Howard

Formed January 23, 1816 (7^th county)

Howard County (10,148), Fayette (2,795)                

The classic red brick Second Empire and Italianate courthouse was built in 1888 and reconstructed in 1970.  It sits on a square at Morrison, Main, Davis, and Church streets.  Missouri State Highway 240 is Church Street in the town.  The structure was designed by Schrage and Nichols.  A clock center tower and corner towers are the building highlights.  There were 1827 and 1857 courthouses earlier.  Franklin was the county seat until 1823 when Fayette took over.  The county was established on January 23, 1816 from Saint Louis County as the 7^th county.  It is named for Territorial Governor Benjamin Howard.  Fayette is named for Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette.  He is also the namesake of Lafayette County. 

Howard County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Howard and Randolph counties and Two County Court Judges serve Howard County.  The county is located in central Missouri.  Kansas City, Missouri is west and Saint Louis, Missouri is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6.4 miles North-Northwest of Fayette nearer Armstrong.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Randolph, Boone, Cooper, Saline, and Chariton counties.  The county has the Missouri River on its southern border. 

The area of the county is 466 square miles.  It is 92 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 85 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 21.8 persons per square mile making it 75 out of 115 in the state.  Howard County has 51.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 40 clips the southeast corner of the county from Boone County, east, to Cooper County, south.  The county looks like a ringing bell.  Fayette is near the center of the county.  Fayette is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 27.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Columbia Metropolitan Statistical Area.