Frankford brings together two distinct travel interests: the landscape of nearby Ranacker Conservation Area and a local history shaped by farming, crafts, and community institutions. When planning your visit, you can focus on nature, historical context, or both.
Landscape and Historical Traces
Near Frankford, Ranacker Conservation Area offers narrow valleys, numerous rock overhangs, and more than a mile of waterfront along Peno Creek. These are distinctive landscape features for anyone interested in the area’s natural surroundings. A historical trace is still visible there, too: remnants of a short-line railroad built in 1872 and abandoned in 1944. The railroad remains give the landscape a second dimension, tied to industrial history.
Frankford City Park is on Main Street in Frankford. Check local conditions before visiting. This gives you two distinct points of reference for planning your trip: the landscape of the nearby conservation area and the park on a street in town.
Frankford’s Development and Early Businesses
Frankford was laid out in 1819 on land owned by Solomon Fisher. In 1831, the town was platted and submitted for recording. That same year, many farmers came to Frankford seeking a home and work. The two dates mark different steps in the town’s early history: its founding on Fisher’s land and, later, its platting, as new residents sought work and a place to settle.
Solomon Fisher operated a water-powered mill on Peno Creek. It ground wheat and corn for the town and local farmers until operations ended around 1850 or 1851. A tannery owned by a Fisher Petty was established as early as 1819. Early businesses and crafts also included Reason Vermillion’s carpentry shop, Jack Bullin’s shoemaking, Solomon Petty’s saddlery, and Patrick Glen’s wagon-making.
Textile production was part of this history, too: Little Tom Cash and a man named Estes probably established Frankford’s first carding mill in 1857 or 1858. This date is uncertain. Other historic buildings include a two-story, four-room log house built by Colonel Adam Mase and known for years as “The Old Tan House.” Frankford’s first church was a large hewn-log building where services of all denominations were held.
Communities and Local History
Little Africa, a Black community, was located southeast of Frankford. Its institutions included a church, a school, a blacksmith shop, a store, and St. Peters Cemetery. The racial segregation of the time shaped this community’s social institutions. The town’s history therefore encompasses not only businesses and buildings, but also the institutions that supported community life.
The name Frankford probably comes from Frankford, Kentucky, rather than Frankfort, Germany. A history of Frankford written by Louisa Milburn in 1913 is among the holdings of the State Historical Society of Missouri. First Christian Church in Frankford, Missouri, is also associated with the “Sacred Stones and Stained Glass Windows” project and is listed there under folder 262.
Explore the History Further
If you would like to learn more about Frankford’s past, you can request access to the town’s history at the research centers of the State Historical Society of Missouri. Making an appointment is strongly recommended. This lets you combine a visit to the town with further exploration of its history, while Ranacker Conservation Area offers a separate look at the landscape and visible railroad remains.
For the broader travel overview: Pike.
