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The River
Originally swamps, trees, and Indian tribes, the area began to draw scouts, hunters and even outlaws. Traveling the Mississippi River in steamboats, farmers, loggers and settlers began to see the advantages of this area that became Osceola. The steamboat captains gave the town its original name of ‘Plumb Point’. According to Mark Twain in his Life on the Mississippi, when one steamboat would inquire of another where to find wood for the steamboats, they were told to “go plumb to the point”, where enterprising settlers had stacked wood to sell. This was the beginning of Osceola. Loggers soon found that the abundance of many different kinds of wood was their dream, and soon the area was covered with fallen trees. Farmers heading down river for land noticed the rich Delta soil, and stepped off the steamboats to start a new life farming in land that could grow almost any crop. They soon found that cotton would produce almost unbelievable crops, and the combination of soil and warm temperatures soon made cotton ‘king’. As cotton was raised, it was not unusual for 500 bales of cotton to be loaded on steamboats to be sold for local farmers. Some of the earliest scouts were Carson and Kellems, and some of the earliest settlers included the Edrington, Driver and Hale families, among others.

Welcome!
Located in the former Fred G. Patterson Mercantile Store, on the Courthouse Square in historic downtown Osceola, the Mississippi County Museum, operated b by the Mississippi County Historical & Genealogical Society is a true local history museum. The hands on museum is packed with a variety of art, objects, documents, furniture, and advertisements telling the story of the community and its residents.
The museum includes a gift shop & research center.
Great River Road
The Mississippi County Museum is one of more than 70 museums and historic sites showcasing fascinating stories of the Mississippi River. More information about interpretive centers on the Great River Road website.