This is a brief history of the foundation of our city. If you are interested in finding out more about our town, please visit City Hall.
Strafford's earliest history as a town began with building
a section of railroad from Rolla to Springfield. This was part of the
St. Louis to San Francisco line. Shortly after the Civil War, the
South Pacific Railroad Company laid the first tracks in Greene County.
The location of these tracks would eventually see the city of Strafford
grow around them. The men who built these tracks named the new community
Strafford. The name was a misspelling of the town in Connecticut known
as Stratford. No one knows exactly who named the town.
The Civil War would play an important part in the beginnings of our city. In July of 1869, the U.S. Government gave 55 acres to Sarah Lane. Her husband died while fighting in the war. Lane would grant 33 acres to form a town. Two years later, the town was laid out and officially recognized. It would become a fourth-class city in 1961 when it was incorporated as a village. Doug Potter would become Strafford's first mayor shortly after.
The Trail of Tears passed through this land before Strafford existed. The exact path is unknown, but most historians believe the Trail of Tears passed through what is downtown Strafford.
Today these tracks are used for freight. The last passenger train rolled through Strafford in May, 1967. The tracks symbolize the importance that transportation has played in Strafford's history. Route 66 would later add to the importance that transportation has played in the history of our town. Old Route 66 also provides an interesting piece of trivia found in Ripley's Believe It or Not. The building that Family Pharmacy has occupied for over thirty years was noted by the publication as having two front doors; one the Route 66 side and one on the Pine Street side. Each year we celebrate the famous road with our Route 66 Days celebration.