Welcome to the Iron County Historical Society

Since 1974, the Iron County Historical Society has been dedicated to preserving, protecting and sharing the rich history of Iron County, Missouri and its people. Through our museum, publications, programs and outreach, we can help you discover this rich history and help you with researching your own family's history. If you are already a member of the society, you can log-on by clicking on the Members Only link. If you are not already a member, we would encourage you to join us and help us to share our rich heritage with future generations. Check out our Coming Events page to keep up with the latest on upcoming historical society events and use our Blog page to get the very latest on historical society news, the latest information on changes to the website and information to assist you in researching your Iron County and other ancestors. Our museum is located inside the Arcadia Valley Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center (and AMTRAK Station) on Missouri State Highway 21 in Aradia, Missouri. We are currently open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

Miners in Front of Pilot Knob Iron Mine, 1919

July 2024 Quarterly Meeting

We hope you can join us for our July Quarterly Meeting on Sunday, July 21st at 2p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Ironton located at the corner of Reynolds and Knob streets in Ironton. David Dillard will present his program on the role of the Union Provost Marshal and their impact on the lives of the citizens of Southeast Missouri.

In border states like Missouri, loyalties were often divided. The role of the Office of the Provost Marshal, like the one at Pilot Knob, was multifaceted. It could best be described as a combination of a police force, arbitrator, intelligence agency and even a military court. With their authority to override civilian rule, they were many times hugely unpopular with their decisions seeming arbitrary and one-sided.

David Dilliard is an authority on the history of the Civil War and has spent many years researching the war's specific impact in the area of the Arcadia Valley and beyond.