Heritage Hill Tour

Montgomery County History Center

Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum

Red Oak History:

The first settlers came to Red Oak in the early 1850's.  However, the community's growth really began with the arrival of the railroad in 1869.  On March 20, 1876, the town was officially named Red Oak Junction.  In 1901, the "Junction" was dropped and the city became known as Red Oak.

With the arrival of the railroad, Red Oak became a frenzy of activity.  The population of Montgomery County, of which Red Oak is the county seat, tripled in size between 1870 and 1880.  Red Oak became the trade center for the area with industries such as meat-packing, a brewery, a glove factory, buggy manufacturing, a cannery, flour mills, and a brick and tile works.

In 1888, two enterprising young men, Edmond Osborne and Thomas D. Murphy, purchased a woodcut of the Montgomery County Courthouse that was under construction at the time.  To offset the expense of the woodcut, they decided to sell advertising around the picture and add a calendar pad.  Because of their venture, Red Oak became known as the birthplace of the art calendar industry.  The Thos. D. Murphy Co., was in existence for over 100 years.

Red Oak's spectacular collection of turn-of-the-century homes reflects the wealth the railroad brought to the area from 1870 to 1916.  Because of the railroad, building materials such as wood, stone, marble and granite could be delivered from other parts of the country.  The size of the home made a statement as to the financial success of the owner.

Red Oak has a proud military history.  During World War I, Red Oak's Company M went to the front lines with a full strength of 250.  They fought at Belleau Woods, the Argonne Forest, Sr. Mickel and Swepps.  In the end, the Company suffered 160 casualties with 52 killed in action.  In World War II, Red Oak received national publicity because of the large number of casualties in the European conflict.  On March 6, 1943, more than 100 telegrams arrived with the news of soldiers missing in action.  In April, official reports confirmed that 27 had been taken prisoner at Faid Pass.  Every Memorial Day the cemetery is lined with American Flags and the Court of Honor presents a memorial ceremony.  Veterans Day programs are also a part of remembering Red Oak's military history.

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Heritage Hill Tour:
Take a stroll or drive along Red Oak's historic Heritage Hill Tour and experience the community's hallmark collection of turn-of-the-century architecture.  The tour embodies a wide range of architectural styles including excellent examples of Queen Anne, Georgian, Italianate, English Tudor, Colonial Revival, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style. The locations that are included on the Heritage Hill Tour were built from the 1870's through 1916.

The tour begins at the Montgomery County Courthouse, built in 1890 of red Missouri limestone.  This interesting building of Richardsonian Romanesque design is listed on the National Historic Preservation Register and still has the historic interior intact.  Your tour ends at one of Red Oak's most outstanding attractions, the Chautauqua Pavilion located in Chautauqua Park.  This pavilion, built in 1907, is the largest covered pavilion west of the Mississippi and is also listed on the National Historic Preservation Register. 

Other places of interest include the Carnegie Library, the Murphy Calendar Company building and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Depot, which has been restored to its original 1903 charm, and houses a WWII Memorial Museum.

Places listed on the National Historic Register include:  Montgomery County Jail, Montgomery County Courthouse, Chautauqua Pavilion, Red Oak Library, the Osborne House, and the Colonel Hebard House.

Brochure/maps of the tour are available at the Red Oak Chamber of Commerce.