The land that was to become Mansfield, Missouri was purchased by F.M. Mansfield and George H. Nettleton in 1881. The railroad extended its tracks through Wright County in 1882, and Mansfield became the mail and freight distribution point for towns north to Grovespring and south to the Arkansas line, and a post office was established in Mansfield that year, along with three general stores. In 1883, a school was built and the Presbyterian church built a sanctuary there in 1884, the year that Mansfield was incorporated as a village. Due to the establishment of mining operations in the area, Mansfield’s population grew rapidly in the 1890s, and Mansfield was incorporated as a fourth-class city in 1900. Mining continued to be a significant contributor to the city’s economy until about 1920 when the Mansfield Mining and Development Company began disposing of its land to be used for farming. The city’s first major industry was the Tobin-Hamilton Shoe Company, which moved from St. Louis to Mansfield in 1955. Today, a significant portion of the city’s economy is based on tourism, as Mansfield was the last home place for Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House series, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum brings in about forty thousand visitors a season, and other events based on the author also serve to promote tourism. Mansfield is situated south of US Highway 60, west of Macomb, east of Cedar Gap and Crabbs, and north of Bryant.
Recommended Resources
Headquartered in Mansfield, Missouri, the seed company focuses on acquiring, nurturing and providing heirloom and other rare seeds, including many Asian and European varieties, which may be purchased online from the site or from its store in Mansfield. Information about Baker Creek’s farm and village is included, with directions, store hours, and contacts.
http://www.rareseeds.com/
Born in a log house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, Laura Ingalls Wilder moved, as a child, with her family through Indian Territory to Kansas, Minnesota, and Dakota Territory, where she met and married Almanzo Wilder, and they moved to Mansfield, Missouri, where they lived the remainder of their days. The family, friends, and work of the author of the Little House series of books is highlighted here.
http://www.liwfrontiergirl.com/
Serving the Mansfield, Missouri community for more than a hundred and twenty years, the bank now has branches in Ava, Fordland, Norwood, and Seymour as well. Its locations, lobby and drive-up hours, ATM locations, and contacts are posted to the site, and an overview of its personal and business banking services are included.
https://www.homepridebank.com/
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic parish in Mansfield, Missouri traces its roots back to 1893, when the first Catholic baptism was performed there in July of that year, although the first resident pastor did not come to the community until 1943. A calendar of events, liturgical schedule, mass times, and directions are offered, along with a staff directory, photographs, and a history of the church.
http://www.ihmcatholic.org/
Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum
The farmhouse on Rocky Ridge Farm, built by Almonzo Wilder, was the last home of Almonzo and his wife, Laura Ingalls Wilder. Preserved as it was in 1957, the Mansfield, Missouri house and farm serve as a museum commemorating the life of the author of the Little House series. The farm, garden, museum and store are highlighted, along with a history of the Wilder family.
http://www.lauraingallswilderhome.com/
The year-round recreational vehicle park is located along Missouri Highway A in Mansfield, Missouri. General information about its sites, features, amenities, and policies are given, along with area attractions and events. Photographs of the campground are included.
http://www.lauraingallswilderrvpark.com/
Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is a non-profit organizations made up of business people throughout the Mansfield, Missouri region, charged with promoting the economic welfare of the business community and sponsoring several community events that focus on Mansfield’s small town appeal. Membership benefits and contacts are posted, along with a business directory and calendar of events.
https://mansfieldmissourichamber.weebly.com/
The combination paid and volunteer fire department serves the city of Mansfield, Missouri and surrounding area. Its organizational structure, apparatus, membership policies, and recent call history are posted on the site, along with photographs, video, and a volunteer application.
http://mansfieldfire.net/
Offering a K-12th grade curriculum, the public school district in Mansfield, Missouri operates an elementary school, middle school, and high school, each of which are highlighted here, with schedules, menus, faculty and staff contacts and announcements.
http://mansfieldschool.net/
Based on Highway 5 in Mansfield, Missouri, the company offers twenty-four hour emergency towing services, and is able to accommodate motor homes, boats, recreational vehicles, semis, trailers, as well as cars, trucks and other vehicles, local and long distance. Its services, credentials, and customer testimonials are presented.
http://www.mansfieldtowinginc.com/
Situated on twenty-three acres just outside Mansfield, Missouri, and across the road from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home & Museum, the rental cottages each have a deck overlooking a private pond that is stocked with fish. Directions, photographs of the cottages and grounds, rates, and online bookings are featured.
http://www.mansfieldwoods.net/
Formed in 1881, and incorporated as a village in 1884, Laura Ingalls Wilder moved from South Dakota to Mansfield in 1894, where she wrote her Little House series of books based on her life. The official municipal site offers general information about the community, administrative contacts, and a guide to local attractions and events.
http://mansfieldcityhall.org/
The haunted house attraction in Mansfield, Missouri is fully staffed by local youth who are volunteering their time. General information, policies, and features of the attraction are presented, with directions, times, dates, and admission costs.
http://www.mansfieldhauntedhouse.com/
