East Prairie, MO

East Prairie is a Mississippi County city whose name moved a few miles to follow a post office. The railroad survey of 1881 called the site Hibbard Switch, and a village grew around the tracks. Dr. Samuel Martin's store and post office sat near the edge of Big Prairie; when he moved them to Hibbard in 1883, the town adopted the East Prairie name and incorporated as a city. Today Route 105 meets Missouri 80 near town, while East Prairie R-II runs the local elementary, middle, and high schools. East Prairie is a Bootheel place where a rail stop, a prairie name, and a school district still set the local rhythm.