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A−History
History · Farmington

Farmington dates to 1822, and 6 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 80% of U.S. towns · #40 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it

Most of Farmington was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1990. 6 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 42 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1904 on, and the census since 1870.

1822founded
6on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
5old photos & papers
14famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Farmington’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Farmington began

When was Farmington founded?

1822

Farmington dates its founding to 1822 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1870.

First census: 393 in 18702020 census: 18,217204 years

How historic is Farmington?

A−

More historic than 80% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1817.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Farmington’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Farmington is more historic than 80% of U.S. towns, #40 of 247 in Missouri. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Farmington’s overall grade.
Founding era1822, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19409.5% of homes (±3.1) · typical MO town 8.4% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register6 listings, 45 historic buildings, 24.6 per 10,000 residents · typical MO town 2.4 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 80%
NewerOlder
Missouri towns of 2,500+ (247)Ahead of 84%

Missouri towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Missouri town has 2.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Farmington’s 24.6 sits above most of its state (83% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 45 historic buildings outnumber those of 84% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.1 points). Two sources give 1822.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Farmington’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Courthouse Square Historic District takes in 26 historic buildings.On the map since 19043 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1982. Watch Farmington change.Landmarks on the Register6 places on the National Register.Deep rootsEstablished in 1822: 204 years of Farmington.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

6 listings protect 45 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
45
each building in a district counts
first listed
1996
St. Francois County Jail and Sheriff's Residence
St. Francois County Jail and Sheriff's ResidenceJames Robinson McCormick HouseCourthouse Square Historic DistrictEast Columbia Historic DistrictPresbyterian Orphanage of MissouriFarmington State Hospital No. 4 Cemetery
BuildingsDistrictsSites

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival3
Late Victorian2
Beaux Arts2
Craftsman2
Gothic Revival1
Two-Part Commercial Block1
St. Francois County Jail and Sheriff's ResidenceGreek Revival
James Robinson McCormick HouseGreek Revival
Courthouse Square Historic DistrictGreek Revival
East Columbia Historic DistrictLate Victorian
Presbyterian Orphanage of MissouriGeorgian Revival
All 6 listings
Farmington State Hospital No. 4 CemeterySite · listed 2010

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

On the map

Farmington on the map, 1904 to 1982

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Farmington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Farmington on the 1904 USGS mapFarmington on the 1964 USGS mapFarmington on the 1982 USGS map1904Farmington sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Farmington.

The story

How Farmington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Farmington.

Read it all →

William Murphy migrated from Kentucky to this former area of La Louisiane west of the Mississippi River in 1798, when it was under Spanish rule. Calderon was searching for the ideal site to relocate his family. Tradition holds that he was aided by a local Native American, likely Osage, in finding a spring near here.

Deciding that this was an excellent place to settle, Murphy acquired a Spanish Land Grant, allowing him and his family to found a community along the St. Francois River.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Farmington, 1817 to 1986

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1817Post officeThe Murphy's Settlement post office opens
  3. 1822
    FoundingFarmington is established
  4. 1823Post officeThe Murphy's Settlement post office closes
  5. 1825Post officeThe Farmington post office opens
  6. 1873Born hereCharles E. Sebastian is born here
  7. 1889Born hereHerbert Asbury is born here
  8. 20th century
  9. 1900In the archiveEast Columbia Street
  10. 1904On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 1907Born hereRobert Moore Williams is born here
  12. 1986Born hereJake Arrieta is born here
By decade

Farmington, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s1 item
East Columbia Street1900East Columbia Street
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Date unknown4 to date
SpringhouseDate?SpringhouseBruett HouseDate?Bruett HouseMurphy HouseDate?Murphy HouseWeber HouseDate?Weber House
Today7 recent
Farmington, Missouri2026Farmington, MissouriFarmington Post Office2026Farmington Post OfficeFarmington MO City Hall2026Farmington MO City HallFarmington Courthouse Annex2026Farmington Courthouse AnnexFarmington, Missouri2019Farmington, MissouriPresbyterian Orphanage of Missouri2017Presbyterian Orphanage of MissouriJames Robinson McCormick House2017James Robinson McCormick House
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

East Columbia Street
Retake this viewEast Columbia Street, 1900

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Farmington’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Farmington, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,0001880190019201940196019802000202018,217

Grew from 393 people in 1870 to 18,217 in 2020, more than tenfold.

16 censuses, 1870–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Farmington’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

14 famous people were born in Farmington

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Jake ArrietaAmerican baseball player · b. 1986
H
Herbert AsburyAmerican journalist · b. 1889
R
Robert Moore WilliamsAmerican writer · b. 1907
Charles E. SebastianAmerican mayor · b. 1873
Andrew Conway IvyAmerican physician · b. 1893
K
Kyle RichardsonAmerican football player · b. 1973
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, places now gone and burying grounds

Farmington’s post office has been open since 1825. Another post office, Murphy's Settlement, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Murphy's Settlement
1817–1823
Farmington
1825–today
18101920today
Gone or out of use
State Hospital Quarrymine
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Farmington
HuntMasonic Cemetery of FarmingtonNew CalvaryOld CalvarySaint Paul Lutheran

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Farmington’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Farmington’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo4 archive items have no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewEast Columbia Street: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Questions about Farmington’s history

What year was Farmington founded?

In 1822, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Farmington’s post office opened in 1817, and the census of 1870 counted 393 people here.

How does Farmington rank for history?

Farmington is more historic than 80% of U.S. towns, #40 of 247 in Missouri. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Farmington?

6 listings: 2 buildings, among them the St. Francois County Jail and Sheriff's Residence (listed 1996, the first), 3 historic districts, the Courthouse Square Historic District, the East Columbia Historic District and the Presbyterian Orphanage of Missouri, with 42 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 45 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Farmington?

10% of Farmington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1990.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (7), the Library of Congress (5), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.