Kahoka, MO

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In 1856, William Muldrow, from New York, owned 25,000 acres in the center of Clark County, including the site where Kahoka now stands.

Buying a portion of the ground owned by Muldrow, the early settlers decided to establish a town. Surveyors were Miller Duer, Moses Clason, and William Jackson, with Hiram M. Hiller doing the actual surveying. The original charter was granted and surveying was completed in 1856. In 1856, John Dramling built the first house, a small frame building, located on the northeast corner of the square. He traded a gun and a watch for the lot.

The first business was a dram shop, on the southeast corner, operated by E. Z. Shannon. Next opened was a blacksmith shop by Mr. Houston on the west side, and a dry goods store was opened in 1858 by William Bush. By 1857 there were about six houses, mostly on the south side of town. The first Postmaster, William H. Huyck, appointed October 25, 1858, erected a building in 1857 on the northwest corner of the square. This building was later used for a Chinese laundry in the early 1890’s.

In 1857 the first school was built through contributions. John M. Allen was the first teacher. Also in 1857, a public well was dug on the northeast corner of the square.

The Kahoka House was built in 1858, also by W. H. Huyck, and was Kahoka’s first hotel. It was a two story frame building with eleven rooms. In the early sixties, John Spangler operated a wholesale house on the north side of the square, selling liquor by the drink and the jug. Also on the north side, at this time, was a general store, with John Jordan, proprietor. Sugar and tobacco barrels were behind the counter and benches out in front for friends and customers.