Wayne

Formed December 17, 1818 (15^th county)

Wayne County (10,973), Greenville (449), Piedmont (1,892)

The tan brick and masonry Art Deco courthouse was built in 1941 at Walnut and Main streets.  United States Highway 67 Business is one block south of the courthouse.  The building site features a miniature Statue of Liberty.  There were 1849, 1856, 1893 and 1925 courthouses previously all in Greenville, the only county seat.  Johnson and Maack were the designers of the current courthouse.  The town was relocated to its current site in 1940 when a dam was built on the river.  The county was established on December 17, 1818 from Cape Girardeau County as the 15^th county.  Wayne County is named for American Revolutionary War hero Anthony Wayne.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Pulaski County.  The county seat is named for Greenville, Ohio.  Wayne County was the birthplace for 1 Missouri Governor, Samuel A. Baker. 

Wayne County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Wayne, Crawford, Dent, Iron, and Reynolds counties and One County Court Judge serves Wayne County.  Wayne County is in the southeast part of the state.  Saint Louis, Missouri is north and Springfield, Missouri is west of the county.  The county center is 1 miles West of Greenville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Madison, Bollinger, Stoddard, Butler, Carter, Reynolds, and Iron counties. 

The area of the county is 761 square miles.  It is 18 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 81 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 14.4 persons per square mile making it 91 out of 115 in the state.  Wayne County has 25.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 67 goes north to south in the county from Madison County to Butler County.  The county looks like a very fat chair.  Greenville is located near the center of the county.  Piedmont is near the western border of the county.  Greenville is the county seat and Piedmont is the largest city.  Greenville is 4.1% of the county population while Piedmont is 17.2% of the county population.  The largest city is pronounced PEED-MONT.

Williamsville