The home of
generals
Greatness springs from tiny Keytesville
by
Bob McEowen
 |
From tiny acorns, mighty oaks
grow. Likewise, great men rise from humble beginnings. Tiny Keytesville,
population 564, was home to one congressman, a state Supreme Court
judge and two great warriors — Civil
War Confederate Gen. Sterling Price and Gen. Maxwell Taylor, who saw
duty in the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge.
Founded in 1832 by Englishman James Keyte, Keytesville quartered Union
troops during the Civil War but was surrendered to Confederates, who
burned the courthouse. A replacement courthouse was also destroyed
by fire in 1973. Today Keytesville, though much smaller than nearby
Brunswick, remains the judicial seat of Chariton County.
Visitors to Keytesville, located along Highway 24 near the Chariton
River, can see a number of antebellum homes, including the Redding-Hill
House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
A small park in town (shown on our cover) features a gazebo and a memorial
to Gen. Price. A nearby city park is named in honor of Gen. Taylor.
A small veteran’s memorial (shown at left) stands in front of
the courthouse. Nearby, the Chariton County Jail and Sheriff’s
Residence is also on the national register and is slated to become
a museum.
A small museum honoring Gen. Price is located at 412 W. Bridge St.
For information about hours of operation call (816) 288-3204.