Editing Rolla, Missouri (section)

==History==

The first European-American settlers in Phelps County arrived in the early 19th century, working as farmers and iron workers along the local rivers, such as the [[Meramec River|Meramec]], the [[Gasconade River|Gasconade]], and the 
[[Little Piney Creek (Missouri)|Little Piney]].  In 1842, John Webber built the first house in what became the City of Rolla.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://files.shsmo.org/manuscripts/rolla/R1502.pdf#page=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823161925/https://files.shsmo.org/manuscripts/rolla/R1502.pdf |archive-date=2021-08-23 |url-status=live |title=Webber Family Papers: Biographical Note |page=2 |website=The State Historical Society of Missouri |access-date=August 23, 2021 }}</ref> Nine years later, railroad contractor Edmund Ward Bishop, considered to be the founder of Rolla, settled in the area. The state officially established Rolla as a town in 1858.

Three stories account for how Rolla was named. One story, widely regarded as a folk legend, and acknowledged as such by the Phelps County Historical Society, arises from the competition between Rolla and neighboring Dillon, Missouri, to be designated the county seat. When Rolla was made the county seat in 1861, the residents of Dillon, having lost a round, were allowed to choose the name of the new city and named it Rolla, after a good-for-nothing hunting dog.

Another story came from a citizens' meeting about naming the town. Webber was said to prefer the name Hardscrabble (which was used to describe the soils in the region) and Bishop pushed for the name Phelps Center. George Coppedge, representing new settlers from [[North Carolina]], wanted to name the community after [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]]. Bishop broke the three-way tie by agreeing with Coppedge as long as the name was spelled properly for the region, Rolla.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.therolladailynews.com/article/20150729/news/150728853 |title=The stories behind the naming of cities |date=July 29, 2015 |work=The Rolla Daily News |first=Eddie |last=O'Neill |access-date=June 9, 2021 }}</ref>

But the one story that has some first hand evidence to back it up was that it was named after Rolla Rose of St. Louis. He and others traveled to the area in the 1840s on a hunting trip. He carved his name on a tree so that they would not get lost. His widow, Adeline Rose, related this story in the St. Louis Globe newspaper on July 19, 1903.

With numerous settlers from the South, many residents of Rolla leaned toward the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] during the [[American Civil War]]; however, the town was taken by Union forces in June 1861. They built two minor forts — [[Fort Wyman]] and [[Fort Dette]] — during their occupation.  Rolla was also the location of Camp Glover and Camp Davies.  From 1863 to 1865, Rolla was the regimental headquarters of the 5th [[Missouri State Militia (Union)|Missouri State Militia]].<ref>Hewett, J. (1994). Supplement to the Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Pub. Co. , Volume 35, p. 136</ref>

For most of its history, Rolla has served as a transportation and trading center. In 1860, it became the western terminus of the first-constructed leg of the [[St. Louis–San Francisco Railway]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://traveltips.usatoday.com/things-near-rolla-missouri-101908.html |title=Things to Do Near Rolla, Missouri |date=March 21, 2018 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |first=Meg |last=Jernigan |access-date=November 11, 2023}}</ref> colloquially known as the "Frisco Line". Today, the [[BNSF Railway]] directly runs through the town.

Rolla was also a regular stop along [[U.S. Route 66 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 66]], as it is almost located exactly halfway between the larger cities of [[St. Louis]] and [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield]].  Today, [[Interstate 44 (Missouri)|Interstate 44]], [[U.S. Route 63 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 63]], and [[Route 72 (Missouri)|Route 72]] all run through Rolla.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rollachamber.org/210.html |title=History of Rolla |access-date=2006-07-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620101325/http://rollachamber.org/210.html |archive-date=2006-06-20 }}, Rolla Chamber of Commerce, accessed 16 Jun 2008</ref>