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Missouri Counties
Missouri has one hundred and fourteen counties and one independent city. St. Louis City is separate from St. Louis County and is referred to as a "city not within a county." Following the Louisiana Purchase and the admittance of Louisiana into the United States in 1812, five counties were formed out of the Missouri Territory at the first general assembly. Most subsequent counties were apportioned from these five original counties.Gasconade County, Missouri
Gasconade County Education, Geography, and History
Gasconade County is a county located in the east-central portion of the state of Missouri. Based on the 2010 census, the population was
15,222. The county seat is Hermann. The county was named after the Gasconade River.
The county is located on the south side of the Missouri River, which once served as the chief route of transportation in the state. It is
located in the area known as the Missouri Rhineland. Because of its distinctive conditions, the Hermann area was designated an American
Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983. The southern part of the county is within the larger Ozark Highlands AVA, established in 1987.
Etymology - Origin of Gasconade County Name
Named for the Gasconade River. Gasconade County (and the Gasconade River) received its name from French-speaking settlers. They came from the Gascony region in southwestern France during French colonial rule of New France (Louisiana Territory). Gasconade may be one of the early satirical nicknames, like Paincourt, meaning "short of bread" for St. Louis, which has survived. It probably derived from the French word gascon meaning "boaster, braggart" which may have been applied to the people who lived along the river and who may have been inclined to brag about their exploits when they returned to St. Louis.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
History of Gasconade County
Organized by an act of the territorial legislature on November 25, 1820, before Missouri became a state, from Franklin County. All the unorganized portion (nearly one fourth) of the state south and west was attached to it. It was frequently referred to as the "State of Gasconade." In 1841 it was divided, and Osage County formed. In 1869, thirty- six square miles were transferred to Crawford County. On the north is the Missouri River; on the west, Osage and Maries Counties; on the south, Phelps and Crawford; and on the east, Franklin County. It is named for the Gasconade River (q.v.) which empties into the Missouri River within its boundaries. It originally included most of the present Maries County. (Campbell, 208; HIST. FRANKLIN etc., 623-625; Wetmore, 75)
Source: Weber, Frank. "Place Names Of Six South Central Counties of Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1938.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 524 square miles (1,360 km2), of which 518 square miles (1,340 km2) is
land and 6.6 square miles (17 km2) (1.3%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Montgomery County (north)
- Warren County (northeast)
- Franklin County (east)
- Crawford County (southeast)
- Phelps County (south)
- Maries County (southwest)
- Osage County (west)
- Callaway County (northwest)
Education
Public schools
Gasconade County R-I School District - Hermann
Gasconade County R-II School District - Owensville
Private schools
St. George School - Hermann (PK-08) - Roman Catholic
Immanuel Lutheran School - Rosebud (PK-08) - Lutheran
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