Missouri Towns That Changed Their Names

Several Towns Across Missouri Decided that Change Is Good

The one thing that is constant – is change. Over the course of Missouri’s 200-plus years, several towns have changed their names. It happens for a number of reasons such as:

Honoring a valuable citizen
Better Marketing
Avoiding confusion
Burying the past

Here are some of the towns in Missouri that have changed names over the years.

Pacific

Initially named Franklin, the town was renamed Pacific in 1859 to honor the railroad that ran through town. Plus, there is another Franklin in mid-Missouri.

Columbia

The settlement was first called Smithton before being renamed Columbia in 1821. The new name was chosen to reflect a patriotic and historical nickname of the times.

Osage Beach

The original name of Osage Beach was Zebra. The settlement was founded in 1886 before officially becoming Osage Beach in 1935 after the Lake of the Ozarks was formed.

Branson West:

The town has changed names a couple of times. The city was originally called Linchpin, then officially changed its name to Lakeview before becoming Branson West in 1992 to capitalize on the growth of neighboring Branson.

Kansas City:

Originally Westport Landing, it was incorporated as the Town of Kansas in 1850. It became the City of Kansas in 1853 and was renamed Kansas City in 1889.

Tightwad:

The original name of Tightwad was Edgewood. There are several theories floating around the web, but the one most recognized is a frustrated postmaster who was charged an extra 50 cents for a watermelon and called the shopkeeper a “tightwad” for being stingy.

Ballwin:

This town was originally named “Ballshow.” But that didn’t last too long. The name was changed to Ballwin two days later, due to some sort of rivalry with nearby Manchester.