Old US-40, Simsville, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 49.356 W 091° 04.809
15S E 666664 N 4298841
Never a complete town, but was a known spot on US-40
Waymark Code: WM4WVT
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/07/2008
Views: 14
Wheels flank a drive way of this house on the eastern edge of Simsville.
Old US-40 pavement is now the north service road of I-70 at Simsville.
County of Wheels: Warren County.
Before the Civil War, the major tobacco companies were located in this area. P. Loriland, R.J. Reynolds families and many more. Just prior to the Civil War tobacco farmers were ordered to free their slaves in this area. They were ordered to give each slave family a portion of land. The tobacco families got together and bought out three (possibly more) farms and gave all former slaves the required portion of land. This way the tobacco powers complied with the law, yet gave up none of their own land. This created black communities in the country, known as Simsville, Hopewell, and northern part of Wright City. Today many of these same families live on the same land.