Stoddard

Formed January 5, 1835 (50^th county)

Stoddard County (28,674), Bloomfield (1,757), Dexter (7,943)

A dark tan brick Beaux Arts courthouse constructed in 1870 serves Stoddard County.  It is on the square at Prairie and Court streets.  The building was remodeled in 1909.  A Justice Center was built across the street in 2001.  Missouri State Highway J is Prairie Street.  The courthouse architects are George Miller and Sam Henson.  A clock tower is on top and veterans’ memorial slabs are on the grounds.  A Justice Center was added in 2001.  There were 1835, 1856, and 1867 versions of the courthouse.  Bloomfield has always been the county seat although Dexter once built a courthouse.  Stoddard County was established on January 5, 1835 from Cape Girardeau County as the 50^th county.  It is named for military territorial commander Amos Stoddard.  The county seat is a geographical term for the wildflowers covering the town site. 

Stoddard County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Stoddard and Dunklin counties and Two County Court Judges serve Stoddard County.  Stoddard County is in southeast Missouri.  Saint Louis, Missouri is north and Memphis, Tennessee is southeast of the county.  The county center is 1.3 miles South-Southeast of Bloomfield.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Cape Girardeau, Scott, New Madrid, Dunklin, Butler, Wayne, and Bollinger counties. 

The area of the county is 827 square miles.  It is 11 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 38 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 34.7 persons per square mile making it 52 out of 115 in the state.  Stoddard County has 51.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 60 crosses the county east to west from New Madrid County to Butler County.  The county looks like a water jar.  Bloomfield is located near the center of the county.  Dexter is in the southern third of the county.  Bloomfield is the county seat and Dexter is the largest city.  Bloomfield is 6.1% of the county population while Dexter is 27.7% of the county population.

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