Scott

Formed January 2, 1822 (28^th county)

Scott County (38,058), Benton (869), Sikeston (16,289)

The 1912 light red brick Beaux Arts and Federalist courthouse is on a square at Winchester, Missouri, New Madrid, and Tywappity streets.  Winchester Street is United States Highway 61 in the town.  The building was designed by Henry H. Hohenschild.  Marble stairs are featured in the structure.  A Judicial Building was added in 1978.  There were 1820, 1844, 1855, 1863, and 1883 versions of the courthouse earlier.  Benton and Commerce have served as county seat.  Scott County was organized on January 2, 1822 from New Madrid County as the 28^th county.  The county is named for Congressman John Scott.  The county seat’s namesake is Senator Thomas Hart Benton.  He is also the source for Benton County.  Commerce was the county seat from 1864-1878. 

Scott County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a collector, a coroner, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge serves Scott and Mississippi counties and Two County Court Judges and a court clerk serve Scott County (judicial.)  Scott County is on the southeast border with Illinois.  The Mississippi River forms its eastern border.  Saint Louis, Missouri is northwest and Memphis, Tennessee is south of the county.  The county center is 5.6 miles Southwest of Benton nearer Morley.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Illinois and Mississippi, New Madrid, Stoddard, and Cape Girardeau counties. 

The area of the county is 421 square miles.  It is 104 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 30 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 90.4 persons per square mile making it 21 out of 115 in the state.  Scott County has 69.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 55 passes north to south through the county from Cape Girardeau County to New Madrid County.  United States Highway 61 parallels Interstate Highway 55 from Cape Girardeau to New Madrid counties.  United States Highway 62 clips the southwest corner from Mississippi County, east, to Stoddard County, west.  The county is shaped like the State of Wisconsin.  Benton is in the northern third of the county.  Sikeston is on the southern border of the county.  Benton is the county seat and Sikeston is the largest city.  Benton is 2.3% of the county population while Sikeston is 42.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Sikeston Micropolitan Statistical Area.