Marionville, MO

Marionville is a Lawrence County city in southwest Missouri, platted in 1854 near seven natural springs. The 2020 census counted 2,054 residents. Its signature oddity is a colony of white squirrels, associated with the town since the 1800s and still visible around yards near Ozarks Methodist Manor. The unusual animals are part of the town's everyday visual shorthand, too. The name is often linked to Francis Marion, though local history says that explanation is mistaken, so even the name comes with a small local footnote.

September's Apple Fest returns each year on the third weekend with vendors, food trucks, music, and a children's area. The festival ties the white squirrels and old orchard history to a present-day downtown gathering, while Marionville R-IX schools and the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library branch supply everyday institutions. Marionville's local scoop is a Missouri town where an unusual animal population, spring-fed settlement history, and an apple festival give a small Ozarks town an unmistakable calling card.