BOONVILLE, a city in the central part of Missouri, U.S.A., on the right bank of the Missouri river 150m. W. by N. of St. Louis; the county seat of Cooper county. It lies on high land above the river, and includes a small area in Howard county. across the river, around the northern approach to the fine high way bridge. It is on Federal highway 4o, and is served by the Missouri Pacific and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railways. The population in 1920 was 4,665, and in 1930 by the Federal census it was 6,435. The natural resources of the region include Loess soil on the bluffs, a variety of clays and shales, stone, coal, and other minerals. Among the industries are a chick hatchery, two creameries, a flour mill, a brick plant, sand works, marble works, and the largest corncob-pipe factory in the world. The State train ing school for boys (1889) and Kemper Military Academy are here. There is an Indian mound in Harley Park.
Boonville was settled in 181o, incorporated as a village in 1839, and chartered as a city in 1896. It was named after Daniel Boone. In the pioneer days it was one of the most im portant trading posts of the region, as traffic to the south-west ascended the Missouri to this point, and then went on by wagon train over the Santa Fe trail. During the Civil War it was in hotly contested territory, and an engagement took place here June 17, 1861.