Area Information

The first area settlers came in 1818 and settled along the river. By 1853, Edmund Ward Bishop, the founder of Rolla, came here to build the "Frisco Branch of the Southwest Railroad." Phelps County was created in 1857 from portions of Pulaski, Maries and Crawford counties. In 1858 Rolla was officially surveyed, laid out and named. After rejecting the names of Phelps Center and Hardscrabble, George Coppedge, a settler and originally from North Carolina, favored "Raleigh" after his hometown. The others agreed on condition that it was spelled 'Rolla.'

Our public school system is an A+ rated, Blue Ribbon School and is nationally recognized for excellence. The Missouri University of Science & Technology is one of the leading universities in the world in engineering and technology. It is also known as a leader in solar car racing and development. Amoung the many items you will find on campus is a Stonehenge replica, an experimental mine and even a nuclear reactor. Phelps County Regional Medical Center is the area's leader in surgery, oncology, radiology, orthopedics, internal medicine and emergency medicine. It is the regional referal center for south central Missouri. Rolla is served by more than 50 health and human service agencies. Among many area attractions you can tour the Ozark Highland Winemakers and taste fine Missouri wines or visit Maramec Spring Park and Onyx Mountain Caverns. The UMR Campus Performing Arts brings world-renowned theatre, ballet and symphony programs to the culturally minded. The Remmers Lecturer and Artist Series features such notable speakers as Margaret Thatcher, Gerald Ford and Colin Powell. The Regional Opera Company and Ozark Actors Theatre productions also keep our community well entertained with a variety of productions. Rivers, hills and springs are all part of the natural appeal of Missouri's Ozark Heritage Region. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is the heart of the region with 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers. It's all here: canoeing, rafting, fishing, trout streams, hunting, hiking and horseback riding. We are truly the "Gateway to the Ozarks" with some of the finest recreational areas in America from the Ozark rivers to the lights in Branson to the excitement of the St Louis metro area. Tour Ozark Highland Winemakers for an introduction to the finest Missouri wines. Visit Maramec Spring Park (averages 96 million gallons of water a day) and Onyx Mountain Caverns, just to name a few places you can easily access from Rolla. This is a great area to pursue the American dream. We're a small town with all the big city conveniences. Come and see for yourself. Let us make your real estate dreams come true.

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