.1 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 14.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 448 people, 175 households, and 121 families residing in the city. The population density was 534.2 people per square mile (205.9/km²). There were 186 housing units at an average density of 221.8 per square mile (85.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.43% White, 2.23% Native American, 0.22% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population.

There were 175 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,417, and the median income for a family was $29,792. Males had a median income of $22,917 versus $20,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,401. About 10.4% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.