Lewis County, Missouri: History
=== Early history and founding ===
What is now Lewis County was once (like much of the Midwest) home to the Mound Builders, a general term for a group of Pre-Columbian peoples that established complex mound earthworks and existed roughly 2-3 millennia ago. The area eventually fell under control of the Missouria tribe. Lewis County was first scouted by Europeans in 1673, when a French expedition led by Father Jacques Marquette came across the region. Several French expeditions followed, and small numbers of settlers would occasionally settle in the area, though never permanently. The Missouria and European settlers were joined in the early 19th century by the Sauk people, with who they engaged in frequent skirmishes.
Following the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, the area was calmed when the United States established a peace treaty with the Sauk. The Sauk, however, fought against the United States during the War of 1812, after which a series of treaties were established, culminating in a final treaty in 1824 where the Native Americans of the area renounced their territorial claims. Following several failed attempts at settlement, the town of La Grange was founded in 1832.
During the early 19th century, Lewis County was part of the District of St. Charles. After several county reorganizations, Lewis County was established in 1833 from Marion County and named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The county was largely settled by farmers from Virginia and Kentucky. They brought slaves and were attracted to the fertile land and easy river transportation. The economy was based on subsistence agriculture, timber harvesting, and lead mining. In 1845, Knox County was split off, leaving Lewis County with its present boundaries. The county continued to prosper through the 1850s, with hemp emerging as the main crop. A major flood came through in 1851, destroying the once significant town of Tully, but the county continued to prosper into the 1860s.
Following the election of Abraham Lincoln, the county became split between secessionists and unionists. Despite significant disputes, unionism was more popular in the county, and 500 men were raised for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Secessionists remained popular, however, and the county was split for much of the war between Unionists at La Grange and Secessionists at Canton, although the county was spared from open conflict aside from occasional partisan attacks and skirmishes.
After the Civil War, the slaves were emancipated and the county's economy shifted towards commercial agriculture, with the production of corn, wheat and timber that were shipped through Canton, a port on the Mississippi River. Having emerged from the war mostly unscathed, Lewis County continued to prosper even after emancipation. The Chicago and North Western Railway arrived in 1869, leading to even greater prosperity for the county.
Mark Twain lived in the county briefly and was inspired by the natural beauty of the river region for his writing.
Today, Lewis County is all rural, with a few small towns under 2500 population, and Canton at 2800. The economy is built on soybeans, corn and timber, as well as higher education. Canton is the home of Culver–Stockton College. The National Register of Historic Places celebrates 12 historic locations in the county.