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DHistory
History · Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood dates to 1940

More historic than 7% of U.S. towns · #236 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it

Most of Fort Leonard Wood was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1996. Below: maps from 1942 on and the census since 1970.

1940founded
0on the National Register
2%homes built before 1940
7famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Fort Leonard Wood began

When was Fort Leonard Wood founded?

1940

Fort Leonard Wood dates its founding to 1940 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1970.

First census: 33,799 in 19702020 census: 15,95986 years

How historic is Fort Leonard Wood?

D

More historic than 7% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1879.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Fort Leonard Wood’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fort Leonard Wood is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #236 of 247 in Missouri. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fort Leonard Wood’s overall grade.
Founding era1940, from Wikidata: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 19401.6% of homes (±2.0) · typical MO town 8.4% · U.S. 8.4%C−National RegisterNo listings counted · typical MO town 2.4 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 7%
NewerOlder
Missouri towns of 2,500+ (247)Ahead of 4%

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 Fort Leonard Wood’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±2.0 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1940.

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 Fort Leonard Wood’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Fort Leonard Wood are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Fort Leonard Wood.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Fort Leonard Wood’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Fort Leonard Wood’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, places now gone and burying grounds

Fort Leonard Wood’s post office has been open since 1947. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Tribune
1879–1941
Wildwood
1907–1933
Fort Leonard Wood
1947–today
18701950today
Gone or out of use
Dry Creek ChurchchurchDry Creek SchoolschoolOld Indian Lead MinemineTribunelocale
1cemetery inside Fort Leonard Wood
Rockwell

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

The story

How Fort Leonard Wood came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Fort Leonard Wood.

Read it all →

Prior to the establishment of the current Fort Leonard Wood, the name was used in 1928 to rename Camp Meade in central Maryland when it was decided that the facility, originally established as a temporary World War I cantonment, would become a permanent military post. However, after a brief time, the change of name was successfully challenged by U.S. legislators from Pennsylvania (where George G. Meade, hero of the Battle of Gettysburg, was from), and the name was changed back to Fort Meade. This left the name "Leonard Wood" unused. In 1939, Congress approved the purchase of a 40,000-acre tract of land near Leon, Iowa, for use as a military reservation, but did not authorize funds to do so at the time. During U.S. precautionary mobilization which began in the summer of 1940, acquisition of the land was approved and U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall approved the constru…

Chapters2010 New Year's Eve tornado

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Fort Leonard Wood, 1879 to 1969

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1879Post officeThe Tribune post office opens
  3. 20th century
  4. 1907Post officeThe Wildwood post office opens
  5. 1933Post officeThe Wildwood post office closes
  6. 1940
    FoundingFort Leonard Wood is established
  7. 1941Post officeThe Tribune post office closes
  8. 1942On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1947Post officeThe Fort Leonard Wood post office opens
  10. 1955Born hereMike Coffman is born here
  11. 1961Born hereElizabeth Hernandez is born here
  12. 1968Born hereRobert ParkeHarrison is born here
  13. 1969Born hereJordan Sonnenblick is born here
By decade

