Steelville Main Street

Steelville Main Street

(Including Facts About Steelville)

By: Owen McPeters and Damien Ragan

Steelville was originally known as “Valley of Springs.”  The first settlers in Steelville were William Britton, who built a small grist mill along the Yadkin Creek, and James Steel, who operated a trading post. The town of Steelville originated on December 18, 1835 when James Steel purchased 40 acres of land from the United States Government for $50, and was appointed as Commissioner, to lay out the city. Britton remained in the area. Steel, according to census, moved northward to continue his interest in mining.  Fifty years later, in 1885, the town was incorporated as a city of the fourth class.  At this time, there were 500 residents of the city.

Steelville’s Main Street has seen a lot of history. The Flood of 1898 that wiped out half of the town, and the Fire of 1904 leaving five blocks of Steelville in ashes, required the town to be rebuilt twice, within 6 years.  There have been many other changes and additions since that time.

We had a three-story hotel, the Gibson Hotel (present location of Family Inheritance Antiques), which was erected in 1890, but burned in the fire of 1904. Hotel Main was a hotel, straight across from the courthouse, built in 1909.  Steelville had general stores, hardware/appliance stores, lumber companies, meat markets, grocers, clothing stores, hotels, and restaurants. For a while, we had a bustling economy and a well-rounded society.  After the fire in 1904, the Soda Fountain (present day Pop Scherer’s) was included in a building erected on Main Street. Many people went there for food and a 10 cent Coke.

In 1925, bank robbers came to town. A bank in Steelville, Crawford County Farmers Bank, was the target of a bank robbery. One robber was killed, two were wounded, and one was taken into custody. There was only one Steelville resident, in the adjoining building, A.D Schwieder, who was shot in the legs, yet survived.

There are 1,672 residents as of 2019.  There were 638 households, and families in Steelville. This town is also home to the great Meramec River, and several smaller creeks. Each summer, people from all over come to float and enjoy this beautiful place in nature.