Here are some interesting items on people, places, and things that have helped to shape the towns of  the county we all call home .

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Lancaster Located 5 miles south of the Iowa state line at the junction of highways 63 and 136, is the county seat, home of the Schuyler County Court House. The largest populated town of the county.  The first house built in  Lancaster was in 1845, a log cabin by James Cochrane.  It was a major center of commerce, from 1857 to 1861 more business took place than any neighboring county seat.  The home of "Diamond Billy Hall" famous horseman and circus promoter, now houses  the Schuyler County Historical Society Museum.  The Civil War took many of the younger men folk from the town and left a large hardship on those remaining from which the town never fully recovered.

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Greentop Located on US Highway 63  on the south border of the county was the second of the county, incorporated in 1867.  A small town it boasted a woolen mill, 2 dry goods stores, 2 saloons, a boot shop, and a harness shop.  Before the railroad Greentop was the trading point for South Schuyler, North Adair, and West Putman counties. The 1920's Greentop was known for the Shinn Hatchery, that was once equiped with 4  47,000 incubators turning out 9,000 chicks every 24 hours.  The hatchery has long since closed, but there are still very good businesses to visit there today. The first county fair was held in 1859 at the fair grounds that were located near Greentop.  It was sponsored by the Schuyler County Agricultural and Mechanical Society organized that same year.  This continued until 1867 when the organization disbanded.

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Queen City Can be found 8 miles south of Lancaster, 4 miles north of Greentop on US Highway 63.  Queen City  was first laid out in 1862 by Dr. George W. Wilson, who also built the first house there.  This house is now under restoration by the present owners.  In the 1880's this thriving community listed many industries, now only Lauer Blacksmith shop remains standing of those first buinesses.

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Glenwood Located 2 miles west of Lancaster on  Missouri Highway 202.   As a town was first laid out in 1868 by brothers, Stiles E. and Alexander Forsha, whom also built a number of the first buildings.  Credit for the first home built was either or both W.E. Rogers or John B. Glase.  Formerly known as Forsha Town, Helen, CrossRoads, and Junction City was incorporated as Glenwood May 1869. From the beginning it busted into a thriving hub of industry, boasting of banks, hotel, restaurants, woolen mill, flour mill, handle factory, doctors, dentists, dry goods stores, and billard hall just to name a few.  Just as many other towns in the county the civil war and an endless time of fires took it's tole.  Glenwood is a peaceful village with a store, greenhouse and post office on it's once busy main street. On August 28,1909 a headon collision occurred on the Wabash railroad, involing passenger train No. 51 and a freight train.  The trains met on a curve a short distance from Glenwood.  The passenger train was crowded with people coming to a reunion in Glenwood.  The rear coach on the passenger train remained on the  tracks which saved many women and children from serious injury. The baggage car and both engines were completely demolished, the smoking car  containing about 25 men was badly damaged landing on it's side. Two deaths, Bob Thompson fireman of the freight train, was trapped under the engine, and Henry Ludwig a passenger was struck by flying lumber. The crew of the freight train was said to have been at fault.

Downing   Was first established September 1,1872 by the Missouri Town Company of which Henry M. Downing was president. The first census taken by Miss Laura Stipp resulted as recording 530 inhabitants in the Village of Downing.  The first school house in Schuyler County which was a few miles south of Downing, was taught by Miss Hathaway (she later married Edwin French) in the spring  and summer of 1841.  The Keokuk and Western Railroad went through just on the eastern boundry of Schuyler County at Downing.  The quiet town use to hold many contributing businesses such as grain, tobacco, saw, and corn mills, 4 doctors, 2 hotels, 4 general stores, 2 drug stores, hardware store, 2 groceries, a restaurant, a saloon, blacksmith, and factories, just to name a few.  Many have left their mark on Downing's history.   The Downing Depot is home to many lovingly restored and preserved items of the past, a visit there is like taking a trip in one of Grandpa's stories of the good old days.

Coatsville   Was first laid out by Alexander H. Wells, John B. Holbert and James T. Guinn in 1869, then incorporated Feb 1870. It was a bustling railroad town constisting of depot, telegraph, hotel, 3 doctors,  2 general stores, food store, 2 drug stores and post office were just some of the businesses.  The last business  to see Coatsville was Trimble's General Store, which closed it's doors 1979.

A thanks for the information sources for this site   I wish to thank  these people for their time, suggestions, loan of reading material, and compiled information that has guided me in this work. Dianna Kinney, Nancy Lucas, Nora Lou Toney, Daisy Manning, Ann Bunch, Margret Mobley, and Willa Gooden.  These ladies helped me a great deal.  I hope they don't mind if I occasionally request help now and again.  If I have left out someone it was not intentional.   There are many other areas that have yet to be covered.  Any one wishing to assist please let us know.          KF

To find out more interesting facts make a visit to the areas Museums, the library has a nice collection of resource material, or check the contact list on the History Page.