Deering in Pemiscot County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Deering
An Agricultural Town ⎯⎯⎯ A Lumber Town
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, March 25, 2026
1. Deering Marker
Inscription.
Deering. An Agricultural Town, also, A Lumber Town.
An Agricultural Town. Mr. Charles B. Baker was a man of great foresight and he had plans for the future of agriculture in this area. It was with true grit and determination that drove him into his involvement with Deering. He ran the farming on the plantation system, calling it the upper plantation and the lower plantation, and some land he rented to individual farmers., His association with International Harvester led him into a small dealership with them. The first red equipment he stocked was kept in this town in the 1930's, and had the "McCormick-Deering" name on it. Later he moved it to Kennett, Missouri and named it Baker Implement Company., Tractors replaced mules in farming and Mr. Baker filled the country with his mechanized farming equipment. When timber was cleared and tree roots dynamited, Mr. Baker made a sale. His business expanded and he established stores in Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas., In Deering, he purchased a fire truck and constructed a building for it. A large lumber shed was added, along with a beauty shop, and a small restaurant. In 1941, W.P.A. labor built a new high school building. The service station and bulk oil plant also went into business., In 1956, Mr. Baker sold the entire operation to A. T. Earls. He, in turn, sold individual farms, businesses, private houses, and the remainder to J. F. (Bud) and Betty Calhoun., In 1996, Baker Implement became the seller of the largest volume of International Harvester agricultural equipment in the United States. It all started right here in Deering.,
A Lumber Town. In 1898, William Deering from Chicago, Illinois began purchasing tracts of land in this area. His interest was solely for the cypress, sycamore, gum, oak, ash, elm, hickory, cottonwood, hackberry and maple trees that grew on it. He needed the finest of wood for his harvesting machines and agricultural implements. A daily average of 44,000 feet of lumber was cut and 125 men were employed at the mill. It was the second largest lumber mill in the United States., When they were mud boating the large boiler for the mill along the trail, it became stuck in the ground and would not budge. After checking their survey lines, it was found that the boiler was on property of Wisconsin Lumber Col, a subsidiary of International Harvester. They decided to build the little town in this location and forget their original plans of having it five miles southwest of here., This area was part of the Southeast Missouri undrained swampland. Deering was isolated from the outside world with only a pole road leading in from the east from Braggadocio. In 1912, the Deering South West Railroad connected Deering eastward to Caruthersville and westward to Hornersville. A large railroad station was on the south side near the lumber mill., Main Street, west to east, had the doctor's house, school teacher's house, supervisor's house, barber shop, company store with bowling alley upstairs, main office building, hotel, and the Methodist church building. Also, the town had an amusement hall with player piano and ice cream parlor and electricity. In 1927, the two-story brick school building was completed. Large wooden walks connected all the houses and businesses. The entire town was fenced to keep out the wild animals. It was a company town while International Harvester owned it. When the timber ran out, it was sold to Charles B. Baker of Kennett who was knowledgeable in agriculture.
An Agricultural Town
Mr. Charles B. Baker was a man of great foresight and he had plans for the future of agriculture in this area. It was with true grit and determination that drove him into his involvement with Deering. He ran the farming on the plantation system, calling it the upper plantation and the lower plantation, and some land he rented to individual farmers.
His association with International Harvester led him into a small dealership with them. The first red equipment he stocked was kept in this town in the 1930's, and had the "McCormick-Deering" name on it. Later he moved it to Kennett, Missouri and named it Baker Implement Company.
Tractors replaced mules in farming and Mr. Baker filled the country with his mechanized farming equipment. When timber was cleared and tree roots dynamited, Mr. Baker made a sale. His business expanded and he established stores in Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas.
In Deering, he purchased a fire truck and constructed a building for it. A large lumber shed was added, along with a beauty shop, and a small restaurant. In 1941, W.P.A. labor built a new high school
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building. The service station and bulk oil plant also went into business.
In 1956, Mr. Baker sold the entire operation to A. T. Earls. He, in turn, sold individual farms, businesses, private houses, and the remainder to J. F. (Bud) and Betty Calhoun.
In 1996, Baker Implement became the seller of the largest volume of International Harvester agricultural equipment in the United States. It all started right here in Deering.
A Lumber Town
In 1898, William Deering from Chicago, Illinois began purchasing tracts of land in this area. His interest was solely for the cypress, sycamore, gum, oak, ash, elm, hickory, cottonwood, hackberry and maple trees that grew on it. He needed the finest of wood for his harvesting machines and agricultural implements. A daily average of 44,000 feet of lumber was cut and 125 men were employed at the mill. It was the second largest lumber mill in the United States.
When they were mud boating the large boiler for the mill along the trail, it became stuck in the ground and would not budge. After checking their survey lines, it was found that the boiler was on property of Wisconsin Lumber Col, a subsidiary
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, March 25, 2026
2. Deering Marker
of International Harvester. They decided to build the little town in this location and forget their original plans of having it five miles southwest of here.
This area was part of the Southeast Missouri undrained swampland. Deering was isolated from the outside world with only a pole road leading in from the east from Braggadocio. In 1912, the Deering South West Railroad connected Deering eastward to Caruthersville and westward to Hornersville. A large railroad station was on the south side near the lumber mill.
Main Street, west to east, had the doctor's house, school teacher's house, supervisor's house, barber shop, company store with bowling alley upstairs, main office building, hotel, and the Methodist church building. Also, the town had an amusement hall with player piano and ice cream parlor and electricity. In 1927, the two-story brick school building was completed. Large wooden walks connected all the houses and businesses. The entire town was fenced to keep out the wild animals. It was a company town while International Harvester owned it. When the timber ran out, it was sold to Charles B. Baker of Kennett who was knowledgeable
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, March 25, 2026
3. Deering Marker
in agriculture.
Erected by International Harvesters Collectors, Delta Ruritan Club and Baker Implement Co.
Location. 36° 11.45′ N, 89° 53.102′ W. Marker is in Deering, Missouri, in Pemiscot County. It is at the intersection of State Highway J and 3rd Street, on the right when traveling west on State Highway J. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6346 Hwy J, Deering MO 63840, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Missouri Bootheel. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Mississippi Delta, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. 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.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 25, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 18 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 25, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
