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Wright County, Missouri

56 topographic sheets cover 41 settlements here, and 5 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

5 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Missouri within the United States
Wright County within Missouri

What the record shows

  • 582 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 5 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 5 buildings.
  • 2 of the 5 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 41 populated places in this county; 41 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

5

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Administration Building, Missouri State Fruit Experiment Stationbuilding197979001398
Kelton Housebuilding198386002803
Mountain Grove Bandstandbuilding198988003218
Mountain Grove City Hallbuilding201212000050
Laura Ingalls Wilder Housebuilding197070000353

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

357 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 357 of them, burning about 6,257 acres. 2 started naturally and 48 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning234
Arson/incendiarism48
Missing data/not specified/undetermined33
Equipment and vehicle use28
Railroad operations and maintenance6
Smoking5
Natural2
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Five of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
2 April 1995Arson/incendiarism498 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
4 April 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined366 acresMissouri Department of ConservationMEADS LANE
16 March 1992Arson/incendiarism352 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
20 November 2008Arson/incendiarism311 acresMark Twain National ForestWOLF
21 November 2008Arson/incendiarism256 acresMark Twain National ForestDOOLITTLE CREEK
19 October 1995Debris and open burning147 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
5 April 2000Debris and open burning140 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
15 March 1994Arson/incendiarism135 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1959 to 2026

60 of 754 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 754 reports for this county, causing 7 deaths, 18 injuries and about $26,192,330 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail208
Thunderstorm Wind201
Flood149
Flash Flood118
Heavy Rain39
Tornado31
Lightning8

