County of city: Morgan County
Location of post office: US-50 (Front St.) & Winday St.
Location of city: Extreme NE corner of county; crossroads of: US-50 & MO-D, just E. of MO-5
Founded: 1858
Elevation: 922 ft (281 m)
Population: 123 (2019)
Historic Marker Erected by State Historical Society of Missouri, 1958
Marker Text:
BUTTERFIELD
OVERLAND MAIL
IN MISSOURI -- 1858~1861
The George Shackelford Relay and Meal Station stood ½ mile south of Syracuse in Morgan County. In 1859, when the railroad reached Syracuse, it succeeded Tipton as Stage Terminus. Civil War activity closed the terminus in March, 1861.
In Spring of 1861 Union troops moved into Syracuse, MO (a Southern sympathy freighter town). They drug Southern sympathizers into the street and killed them (over 180 civilians) and burned the warehouses for both the freight companies and the Butterfield stage warehouses and station. When this got back to Washington, the contract was withdrawn and given to Wells Fargo for the Northern Route
"Syracuse was originally called Pacific City. The first settlers were J. H. Sand, E. S. Ralston, John Finley and T. J. Shanklin. A part of the land on which the town is built was entered by Ralston. His and George Shackleford's farms comprised the original plat, as laid out January 25, 1859, by Kindall, Houk & Co., and George Shackleford. The first store was the terminus of the Missouri Pacific R. R. In addition to 5 stores, the town contained a blacksmith and wagon-maker, the Union Church, a school and post-office. " ~ History of Morgan County, Goodspeed, 1889, pages 433-434; Gazetteer of Missouri, Campbell, 1874, page 392
"It is located at Sec. 10, 11, 14 & 15, Twp. 45 N, R. 18 W, on Highways D & 50." ~ Rand McNally Map of Missouri,
"The name was changed from Pacific City to Syracuse, for the town in New York." ~ How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, page 334