Monett in Barry County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Frisco Railroad
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 21, 2019
1. The Frisco Railroad Marker
In 1887, Plymouth Junction or Plymouth Crossing, now known as Monett, served as a trading post and main shipping center for the Frisco Railroad. The Frisco Railroad was originally known as the Louis-San Francisco Railway. The railroad across Missouri to the Southwest began construction in 1855. This railroad had a huge impact on Monett not just because of its importance in being a central hub but also because it brought people to Monett, employment opportunities, and created a strong community. Residents in the Ozarks became office workers, executives, depot workers, and operating personnel. The Frisco Railroad transported trade such as apples, tomatoes, dairy, cigars, and the famous Ozark strawberries. Thanks in part to the railroad, today Monett has become a primary location for business with large corporations and small family-owned businesses. The community in Monett gave its thanks to the railroad by naming streets after Frisco officials and keeping the town's original structure.
Written by: Fernando Medrano and Pedro Aguayo
This sign was created by students under the direction of Monett High School Missouri Literature and Composition teacher Amy M. Sampson and was paid for via a grant she wrote and was awarded from Rural Schools Collaborative and their 2023 Celia B. Godsil Grants in Place Fellows Program.
Erected 2023
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Missouri, Monett High School class project series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.
Location. 36° 55.252′ N, 93° 55.349′ W. Marker is in Monett, Missouri, in Barry County. It can be reached from the intersection of 5th Street and East Broadway, on the left when traveling west. Marker is in a public parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 419 E Broadway, Monett MO 65708, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Missouri and in the Branson and Table Rock Lake Area. It is also in the American Ozarks, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 29, 2024
2. The Frisco Railroad Marker
Featured marker is on the left.
Also see . . . The Frisco: A Look Back at the Saint Louis-San Francisco Railway. Home page of the Springfield-Greene County Library's collection of postcards, histories, employee magazines and other items about the railroad. (Submitted on July 17, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
from Barry County in Pictures (1937), Mid-West Map Co., pub; via Barry County Museum (Public Domain), 1887
3. The Frisco Railroad
Monett began as a Frisco railroad town called Kings Prairie Depot. That later was changed to Plymouth or Plymouth Junction before the town was permanently named after a railroad official.
from Barry County in Pictures (1937), Mid-West Map Co., pub; via Barry County Museum (Public Domain), 1937
4. The Frisco Railroad
The railroad remained an important part of Monett even after the advent of the automobile.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 16, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 348 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 16, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3, 4. submitted on July 17, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
