Bethany, Missouri
Bethany is a city of 3,080 people in Harrison County, Missouri, founded in January 6, 1860.
Why visit Bethany
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails, 8 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Hamilton House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 21 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Bethany
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bethany
Bethany is a city in, and the county seat of, Harrison County, Missouri, approximately midway between Kansas City and Des Moines on Interstate 35. The population was 2,915 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Bethany, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Hamilton House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Missouri, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes8
DQ Grill & Chill
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 0.8 mi
3901 Miller Street, Bethany
Mo-Sa 10:30-22:30; Su 11:00-21:30
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 1.1 mi
4132 Miller Street, Bethany
Mo-Th 08:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-01:00; Su 08:00-24:00
Where to stay3
History
European settlement of Harrison County began c. 1838, although the land was not surveyed and opened for entry until 1842. The county is named after Albert C. Harrison, a 19th-century Missouri political figure. Many of the early settlers to the area homesteaded along Sugar Creek and in the Bethany area. Three commissioners deliberated for several days to determine a site for the county seat, and voted to site it in the southern part of the county. The original name of the community was Dallas.
In June 1845, John S. Allen was appointed to survey the town into lots and offer the same for sale. The plat, covering 19 acres (7.7 hectare), was completed on June 27, 1845.
The first home constructed in the community was built by John S. Allen. Although built as a residence, it was primarily used to store the first stock of goods brought to the community. It was destroyed by fire in 1864.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad reached Bethany in 1880. Two other railroad lines were also later laid into the county. The railroad influenced the economy and environment of the community until the early 1980s, when the last train pulled out of the Bethany Depot and the tracks were removed. Transportation was an important industry to the community and the population grew to its greatest level around the turn of the century when over 24,000 persons lived in Harrison County.
From the History section of Bethany, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare1
Map of Bethany
34 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 16°F | 1.0 in | 5.4 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 19°F | 1.6 in | 5.2 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 2.1 in | 3.3 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 41°F | 4.0 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 43°F | 3.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 31°F | 2.0 in | 1.3 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 21°F | 1.7 in | 5.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bethany (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Harrison County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-07-09: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2015-08-07: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2014-10-31: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Trenton Municipal Airport (TRX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 26 miles away.
- Albany 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Lamoni 25 mi north, about 40 min by car
- Mount Ayr 33 mi north, about 53 min by car
- Leon 36 mi northeast, about 57 min by car
- Maryville 45 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bedford 46 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Corydon 50 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Lenox 51 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Osceola 54 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- St. Joseph 55 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Edna Cuddy Memorial House and Gardens, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- MO 13 N End, Rowen Hansen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.