This is the thirteenth article in our series about Ozarks culture and heritage in the counties of Missouri that are part of the Ozarks region. All or parts of 55 counties in Missouri are considered part of the Ozarks. Carter County is located to the south of Reynolds County, north of Ripley County, in the second tier of counties north of the border with Arkansas. The county was officially organized on March 10, 1859, and named for Zimri A. Carter, a pioneer who came to Missouri from South Carolina in 1812. It was created from portions of Ripley, Shannon and Wayne counties. The largest city and county seat of Carter County is Van Buren.
The city of Van Buren was organized in 1830 and was named for United States Secretary of State (and later President) Martin Van Buren. Until 1847, Van Buren had been the county seat of Ripley County. Shortly after the formation of Carter County, three men (Adam Lane, of Ripley County, John Bulford, of Reynolds County and D.C. Reed, of Shannon County) met on the first Monday of April 1859 at the home of James Brown to select a seat for the newly created Carter County. They selected Van Buren. Van Buren has become a major destination for recreational floating and fishing on the famous and beautiful Current River, as well as sightseeing at one of the world's largest springs, Big Spring.
Carter County is home to a variety of recreational activities, including Current River Cavern, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Peck Ranch Wildlife Refuge, Watercress Park, Big Spring National Park, and the beautiful Current River. There are thirty listings for Carter County on the National Register of Historic Places.
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