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
March 2023Flash FloodGrovespring2 killed, 2 hurtShortly after midnight a vehicle containing 6 occupants attempted to cross a low water crossing on Highway M at Parks Creek. The vehicle was swept off the roadway by high water. Four of the occupants were able to self rescue but two became trapped and drowned as a result.
November 2024FloodManes2 killed, $25,000A vehicle driving on Highway H two miles east of Manes in Wright County was swept off the road into flood waters at Beaver Creek. The two occupants, ages 70 and 73 attempted to swim to dry ground and reportedly drowned.
April 2008Flash FloodLoring1 killed, $10,000One to three inches of rain fell over Wright County. Any areas that typically flood during periods of excessive rainfall were flooded. A 54 year old male attempted to cross Austin Ford Bridge, which was experiencing significant flooding. Austin Ford Bridge is a bridge along Highway E that crosses the Gasconade River. His truck was swept into the swift flowing water where he drowned.
November 2020FloodMansfield1 killedA vehicle was swept of the low water crossing on Highway AB at Wolfe Creek during the early morning. An 18-year old female drove into the flooded low water crossing around 12:30 AM, and drowned while trying to escape her vehicle.
May 2002Flash FloodGrovespring1 killedno account filed
December 1982Tornado (F2)not stated9 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
April 1974Tornado (F2)not stated2 hurt, $25,000no account filed
August 2012LightningHartville2 hurt, $1,000A mother and her daughter were struck by lightning. The bolt hit the house and traveled through a kitchen outlet. The two women were taken to a local hospital and were later released. No fire was caused by the bolt but some minor damage from the bolt was visible in the kitchen by charring around the outlet.
August 2012LightningLoring2 hurtno account filed
February 1976Tornado (F1)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
May 2019Tornado (EF1)Cedar Gap$5,000,000A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of 110 mph traveled along a nearly 24 mile path that began 2 miles west of Mansfield and ended near Highway H about 2 miles west of Manes. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted along the path, including in Mansfield and Hartville. Several large trees fell onto a home in Hartville causing moderate damage to the home. A grocery store in Hartville had the store front collapse and the back of the store blown in. Additional light roof damage occurred to several homes and other buildings.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindHartville$3,000,000no account filed
May 1990Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
April 2017Flash FloodHartville$2,000,000At least 22 homes and business sustained severe flood damage across Wright County. Numerous roads and bridges were severely damaged or washed away across the county. This report will contain the total dollar estimate for flood damage to infrastructure, businesses, and homes across Wright County.
November 2024Flash FloodMansfield$1,760,000Route AB at Wolf Creek was closed due to flooding. Additional county property damages were reported throughout the entire county, primarily to dirt roads and bridges. Damage cost estimates are a reflection of the county as a whole.
July 2015Flash FloodNorwood$1,000,000Mobile homes and residences had water up to the structures and with some flooded foundations. One mobile home lost the propane tank when it floated away. One home had the basement flooded. This storm report will contain the overall flood damage estimates across Wright County for this storm event. There were several episodes and heavy rainfall events which led to a compound affect to the flooding damage. Numerous roads, bridges, and low water crossings were heavily damaged.
March 2008Flash FloodLoring$1,000,000Widespread rainfall amounts ranged from seven to nine inches over Wright County. All low areas that flood during periods of excessive rainfall were flooded. Major road and bridge damage occurred on county roads.
December 2015Flash FloodMansfield$500,000County Road AB was closed due to flooding at Wolf Creek. Portions of the town of Mountain Grove were evacuated for the potential of a dam breach at Lily Lake. The railroad tracks along the earthen dam at Lily Lake were washed out and needed repairs. Numerous roads and low water crossings suffered flood damage throughout the county. There was one business and one home destroyed by flood water. This storm report will contain the damage estimates for the entire county for this event.
April 2011Flash FloodHartville$500,000Numerous low water crossing on rural roads were reported flooded throughout the county.||The total cost estimate for flooding damages for Wright County for this entire episode has been included. This includes roads, bridges, and structures which were affected.
April 2001HailMountain Grove$500,000no account filed
April 1996Thunderstorm WindHartville$500,000no account filed
March 2006Tornado (F2)Hartville$450,000This tornado is a continuation of the second Webster County tornado that crossed into Wright County approximately one mile north of Duncan. The tornado continued to produce significant structural damage across rural northwest Wright County. The tornado eventually crossed into Laclede County near the community of Competition. 23 structures were damaged while six structures were completely destroyed.
April 2026HailNorwood$400,000Golf ball sized hail was reported in downtown. Several vehicles, homes and businesses suffered minor damage.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindMansfield$400,000Numerous large trees were reported from Mansfield to Mountain Grove as strong straight line winds moved across the County. Just east of Mansfield several buildings suffered roof damage. Significant roof damage occurred to the Mansfield High School. Near Mountain Grove a recreational vehicle was flipped and significantly damaged.
April 2018Tornado (EF2)Macomb$300,000An EF-2 tornado with a width of 100 yards and a track on the ground for 9 miles tore through portions of Wright County. The tornado had a maximum estimated wind speed of 130 mph. The track started near Macomb and lifted about 5 miles north of Norwood. One home was completely destroyed in additional to numerous trees and outbuildings blown down or damaged.
March 2020HailHartville$250,000A swath of hail from ping pong ball to tennis ball size was reported as a storm moved through Hartville to the east. Numerous vehicles, businesses and residential roofs sustained damage as the storm proceeded from just west of town to the east with the last report of hail occurring near the intersection of Highway 38 and Lawson Road.
April 2019Tornado (EF1)Macomb$250,000A National Weather Service survey determined that an EF-1 tornado touched down southeast of Macomb along Cottengin Road and traveled north northeast, lifting near the intersection of Highways A and K. Along the path, a saw mill sustained significant damage and an office building was damaged. The maximum winds speeds were estimated at 105 mph.
