Unionville has a clear historical focus as well as specific options for recreation and activity. The Unionville Square Historic District, the Putnam County Historical Society Museum, and the Little Red School House shed light on different chapters of the town’s history. A concrete trail in the city park, a golf course, and Unionville City Lake round out the options. You can tailor your stay to architectural history, museum topics, or the activities that interest you.
Historic Traces Around the Town Square
The Unionville Square Historic District has a period of historical significance spanning 1872 to 1951. Its architectural classifications include Italianate, Colonial Revival, One- and Two-Part Commercial Block, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, and Queen Anne. Together, the time span and the various classifications give the district both a historical and an architectural framework.
The Putnam County Courthouse was built in 1924. Like most buildings around the town square, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Continental Flight 11 Memorial is located at the northeast corner of the courthouse lawn. The district identifies a longer historical period, while the courthouse is specifically identified as an individual building by its year of construction and its register listing; the memorial is another place of remembrance at this courthouse.
Museum Collections and Local History
The Putnam County Historical Society Museum houses exhibits featuring artifacts, tools, and dishes from the past; the exhibits may change. The museum also has memorabilia from the first Schaeffer Pen Company and Putnam Fadeless Dyes. The collection also includes an antique piano described as the first piano in Kirksville. The collection thus ranges from everyday objects and industrial memorabilia to an instrument with a special historical designation.
The Historic Trees Living Heritage Museum was established in 1989 by the Putnam County Historical Society. Signs beside the historic trees identify each tree. The Little Red School House tells a different kind of local history: it was first used as a country school, then moved into town, and later relocated to the park. Its history therefore includes both its former function as a school and two changes of location.
Trails, Water, and Recreation
The Unionville City Park Trail is a 0.4-mile-long, 10-foot-wide concrete trail suitable for walkers, runners, bicycles, and wheelchairs. A 2020 description gives the Prairie Trail on the PC R1 School grounds a length of 0.6 miles; half of the walking trail was accessible to wheelchairs. This older accessibility information may have changed. The City Park Trail is shorter at the stated length; check accessibility for the Prairie Trail before visiting.
The Unionville Community Pool has a zero-depth-entry area, a splash zone, a lazy river, and a winding tube water slide. A 2020 description gives the deep end a depth of 12 feet and mentions a diving board and climbing wall. These older details may have changed; check pool conditions before visiting.
The Unionville Country Club offers a nine-hole golf course with grass greens. Fees and access may change, so it is worth checking the conditions before your visit. This lets you take the specific course and its features into account when planning, without assuming that fees or access are fixed.
Unionville City Lake is stocked with sunfish, channel catfish, and largemouth bass, and is suitable for sport fishing. Fish populations and management may change. To reach the access area, drive one mile north of Unionville on Highway 5, then one mile west on County Road 120 across the dam. Road conditions may affect the drive; check the route before setting out.
For the broader travel overview: Putnam County.
