County of city: Henry County
Location of old city hall: E. Main St. (MO-52) & E. Olive St., Calhoun
Elevation: 794'
Population: 459 (2013)
My two cents. I am a bit confused, why this fine brick building is abandoned, sort of, and city hall was moved to a cramped silly building across the street. The grounds are now used as a park. Building sometimes used as a community center.
"This abandoned structure sits in the middle of the town square in Calhoun. It was built in 1922 and has been replaced by a smaller corner storefront building across the street." ~ courthouselover
Historic Marker on site text:
Marker Erected by: CCDG
Date Marker Erected: 2006
Calhoun was established in 1835 by James Nash and named after the great statesman and Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. The town was incorporated on February 10, 1870.
In 1841, Calhoun vied for the county seat. Despite Calhoun being the larger of the two communities, Clinton was named the county seat because it was more centrally located.
The pottery business was one of the earliest industries with as many as six companies in operation at once. Calhoun was nicknamed "Jugtown" due to the large amounts of earthenware shipped throughout the country from this small community.
In the late 1800's there were over 56 businesses and the population reached 800 people.
"The Oldest Town in Henry County
The founding of Calhoun, the oldest town in Henry County, is credited to James Nash of Tennessee in 1835. Nash donated the two-acre square for a public park and procured the services of John S. Lingle to plat the new village in 1837. Calhoun is named in honor of John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), the "cast-iron" senator and vice president from South Carolina. Benjamin L. Durritt, a school-teacher, purchased the first lot on May 1837; however, it was Calhoun's postmaster who built the first house.
"One writer described the town in those early years. "There were in this village (which was called Calhoun) twelve houses besides the hotel and the blacksmith's shop; there were no stores, and no wagon road; and the grass grew as luxuriantly in the street as out on the prairie."
"Soon, Calhoun became the center of Henry County commerce, boasting one dry goods, two grocery and three general stores. Although more populated at the time, Calhoun lost its bid for county seat to Clinton in 1841. Its location was not central to the county." ~ Missouri Department of Natural Resources