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That time McDonald County seceded from Missouri — Ozarks Alive [1]
['Kaitlyn Mcconnell']
Date: 2023-12
The curvy, scenic roads of McDonald County -- and maps that showed them -- were great cause for concern in the 1960s. In fact, they nearly directed drivers to another state.
But it wasn't a misprint that caused the map's misdirect. It was a decision by Missouri officials to omit several tourism-driven McDonald County communities from a map.
The decision so riled McDonald County folks that they seceded from the state.
For several months, the area temporarily became known as McDonald Territory. Signs were erected to let visitors know where they were -- and even visas were "required" to cross the border from Missouri into this new land.
Although the secession began out of passion and not publicity, it ultimately resulted in what residents wanted: tourism.
"It had real meaning to the people of McDonald County," wrote Patric Stevens about the period of secession. "The territorial uprising will be regarded in history as a time when a small community organized and made the statement, 'We count, too. We don't want government without representation.'"
How it started
The series of state "stick-its" to McDonald County began in 1960, when U.S. 71 was rerouted east of Noel. The change took the highway away from several of the area's resorts and tourist areas, causing great alarm.
A few months later brought insult to injury: The State Highway Department omitted three of McDonald County's most popular tourist towns. Already riled, the omission was too much for the local townsfolk to take sitting down.
In 1960s-terms, it's easy to see why folks were so upset. According to newspaper reports, tourism was the area's second-leading industry. In an era before internet and Trip Advisor, things such as maps were crucial to local livelihoods.
Z.L. McGowan, president of the Noel Chamber of Commerce, wrote a letter to the governor of Missouri asking about the omission on April 6. The next day, the governor issued a reply:
"I am extremely sorry about the omission of Pineville and Noel, but this office had nothing to do with preparing these maps and I would suggest you contact the Chief Engineer of the State Highway Department."
The chief highway engineer was copied on the letter. It's unclear if the engineer immediately replied to the group -- he eventually did in newspaper articles, where he said the omission was intentional since they didn't want to include places that had many commercial ventures -- local folks took things into their own hands.
"I remember my parents being very upset about that change, and they were really (upset) when they left us off the state tourist map," says Don Mosbaugh, whose parents owned Shady Beach Resort near Noel.
"My parents were on the chamber of commerce in Noel, and during their first meeting, they were wondering what to do about it."
Wilma Mosbaugh, however, had an idea.
"My mother said, 'We should secede from the union,'" recalls her son. "They caught up on that theme and it went wild from there."
Declaring independence from Missouri
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[1] Url:
https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/that-time-mcdonald-county-seceded-from-missouri
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