St. Louis Region
The Lincoln County name carries its own history
Lincoln County's name and formation predate the famous Lincoln, and the courthouse-town history at Troy is a durable local-history thread worth sourcing carefully.
It is easy to get Lincoln County’s name wrong. Many people think any place named “Lincoln” honors President Abraham Lincoln. But this county was organized in the early 1800s. That was well before Abraham Lincoln became a national figure. So the real story of the name, and how Troy became the county seat, is local history worth checking. Do not just trust popular guesses. Two official groups are good places to start. One is the State Historical Society of Missouri. The other is the Missouri State Archives. They can help with how the county was formed, where its name came from, and the history of the courthouse. If you live here or are new in town, those official records beat repeating stories no one has confirmed.
References
Where this fits: this note belongs to Lincoln County. See every local note for the county on its page.