Marble Hill: Progressive regional hub

The town, formerly known as the Twin City communities of Marble Hill and Lutesville, lies on both sides of scenic Crooked Creek, nestled in the rural hills of Bollinger County.

The town serves as the county seat and is the home of the Missouri Dinosaur. The story of the discovery of the dinosaur, now known as Hypsibema Missouriense, is revealed through displays and exhibits at the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History located at 104 Mayfield Drive in Marble Hill.

Lying just thirty miles west of Cape Girardeau on Highway 34, Marble Hill has a population of 1,500. The city government consists of a mayor and a city council. Churches of many denominations, an excellent local school system, the dinosaur museum, summer bluegrass festivals, and recreational opportunities draw thousands of visitors yearly. The nearby Castor River recreational area boasts campgrounds and with abundant fishing and camping sites, the area being filled with sportsmen during hunting and fishing seasons and campers every summer. The natural beauty of great stands of unspoiled woods, awash in fall foliage in autumn and filled with dogwood and forsythia in the spring, bring many annual visitors eager to enjoy the glory of the Bollinger County hills.

Recreation

Will Mayfield College, established in Marble Hill in 1884 when the first two-story building was completed served the community until it was closed in 1934 due to financial difficulties. The former Arts & Sciences building of the college, situated atop a hill providing stunning views of the town and the ridges beyond, is now the home of the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History where the Missouri Dinosaur is featured along with displays encompassing geology, Indian artifacts, a photographic exhibit chronicling the history of the town, a Will Mayfield College room, and rotating temporary exhibits of local interest yearly.

Business

Once a thriving railroad-and-timber economy, the community now features many historic businesses and an active local art guild. The Cat Ranch Art Guild sponsors local arts and craft shows, the town holds an annual Fall Festival in late September, and the Bollinger County Farmers Market proffers food items and plants every Saturday throughout the summer and early fall. Long time local businesses include Lutesville MotorCompany, Wallis AG store, and Crader Equipment Company. Newer businesses in the community are Mario's Italian Restaurant and Creations Coffee Shop and Eatery.

Possibly Forrest Wolverton, a Will Mayfield College student in 1926, summed it up best: "Oh, these dream hills of Missouri will haunt me wherever I roam, and their dusky brooding shadows will beckon, come home, come home."

History

Founded in 1851 by an act of the General Assembly of the State providing for the organization of counties, the first commissioners of the new county purchased 50 acres on which to prepare a seat of justice. That area, site of the present community of Marble Hill, was first known as New California and later by the moniker of Dallas. In 1868, the name of the community was changed to Marble Hill with the town now serving as the county seat for over 138 years.

Although Missouri was in theory a neutral state during the Civil War, Bollinger County families themselves were often divided in their loyalties and there were both Union and Confederate sympathizers in the county. One skirmish in the Marble Hill area during that bloody time in American history took place in 1862 near the Laflin community. Northern and Southern troops clashed near the banks of Crooked Creek with the Confederates routing the Union troops. Three soldiers were killed and many more wounded.

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Quotes

"A warm welcome to all newcomers to the Southeast Missouri region. If you are looking for a rurual community with historical richness and an atmosphere combining natural beauty with small-town values and cultural opportunities, the friendly folks in Marble Hill, Mo, invite you for a visit."

-- Cathi Greer, Marble Hill native