Editing Festus, Missouri (section)

== History ==
Festus originated as an outgrowth of older neighbor [[Crystal City, Missouri|Crystal City]]. It was established in 1878 by an individual named W. J. Adams, and was known as "Tanglefoot", supposedly because of situations involving drinkers from the local glass factory, who would drunkenly get their feet tangled in brush on their way home.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://jeffcomohistory.org/LisasHistoryArticles/JeffCountyHistory.pdf |title=The History of Jefferson County Missouri |author=Lisa K. Gendron}}</ref> The city was later called Limitville, but eventually "Festus" was chosen, purported to be in honor of St. Louis banker, Festus J. Wade. Others claim the town's name was picked at random by a preacher who sat there, opened the Bible, and pointed to the name "Festus" in the Book of Acts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=JOIN-N - Jefferson County History - Crystal City and Festus |url=http://www.jeffersoncountyonline.org/history/crystalcity_festus1.shtml#:~:text=The%20town%20was%20incorporated%20in,its%20first%20businesses%20were%20saloons. |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=www.jeffersoncountyonline.org}}</ref> The City of Festus was incorporated in 1888 and grew to be one of the largest towns in the county. A post office called Festus has been in operation since 1883.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Jefferson |title=Post Offices |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |access-date=19 October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019143136/http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Jefferson |archive-date=19 October 2016 }}</ref>

One of the founders of Festus was John Brierton, the great-grand-uncle of [[John Bruton]], the prime minister or Taoiseach of Ireland, who visited the city of Festus and his family's grave in [[De Soto, Missouri]], in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stroseparish.info/calvary-cemetery|title=Families of Calvary Cemetery|access-date=2024-12-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.festusmo.gov/Archive/ViewFile/Item/329|title=Festus Focus: March 1, 2024|access-date=2024-12-16}}</ref>