County of site: Benton County
Location of place: just south and a little east of dead center in county; crossroads of US-65, MO-7 & MO-83
Population: 2,177 (2017)
Elevation: 715 ft (218 m)
"The original inhabitants of the area were the Delaware, Shawnee, Sac, Kickapoo, and Osage tribes (namesake of the Osage River which passed by the city). French settlers visited the area as early as 1719.
"Warsaw was platted in 1837. The city was incorporated in 1843 and designated as the county seat of Benton County. The city was named after Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, in honor of the Revolutionary War hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who was Polish and had also fought for independence in his homeland. Warsaw was a steamboat port, the furthest point up the Osage River they could navigate.
"Permanent immigrants to the area were Germans, Scotch-Irish, and English, as well as transplant farmers from Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas, first arriving circa 1820.
"The Upper Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999" ~ Wikipedia
"Warsaw, Missouri, the County Seat of Benton County, is a small town of some 2,100 permanent residents, which just about doubles during the lake season as fishermen, campers, and lake enthusiasts move down to their seasonal homes or just come for the area opportunities. Warsaw is located between two of Missouri’s largest lakes — Truman Reservoir and Lake of the Ozarks.
"Rich in history, from Native Americans to steamboats, to Civil War skirmishes, Warsaw has endured throughout the years to become a quickly growing community that exudes small-town charm and provides numerous recreation opportunities for locals and visitors alike.
"When white explorers came to the area in 1719, a number of Indian tribes called the region home, including the Delaware, Shawnee, Kickapoo, and Sac and Fox. By far, however, the land was occupied by the Osage Indians, from which, the river would later take its name. With its plentiful supply of rivers and springs, the area abounded with game, providing superb hunting grounds for the Indians. In its bluffs and hills, the Indians found abundant amounts of flint rock in order to make arrows, knives and other weapons.
"Early French hunters, trappers, and traders soon began to trade with the Indians along the Osage River, which by the early 1800s, increased significantly as white settlers saw opportunities on the river itself.
"Located at the headwaters of the Lake of the Ozarks, the Warsaw area began to develop resorts and businesses along the shoreline of the channel. Warsaw, as a resort destination, increased when the Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir was completed in 1979. Developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lake’s primary mission is flood control, but also serves power generation, recreation and wildlife management.
"Today, cabins and homes dot the roads and lake shores around Warsaw for miles, and visitors and locals enjoy sitting in the very center of two of Missouri’s largest lakes. Warsaw has become a popular retirement community, as well as a tourist destination, as visitors enjoy water sports, fishing, and camping, and antique shopping in Warsaw’s quaint downtown district." ~ Legends of America