Curious about Cassville
Learn about Cassville from the point of view of its residents. It’s a Civil War capital where John Q. Hammons once coached basketball, and so much more.
Cassville is named for Brigadier General Lewis Cass, a famous statesman in the mid-1800s. But the town was actually founded because of a technicality. At one time, it was a requirement for Missouri’s county seats to be located within six miles of the geographical center of the county. When Lawrence County was formed in 1845, it changed where Barry County’s county seat needed to be. Hence, the beginning of Cassville.
But Cassville was more than just a county seat. During the Civil War, Cassville was the Confederate capital of Missouri for one week. Other Civil War ties can be found at Oak Hill Cemetery, where more than 60 Union and Confederate soldiers are buried.
Industry and agriculture have always been big in Cassville. Dairy used to be big, as was flour, which was milled in town. Today, industry is still one of the primary sources of jobs for locals, ranging from boot-making to chicken-processing.
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Want to know another random fact? John Q. Hammons once coached basketball here. He was in charge of the sixth, seventh and eighth grade teams in 1940 and 1941.
Cassville has gracefully grown and changed with the times. Downtown is filled with many businesses, ranging from pharmacies, furniture stores, clothing boutiques and jewelry stores to an old-fashioned soda fountain. “We get people who come in every day from the square, and we get to learn about their lives,” says Tonya Davison, who works as a soda jerk at the Whitley Pharmacy. “It’s a family feel.”
Where’s the best place to eat in town?
“The BBQ Station. Wonderful food. They’ve got barbecue, smoked chicken. Barbecue nachos. They’ve got a little bit of everything, and they’re very friendly.”—Dennise Wierman, 44, title examiner, Barry County Abstract & Title Company
What’s the best season to live in Cassville?
“Definitely the fall. The leaves are changing in the Ozarks, and the drive down to Roaring River is pretty nice.”—Jeremy Marple, 36, agent, Willis Insurance, Inc.
What’s a random fact about Cassville?
“It’s said that the only place in Cassville you can get ‘your name in lights’ is at the funeral home, because they have a lighted sign that people’s names are listed on.”
—Staci Day, 26, pharmacy tech, Sater Pharmacy
How does news get around in Cassville?
“The coffee shops and the barbershop. Women have nothing on men when it comes to gossip.”
—Stacey Harris, 34, pharmacy tech, Sater Pharmacy
What types of jobs are prevalent in and around Cassville?
“We have more industrial jobs than any other county in the state our size.”—Emory Melton, 88, lawyer and former Missouri senator, Melton Law Office
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