Fort Leonard Wood, decade by decade

Today30 recent
2012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-00620122012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-0062012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-00520122012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-0052012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-00420122012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-0042012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-00220122012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-0022012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-00120122012 Combatives Tournament 120503-A-LM667-001All in the Family DVIDS3632732011All in the Family DVIDS363273A visit to Sapper Grove, New Memorial Wall for fallen engineers at Fort Leonard Wood 111104-A-CE999-0012011A visit to Sapper Grove, New Memorial Wall for fallen…A boy shakes hands with a U.S. Soldier during a deployment ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Dec. 5, 2011 111205-A-NF…2011A boy shakes hands with a U.S. Soldier during a deplo…988th MPs bid farewell to final security squad DVIDS4933812011988th MPs bid farewell to final security squad DVIDS4…80th Training Command's 2013 best warriors 110531-A-KD890-955201180th Training Command's 2013 best warriors 110531-A-K…5th Engineer Battalion welcomes new senior leader DVIDS44317620115th Engineer Battalion welcomes new senior leader DVI…5th Engineer Battalion welcomes new senior leader DVIDS44317520115th Engineer Battalion welcomes new senior leader DVI…512th MP Company returns to Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS3679362011512th MP Company returns to Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS36…512th MP Company returns to Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS3679352011512th MP Company returns to Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS36…4th MEB soldiers get a day at the museum DVIDS41799920114th MEB soldiers get a day at the museum DVIDS417999463d MP Company heads downrange DVIDS4949122011463d MP Company heads downrange DVIDS4949123 FLW Soldiers die of wounds suffered in Sept. 28 improvised explosive device attack in Afghanistan DVIDS46701520113 FLW Soldiers die of wounds suffered in Sept. 28 imp…2011 MP Hall of Fame awards, Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS45967820112011 MP Hall of Fame awards, Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS4…2011 Best Warrior Competition DVIDS47234620112011 Best Warrior Competition DVIDS472346Untitled photo2011Untitled photoA Commissioned Vision Becomes a Reality DVIDS3333692010A Commissioned Vision Becomes a Reality DVIDS3333695th Engineer Battalion - Fallen Fighter Recognition Ceremony DVIDS28225820105th Engineer Battalion - Fallen Fighter Recognition C…4th MEB Soldiers Assist With Vibrant Response 11.1 DVIDS30986120104th MEB Soldiers Assist With Vibrant Response 11.1 DV…4th MEB Soldier to Compete for III Corps Soldier of the Year Title DVIDS29057220104th MEB Soldier to Compete for III Corps Soldier of t…463rd 1st Sgt. Receives Marechaussee Award DVIDS2970512010463rd 1st Sgt. Receives Marechaussee Award DVIDS297051Untitled photo2010Untitled photo701st MP Battalion handler holding onto military working dog during tandem jump at Fort Leonard Wood Defense.gov photo …2009701st MP Battalion handler holding onto military work…2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show - Fort Bragg DVIDS22043720092009 U.S. Army Soldier Show - Fort Bragg DVIDS22043722nd MEU CBRN Defense Team Trains at Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS134739200822nd MEU CBRN Defense Team Trains at Fort Leonard Woo…22nd MEU CBRN Defense Team Trains at Fort Leonard Wood DVIDS134737200822nd MEU CBRN Defense Team Trains at Fort Leonard Woo…
On the map

Fort Leonard Wood on the map, 1942 to 2004

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

Fort Leonard Wood on the 1942 USGS mapFort Leonard Wood on the 1954 USGS mapFort Leonard Wood on the 1976 USGS mapFort Leonard Wood on the 1985 USGS mapFort Leonard Wood on the 2004 USGS map1942Waynesville 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 Fort Leonard Wood.

People over time

Fort Leonard Wood, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,000198020002020Peak: 33,799

Between 13,666 and 33,799 people in every census since 1970.

6 censuses, 1970–2020.

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

Famous people

7 famous people were born in Fort Leonard Wood

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

See all →
Mike CoffmanAmerican politician · b. 1955
R
Robert ParkeHarrisonAmerican photographer · b. 1968
Jordan SonnenblickAmerican writer · b. 1969
E
Elizabeth HernandezAmerican politician · b. 1961
Rick DantzlerAmerican politician · b. 1956
M
Mark GrunerAmerican actor · b. 1958
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

St. RobertIts storyD

Questions about Fort Leonard Wood’s history

What year was Fort Leonard Wood founded?

In 1940, according to Wikidata. Fort Leonard Wood’s post office opened in 1879, and the census of 1970 counted 33,799 people here.

How does Fort Leonard Wood rank for history?

Fort Leonard Wood is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #236 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.

How old are the homes in Fort Leonard Wood?

2% of Fort Leonard Wood’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1996.

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 (30), 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.