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.
Where to see it
- Missouri county history archive
Use the Secretary of State county-history archive for formation and place-name context.
- Missouri State Archives
Use the State Archives for older county records.
References
More from Lincoln County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 15, 2026.