Missouri’s Picturesque River Town

Louisiana, Missouri is located on the banks of the Mississippi River 70 miles north of St. Louis on Route 79 and about 30 miles south of Hannibal. Louisiana’s first settler, John Bryson, built the first residence in 1817 and in 1818 sold some land to Samuel Caldwell and Joel Shaw; this area became the original plat of Louisiana which was mainly river-front property. Louisiana boasts over 3,000 residents, many of whom are descendants of the early settlers.

Don’t miss the Louisiana Bicentennial and Fourth of July Celebration!

Louisiana, Missouri is turning 200! Come celebrate with us from Saturday, June 30th to Wednesday, July 4th, 2018. Attractions include: parade, food vendors, Antique\Classic Car Show, Civil War re-enactment, Battle of the Bands, Beard Contest, kiddie carnival, capped off by the annual Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Fireworks show on July 4th, 2018.
See you there!

2018 Louisiana Country Colorfest

Louisiana is home to Pike County’s largest festival, the Louisiana Country Colorfest, which began in 1984. This event is held the third weekend in October and is attended by over 8,000 people annually. Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st, 2018.

Click here for nearby attractions.

Louisiana, Missouri is located in northeast Missouri, on the Mississippi River south of Hannibal. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,300.

Louisiana was founded in 1816 by John Walter Basye and named after his daughter, Louisiana Basye. Other notable early residents were Samuel Caldwell and Joel Shaw, both of whom purchased land from Bayse in1818. All three properties became the original town plat, comprised primarily of riverfront.

Louisiana proved to be a profitable shipping point on the Mississippi River, and that wealth led to numerous antebellum homes. Many of those still remain and—along with the Georgia Street Historic District in downtown Louisiana— are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources says that Louisiana has “the most intact Victorian Streetscape in the state of Missouri.”

Louisiana is one of three communities forming the 50 Miles of Art corridor; Louisiana, Clarksville and Hannibal are home to many artists and artisans. Louisiana is also home to Pike County’s largest festival, the Louisiana Country Colorfest, which began in 1984. The event is held the third weekend in October and is attended by over 8,000 people annually.

Louisiana hopes to be part of the “green energy” revolution as a former ammonia plant has been converted for the study and production of synthetic fuels.

Notable People
Jack Graney, Major League Baseball player and broadcaster, lived and died in Louisiana, Mo.
Lloyd C. Stark, Governor of Missouri 1937-41, born in Louisiana, Mo.