La Plata

History

The beginnings of La Plata can be traced back to March 17, 1827, when Drury Davis established a trading post near the town's current location. The ensuing few years saw Davis joined by family and friends to create a small village that included a blacksmith shop, an inn, and stagecoach station. The name is of Spanish origin meaning "silver". Two men, Louis Gex and Thomas Saunders, were the primary force behind the town's platting, and drew straws to choose the community's name. Saunders wanted to name the town "Charlottesville" to honor a favorite sister, while Gex pushed for the name La Plata. Gex won out, and the town is believed to have been first incorporated on September 29, 1856. The North Missouri (later known as the Wabash Railroad) came to town in 1867, and the Santa Fe Railroad twenty years later, passing through La Plata on its route from Chicago to Kansas City. As part of this growth, the town was incorporated as a fourth-class city on April 4, 1881, with Jacob Gilstrap serving as first mayor.

Geography

La Plata is in northeastern Macon County, with its northern border following the county line. U.S. Route 63, a four-lane highway, passes through the east side of the city, leading south to Macon, the county seat, and north to Kirksville in Adair County. Missouri Route 156 passes through the south side of La Plata as Clark Street, leading west to South Gifford and east to Novelty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, La Plata has a total area of , of which , or 0.38%, are water. The city sits on a height of land which drains west to Long Branch, a south-flowing tributary of the Little Chariton River and part of the Missouri River watershed, and east toward the Middle Fork of the Salt River, a direct tributary of the Mississippi.

Race & ethnicity