Louisburg

History

Prior to the American Civil War, the land of what is now called Louisburg was part of an area reserved for members of various tribes of Native Americans who were ceding their lands in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. Settling there were the Peoria, Wea, Piankeshaw, and Kaskaskia tribes which together eventually became the Confederated Tribe of Peoria. The community had some disorder during this time. As a town near the border, there remained conflicts between Kansas Jayhawkers and Missouri Raiders. In addition, the railroad tracks running through the community divided it into north and south areas. Circa 1875, many businesses and homes were moved from north of the railroad to the south, and formed what was to become downtown Louisburg. Louisburg was incorporated as a city of the third class November 3, 1882, and held its first city election two weeks later on November 17, 1882. The population was listed as 400, and 141 of those residents voted in the first election.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,430
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  3,040
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,708
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,700
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,699
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,474
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,224
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,156