Atlas Outtake #5: Houston, Texas, Missouri / Missouri, Marshall, Texas


The year before the Republic died the inhabitants of Ashley County smack dab in the south center of Missouri renamed themselves in honor of the southern nation, and named the country seat for the Republic's sometimes capital Houston, and lived liked Texians ever after.

They rid themselves of the natives and cleared the land of pine, and they platted farms that left plenty of room between neighbors and declared their loyalty to the Confederate cause just like had been done in the Republic of Texas. And when it came time to flee Jefferson City, the Missouri government-in-exile went into hiding deep down south and established its capital on South Bolivar street in Marshall, Texas, but the citizens of Texas County went on living as Texians out in the open and never once hid their allegiances. They were born again in the Baptist faith and voted their consciences Republican constant and considered themselves to be the center of things and in fact became the center of all the nation's population,* with the longest borders in the largest county in the state. The county seal bore a single sun, the day's lone star, whose light they felt revealed all that was true about the land, and as went Texas so went Texas County and the city of Houston in Missouri.

*As of the 2010 census, but the center is moving west: it always has been.