Fight Between New Town and Old Town

Residents of Springfield (MO) and North Springfield voted in the spring of 1887 to consolidate the two towns into one town under the name Springfield, but the vote was not without controversy, even after the proposal passed.

A rivalry had existed between the two towns every since North Springfield (called New Town) came into existence when the railroad came to the area in 1870 and was located a mile or so north of the public square. North Springfield grew up around the depot, and although it never rivaled Springfield (Old Town) in population or influence, it did become its own separate town with its own business district and so forth. 

In order to get New Town to agree to the consolidation, residents of Old Town accepted certain concessions, such as locating the new courthouse, the jail, and the post office near Center Street (now Central Street) fairly equidistant between the two towns, instead of on the square, where the old courthouse was. However, there was apparently still some question after the vote to consolidate as to whether the town fathers would carry through and locate the government buildings at the agreed-upon place.

In July of 1887, the Springfield Leader published a series of letters to the editor from those on either side of the issue, airing their grievances. The immediate question at the time was the location of the new jail. A writer calling himself "Center Street" made the case for locating it and the other public buildings near the intersection of Center Street and Boonville Street, as agreed on. He was answered by "Old Mossback," who argued for Old Town, where he felt real estate was more valuable and that the town was more likely to build up around the square. He thought the public square people had already made concessions in allowing the railroad to be located so far from the public square in the first place. Next came "Commercial Street" reiterating North Springfield's case, and he was followed by "Rough and Ready" who rose to the defense of Old Town. Then "Fair Play" took his turn. Despite the suggestion of objectivity in his name, he seemed to side with the public square as well.

As most people familiar with Springfield know, the jail was ultimately built near Central and Boonville, as was the new courthouse and the post office, although the old post office building is no longer a post office and a new jail has also replaced the one built on Boonville.