Description
Located on the expansive divide between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, in central Adair County, 9.7 km (6 mi) east of the Chariton River.
History
Established in 1841 and named for Jesse Kirk, a local tavern owner. Kirksville was the site of a Civil War battle on 6 August 1862 where 1,000 Federal soldiers "routed 2,000 poorly armed Confederates". (US-M125/MO/p461)