Why visit Bolivar
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 18 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include B&B Theatres, Bolivar Public Library, First National Bank and Frisco Highline Trailhead.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Bolivar
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bolivar
Bolivar is a city in and the county seat of Polk County, Missouri, United States. The city derives its name in-part from the South American revolutionary Simón Bolívar. According to the 2020 United States Census, Bolivar had a population of 10,772.
From the Wikipedia article Bolivar, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks8
Bolivar Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Carnegie Library in Missouri
First National Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Building in Bolivar, United States of America
North Ward School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes18
Scooter's Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.6 mi
603 South Springfield Avenue, Bolivar
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.7 mi
404 South Springfield Avenue, Bolivar
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr 06:00-24:00; Sa 06:00-23:00; Su 07:00-23:00
6 more on the map.
History
Bolivar began as a settlement around Keeling Spring, with the majority of settlers being from Hardeman County, Tennessee. The settlement became part of Greene County, Missouri when that county was organized in 1833. After the northern part of Greene County was ceded to form Polk County, Missouri, the Polk County Court proclaimed the settlement as a city, named it Bolivar, and designated it as the county seat on 10 November 1835. Bolivar was re-organized as a fourth-class city on 15 February 1881. Bolivar was a full Stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail Period 1858–1861 at the old Franklin Hotel and Relay Station.
The town layout was along the Boonville road that was the main road through the area during that time.
Bolivar experienced growth in 1884 when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway was extended to that point.
The name "Bolivar" was proposed by John Polk Campbell and his brothers William St. Clair and Ezekiel Madison. It is named after Bolivar, Tennessee, where their grandfather and Continental Army Colonel Ezekiel Polk had lived. In the 1830s, Polk and Bolivar names were locally associated with liberation. As such, Bolivar, Missouri is an indirect namesake of Simón Bolívar.
The Bolivar Public Library, First National Bank, and North Ward School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Bolivar, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship18
Open Hearts United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 1.1 mi
105 East Division Street, Bolivar
The Connection at Open Hearts UMC
Church · United Methodist · 1.1 mi
629 North Springfield Avenue, Bolivar
Seventh Day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.6 mi
1704 East Division Street, Bolivar
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries18
Healthcare2
Map of Bolivar
92 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 22°F | 2.3 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 25°F | 2.2 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 34°F | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 44°F | 5.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 5.9 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.9 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 67°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 65°F | 3.7 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 57°F | 4.2 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 44°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 34°F | 3.4 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 26°F | 2.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bolivar 1 Ne (2 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
Polk County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-07-09: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-01-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-01-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 miles away.
- Morrisville 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
- Fair Play 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Pleasant Hope 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Walnut Grove 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Humansville 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Buffalo 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Willard 21 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Fair Grove 21 mi southeast, about 34 min by car
- Stockton 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Springfield 29 mi south, about 47 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
Loading what members have shared...
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
- Bolivarmo2-retouched, en:User:Wroller ; retouched by Kbh3rd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First National Bank Building, Bolivar, Missouri, Rick7425, CC BY-SA 4.0
- North Ward School, Bolivar, Missouri, Rick7425, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BolivarCarnegieLibrary, Kaethesson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS067-E-229849 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-229847 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-229846 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS022-E-24016 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS022-E-94207 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-229848 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Lespedeza procumbens 387589132, Nathan Aaron, CC BY 4.0
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