June 2015Flash FloodRayborn$250,000Route E near Buzzard Bluff Access and the Gasconade River was closed because of flash flooding. This storm report will contain the overall storm damage estimates across Wright County for this storm event. Numerous roads, bridges, and low water crossings were heavily damaged.
September 2000Thunderstorm WindMountain Grove$250,000no account filed
September 1959Tornado (F4)not stated$250,000no account filed
February 2023HailMountain Grove$200,000Hail to the size of a lime or hen egg was reported in town. numerous vehicles suffered hail damage along with damage to roofs and siding of multiple businesses and homes.
August 2013Flash FloodNorwood$140,000This storm report will include the total estimated damage for the flooding event. Several low water crossings and roadways were damaged due to flood waters. Highway C south of Norwood was impassable due to flood waters.
May 2024Tornado (EF1)Midway$100,000A NWS storm survey concluded that an EF-1 tornado touched down in a hilly wooded area to the northwest Mansfield near Highway F and quickly intensified to producing winds to 100 mph. Numerous trees were downed across portions of Davies and Red Oak Roads before dissipating near Highway V.
December 2021Tornado (EF1)Grovespring$100,000This is the continuation of the storm survey of the EF-1 tornado touched down southeast of Niangua in Webster County and travelled northeast for just over 6 miles into Wright County before lifting a few miles west-southwest of Grovespring. In Wright County the tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees and caused minor damage a home.
April 2019Tornado (EF0)Mountain Grve Mem Ar$100,000A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado. Numerous videos and pictures were taken of the tornado as it touched down west of Bell Crossing Drive and north of Highway ZZ to the southwest of Mountain Grove. As it tracked northwest toward Mountain Grove, it passed near the Mountain Grove Airport, and damaged hundreds of trees and approximately a dozen outbuildings. Minor damage occurred to approximately five homes as well. Maximum winds were estimated at 84 mph.
July 2015Flash FloodHartville$100,000There were numerous low lying areas that were flooded across the county. This storm report will contain the overall storm damage estimates across Wright County for this storm event. Numerous roads, bridges, and low water crossings were heavily damaged.
January 2008Tornado (EF0)Dawson$100,000A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado tracked over rural areas north of Mountain Grove causing damage to a few barns and outbuildings.
January 2008Flash FloodGrovespring$100,000Training severe thunderstorms caused several areas of Wright County to experience flash flooding. Severel roads and low water crossing were washed away, as one to four inches of rain was measured in a six hour period. A couple of specific locations that were flooded include city streets in Hartville and the intersection of Highway 5 and Highway 38.
April 2001HailNorwood$100,000no account filed
August 2020Thunderstorm WindMountain Grove$75,000Thunderstorm winds damaged a grocery store awning and a car wash partially collapsed onto a vehicle.
December 2002Tornado (F0)Grovespring$75,000no account filed
April 2019Tornado (EF1)Norwood$60,000A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado produced a concentrated convergent damage path in rural sections of southern Wright County. The tornado destroyed three outbuildings on the Wright County Commisioner's property, and snapped hardwood trees at the base of the trunk. Wind speeds were estimated at 105 mph.
June 2004LightningMansfield$60,000A lightning induced fire destroyed a business in Mansfield.
July 2023LightningMountain Grove$50,000The Mountain Grove fire department responded to at least 3 lightning-related fires. One was at a residence while the others were tree related.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindHartville$50,000Minor roof damage to a few buildings in the downtown area and power outages were reported.
June 2015Flash FloodOdin$50,000Route 38 was closed due to flooding. Two houses were flooded in the Odin area along the Woods Fork of the Gasconade River.
May 2011HailCedar Gap$50,000Hail fell in town producing roof and car damage.
April 2011HailNorwood$50,000Baseball size hail damaged cars and stripped leaves from trees in the city limits.
April 2011HailMansfield$50,000There were several reports of cars dented by hail.
May 2009Tornado (EF1)Loring$50,000A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado with 90 to 100 mph winds occurred four miles northwest of Hartville. The tornado destroyed several outbuildings and uprooted numerous trees.
April 1994Tornado (F1)Grovespring$50,000A total of five buildings, including two barns and a mobile home, were destroyed when a tornado touched down just east of Grovespring.
April 1996Thunderstorm WindCedar Gap$50,000no account filed
July 2023Thunderstorm WindHartville$40,000Multiple tree limbs up to 2 inches in diameter were reported down by high winds. Some of the limbs fell on power lines causing power outages. A tent in the park was reported to have blown into the lake at the park.
April 2011HailMountain Grove$40,000The hail stripped leaves from trees and dented many cars.
February 2006Thunderstorm WindMountain Grove$30,000Damaging straight line winds from a supercell thunderstorm caused damage to two dairy facilities in rural east central Wright County. One block building was heavily damaged with one side of it completely blown down. Another building sustained major roof damage as the roof was shifted out of position.
March 2025Tornado (EF1)Odin$25,000An EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 100 mph continued into Wright County near Duncan. In Wright County the tornado uprooted numerous trees and damaged outbuildings. The tornado ended near Highway Z north of Hartville.
April 2025Tornado (EF0)Mansfield$25,000A National Weather Service survey indicated that at 4:59 PM on April 20, 2025, an EF-0 tornado touched down just west of Highway 5 in Wright County, about 5 miles south of Hartville. The tornado traveled northeast and crossed the highway before lifting at Wolf Creek at 5:01 PM. This tornado damaged numerous trees and uprooted a few others. One of the tree limbs fell on a house, which caused significant roof damage.
May 2024HailGraff$25,000Report of baseball size hail.
October 2019Thunderstorm WindFuson$25,000A National Weather Service storm survey found straight line winds of 70mph damaged numerous tree limbs along with minor roof and outbuilding damage off of State Highway Z.
April 2018Tornado (EF1)Dawson$25,000An EF-1 tornado with a maximum width of 75 yards and estimated maximum wind speed up to 100 mph tracked approximately 5 miles across eastern rural Wright County. Numerous trees and outbuildings were damaged.

