On March 8, 1859, Christian became the 113th of Missouri’s 114 counties. It was carved from portions of Greene, Taney and Webster Counties, the latter two having earlier taken their territories also from Greene County.
Here, water formed the land and the lifestyle – from the valley-spanning entrance to Smallin Cave; the water mills along the James and Finley Rivers where settlements began; and the hills and hollows along Bull Creek, Swan Creek and lesser streams where residents sometimes supplemented their incomes with illegal stills to the spas that thrived in the 1880’s near springs at Reno and Eau de Vie; trout hatcheries enjoying a current revival; and the may social activities that centered about the streams.
Christian County’s location between Missouri’s third largest city, Springfield, and America’s music boomtown, Branson, has fueled growth that increased the 1980 population of 22,402 by nearly 150% to the 2000 population 54,285. Estimates for population at the end of 2003 ranges from about 60,000 to around 62,000.
Source: ChristianCountyMo.gov
Centrally located between Springfield, MO and Branson, MO on State Highway 65.