Howardville, MO

Located in the Missouri Bootheel just a few miles west of the Mississippi River, Howardville is a small, quiet town in New Madrid County with fewer than 300 residents. The community was founded in the late 1940s when Black educator Travis B. Howard bought about 200 acres to sell affordable plots to displaced sharecroppers, helping families build homes and establish land ownership. Today, daily life centers around a peaceful rural setting along U.S. 61 and 62. Local kids attend the New Madrid County R-I school district, with the middle and high school campuses located just down the highway toward New Madrid. For groceries, healthcare, and everyday errands, residents make the quick drive to neighboring towns like Lilbourn, New Madrid, or Sikeston.