Rocky Fork Township, Boone County, Missouri Explained

Official Name:Rocky Fork Township
Settlement Type:Township
Coordinates:39.0904°N -92.2284°W
Coordinates Footnotes:[1]
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Missouri
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Boone
Population As Of:2012
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Area Code:573
Blank Name:GNIS Feature ID

Rocky Fork Township is one of ten townships in Boone County, Missouri, USA.[2] The city of Hallsville is the largest settlement in the township.

History

Rocky Fork Township was established in 1821.[3] Settled mainly by settlers from the upland south (Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee), the township was named after the Rocky Fork branch of the Roche Perche Creek, which was in turn named after a large rock shelf at the confluence of the two streams. The original route of the Boone's Lick Road entered Boone County from the east here. The Battle of Mount Zion Church occurred in this township during the American Civil War.

Geography

Bourbon Township covers an area on the northeast side of Boone County. The township contains one incorporated settlement: Hallsville. The unincorporated communities of Mt. Zion and Middleton are also within the bounds. There are at least seven major cemeteries located within its area including: Red Top, Hicks, Kincaid, and Palmer. The main waterway is the Rocky Fork Creek, after which the township is named. In the far east is the Little Cedar Creek. In some areas the land was extensively mined for coal, first using shafts and later strip mining.

Finger Lakes State Park, Rocky Fork Conservation Area, and The Pinnacles Youth Park are located here.

This natural area is within Pinnacles Park. From the intersection of Interstate 70 and Highway 63 in Columbia, travel north on Highway 63 for 12 miles and turn right (east) onto Pinnacles Road. Follow the road about a half mile east to the park entrance.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [{{GNIS 3|766335}} Township of Rocky Fork ]. Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . 2014-01-26.
  2. Web site: Rocky Fork township, Boone County, Missouri. United States Census Bureau. August 24, 2013.
  3. Web site: Boone County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived). The State Historical Society of Missouri. 4 September 2016. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071013/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_boone.html. 24 June 2016.
  4. Web site: The Pinnacles . Missouri Department of Conservation . 2013-12-16.