La Russell is a small village in eastern Jasper County very near the Lawrence County line. It was laid out in 1903 during construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and named for railroad official Russell Harding. The community became an important railroad stop and shipping point in 1905 with the completion of the White River Line connecting Carthage to northern Arkansas.
La Russell thrived during its first decade of existence, being at the peak of its prosperity when a Springfield newspaperman visited the place in 1911. The reporter found a booming little village with a population of about 260 people. Among its businesses, the town had a bank, a hotel, a hardware store, and a general merchandise store. It also had "many good homes," two churches, and a "substantial brick high school."
The newspaperman mentioned a "water system" that the town had installed. This was likely a reference to the hand water pump that, to this day, still stands in the middle of La Russell's main street. Over the years, the pump has been blamed for numerous vehicle accidents, and some people have sought to have it removed as a safety measure. Those who oppose such a move, however, argue that the pump is a historic landmark that should be preserved.
In the years and decades that followed the newspaperman's visit in 1911, La Russell declined in population rather precipitously. By 1950, the population stood at only 82 residents. It has since rebounded somewhat and nowadays has a population of about 135 people.
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