Howard County and the heart of the Boonslick country

Howard County sits in the heart of the Boonslick country. This was a settlement area along the Missouri River in the early 1800s. It got its name from a salt-making operation tied to the Boone family. Howard was one of Missouri’s earliest organized counties. It was once so large that people called it the “Mother of Counties,” because many later counties were cut out of it. Treat any “first” or “oldest” wording as a claim to check, not a settled fact. This history helps explain a few things you can still see. It shows why the courthouse-square towns are so old. It explains the river-landing roots of places like Glasgow and New Franklin. And it explains why so many local spots carry Boonslick and trail-era names. For county history and place names, lean on the State Historical Society of Missouri and the Missouri State Archives rather than local lore.