Newton-McDonald, MO-2015 McDonald County Telephone

Community Spotlight on our cities and villages

Our Cities... Anderson

Noel While Noel is known for its historic bluffs overlooking Elk River, it is most famous for its fes- tive name. Known as the Christmas City, Noel became a tourist center when the railroad came through a portion of the town in the 1920s. Fortunately, the coming of the railroad coincided with the construc-

Establishing a post office and a general store was all it took to settle the city of Anderson back in 1886, thanks to the town’s founder, Robert Anderson. The city’s fate was decided by the rail- road in 1892. The railroad was extended south from Goodman on the Newton County border to Anderson, then onto Noel and Sulphur Springs, Arkansas. As a result, the city grew rapidly as an agricultural trade center and became famous for growing strawberries. After all this time, the post office is still there, but there are now more than 90 businesses. The only industrial park in McDonald County is located in Anderson, and the future will likely bring more industrial growth.

tion of the highway and the rapid growth of travel by automobile. Noel, surrounded by the magnifi- cent Ozark Mountains, became a resort-like area for people who love recreation and canoeing. Pineville When McDonald County was founded in 1849, the sparsely settled eastern portion of the coun- ty was involved in a bitter dispute with the more populous western side of the county. The rivalry was often violent, but it was finally resolved in 1857 when Pineville officially became the coun- ty seat. At that time, a 30-foot by 30-foot log structure served as the courthouse until a three- story brick courthouse was constructed in 1861. This brick courthouse still stands, even after being set on fire by bushwhackers during the Civil War. The fire destroyed all county records, but the building was restored and ready for occupancy in 1871. Pineville is laid out on a town square and brings the 19th century to life with its architecture. This may be the reason Pineville was selected as the site for the 1937 20th Century Fox movie about Jesse James. The city was used several years later for the filming of another movie about Belle Star. Elk River, Big Sugar Creek and Little Sugar Creek join at Pineville, providing endless oppor- tunities for fishing, camping and canoeing.

Goodman The Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad came through the city of Goodman first. At that time, the city was known as the village of Donahue and a railroad depot was established here. Strawberries and orchards played an important role in the vil- lage’s early economy. At one time, orchards cov- ered more than 2,500 acres in the area. The name of the village was changed from Donahue to Goodman in honor of Lowell Goodman, one of the owners of the Ozark Orchard Company. Lanagan When the New York Petroleum Co. began drilling for oil in 1886, the company had no idea it would strike a sulphur spring so powerful it would cause them to forfeit the lease. Things took a turn for the better when a man named Lanigan purchased 40 acres of the lease in 1887, anticipating the railroad would be routed along Indian Creek. In 1889, the railroad did arrive, and the newly established com- munity was named Sulphur Wells City. When the Ozark Orchard Co. secured most of the land and a depot was constructed, the name was changed to Lanagan.

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041569 © Newton-McDonald County Area, MO 2015