This week on Show Me Missourah, Scott traveled to the southeastern tip of the state to explore Pemiscot County—home to some of the richest farmland in Missouri. Joined by local guests, he dug into the deep roots of a county shaped by the river, the soil, and the resilience of its people.
A Little About Pemiscot County
Founded on February 19, 1851, Pemiscot County became Missouri’s 102nd county, covering 513 square miles of fertile delta land. The county’s name comes from a local bayou, derived from the Fox word pem-eskaw, meaning “liquid mud.”
The area’s history stretches back centuries. The Murphy Mound Archeological Site suggests Native American settlement as early as 1200 CE. The first European settler, Francois Lesieur, arrived in 1794 at La Petite Prairie near modern-day Caruthersville.
The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812 devastated the region, destroying early settlements and driving residents away. It would take decades for the area to recover and resettle.
Pemiscot County’s first seat was Gayoso, where early courthouses were repeatedly destroyed by fire and flooding. After the last major flood, the county seat moved to Caruthersville, where a new courthouse was completed in 1925, designed by noted Missouri architect Henry Hohenschild.
During the Civil War, Pemiscot County saw no major battles but endured ongoing guerrilla warfare and skirmishes. Confederate General Jeff Thompson, known as the “Swamp Fox,” used the swampy terrain to conduct raids on Union forces. The conflict was so disruptive that Pemiscot County’s government was placed under New Madrid County’s supervision from 1864 to 1866.
By the late 19th century, the Saint Francis Levee District was created to drain the swampy lands, opening the region to large-scale farming and reshaping its future.
From ancient mound builders and early settlers to Civil War turmoil and agricultural triumph, Pemiscot County’s story is one of endurance, adaptation, and deep Missouri heritage.
Listen to the full episode of the Show Me Missourah Podcast: Pemiscot County.