Saline

Formed November 16, 1820 (25^th county)

Saline County (23,319), Marshall (13,792)

The outstanding red brick Classical Revival courthouse in Marshall was built in 1882 on a square surrounded by Arrow, Jefferson, North, and Lafayette.  United States Highway 65 Business is two blocks to the east of the courthouse.  John C. Cochrane is the architect.  The courthouse was renovated in 2009.  A working clock tower and dome are the facility’s features.  Jefferson, Jonesboro, Arrow Rock, and Marshall have all been the county seat.  There was an 1839 courthouse earlier in Arrow Rock.  Saline County was founded on November 16, 1820 from Native American Territory as the 25^th county.  The county is named for local salt springs.  The county seat is named for United States Supreme County Chief Justice John Marshall.  Saline County was the birthplace for 1 Missouri Governor, John S. Marmaduke. 

Saline County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Saline and Lafayette counties and Two County Court Judges serve Saline County.  The county is in western Missouri.  Kansas City, Missouri is west and Saint Louis, Missouri is southeast of the county.  The Missouri River forms its northern border.  The county center is 7 miles North of Marshall.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Chariton, Howard, Cooper, Pettis, Lafayette, and Carroll counties. 

The area of the county is 756 square miles.  It is 21 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 47 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 30.8 persons per square mile making it 58 out of 115 in the state.  Saline County has 77.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 70 crosses the county east to west from Cooper County to Lafayette County.  United States Highway 40 is joined with Interstate Highway 70 from Cooper to Lafayette counties.  United States Highway 65 travels north to south from Lafayette County, northwest, to Pettis County, south.  Saline County resembles a boiling pan of water.  Marshall is located slightly south and west of center in the county.  Marshall is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 59.1% of the county population.  The county is pronounced SA-LEEN.  This county is in the Marshall Micropolitan Statistical Area.