Bismarck

History

Bismarck, situated in the western part of St. Francois County, owes its origin and early growth to the farming interests about it and its location at the intersection of the Belmont branch with the main line of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway. Bismarck was first laid out and platted in 1868. It was named after the Iron Chancellor of Germany, Prince Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, as there was a strong desire to attract German immigrants to the growing railroad area. The railroad ran through the town from the northwest to the southeast. All of the original streets of Bismarck, with the exception of Main and Center, were named after trees. In 1877, Bismarck was incorporated as a town by the County Court and the first trustees were William H. Gullivan, Benjamin Schoch, C. C. Grider, George H. Kelly and A. H. Tegmeyer. In the year 1881, this incorporation was abolished. Since that time, Bismarck has been reincorporated. According to folklorist Margot Ford McMillen the name of the town caused some difficult times for residents following America's entry into World War I. With patriotism running high, a town named for a famous German leader was seen as "un-American", and prompted some citizens to advocate changing the name to "Loyal". However the majority of residents soundly rejected the idea. The population about 1910 was 848. It is now 1,579.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,386
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,118
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,096
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  1,054
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,054
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  1,004
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  954
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  884

Largest nearby schools

• CENTRAL HIGH
  High · PARK HILLS · 629 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• CENTRAL ELEM.
  Elementary · PARK HILLS · 555 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• WEST ELEM.
  Elementary · PARK HILLS · 438 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• CENTRAL MIDDLE
  Middle · PARK HILLS · 418 students · 14.4:1 ratio
• WEST COUNTY ELEM.
  Elementary · PARK HILLS · 414 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• NORTH CO. MIDDLE
  Middle · DESLOGE · 396 students · 12.4:1 ratio
• INTERMEDIATE SCH.
  Middle · DESLOGE · 371 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• NORTH COUNTY PARKSIDE ELEM.
  Elementary · DESLOGE · 367 students · 14.1:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.64 — 2026-05-29
  12 km E of Williamsville, Missouri
• M 3.16 — 2022-11-05
  10 km N of Van Buren, Missouri
• M 2.71 — 2022-07-02
  11 km SE of Williamsville, Missouri
• M 2.84 — 2022-04-29
  1 km SSW of Peerless Park, Missouri
• M 2.53 — 2021-11-18
  10 km S of Williamsville, Missouri
• M 4 — 2021-11-18
  7 km S of Williamsville, Missouri