Mines and quarries

58 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 58 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 55 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Lead, Zinc21
Stone, Crushed/Broken15
Lead9
Zinc6
Zinc, Lead5
Sand and Gravel, Construction1
Sulfur-Pyrite1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Hinote ProspectSulfur-PyriteProspect
Unknown - S + GSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Mcmullin MinesZinc, LeadPast Producer
Unknown - Lead + ZincZinc, LeadPast Producer
Unknown - Lead + ZincZinc, LeadPast Producer
Unknown - Lead +ZincZinc, LeadPast Producer
Unknown- Lead + ZincZinc, LeadPast Producer
Berry MineZincPast Producer
Gaskill MineZincPast Producer
Headley Shaft Number OneZincPast Producer
Headley Shaft Number TwoZincPast Producer
Old Headley ShaftZincPast Producer
Tarbutton MineZincPast Producer
Brazelton MinesLeadPast Producer
Chickasaw MineLeadPast Producer
Lead Hill MinesLeadPast Producer
Prock DiggingsLeadPast Producer
St Joe MineLeadPast Producer
Unknown - LeadLeadPast Producer
Unknown - LeadLeadPast Producer
Unknown-LeadLeadPast Producer
Unknown-LeadLeadPast Producer
Macomb QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Mansfield QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Mt Grove QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
O D Rush QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
O D Rush QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Railroad Co QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Thompson QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown - LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown - LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown - LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown - LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown - LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown - LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Unknown -LsStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Wilson QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Alma MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Baltimore MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Black Cat MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Conway MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Crow MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Grey Goose MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Grey Hound MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Harris MineLead, ZincPast Producer
McKee MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Mcclain West MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Miner MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Red Bird MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Stewart MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Unknown - Lead + ZincLead, ZincPast Producer
Unknown - Lead + ZincLead, ZincPast Producer
Unknown - Lead + ZincLead, ZincPast Producer
Unknown - Lead + ZincLead, ZincPast Producer
Unknown Lead + ZincLead, ZincPast Producer
Upoton MineLead, ZincPast Producer
Watkin +Conway MineLead, ZincPast Producer
West MineLead, ZincPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

41

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Wright County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.