Charleston, Missouri
Charleston is a city of 4,482 people in Mississippi County, Missouri, founded in 1837.
Why visit Charleston
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 2 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Jacob Swank House and McCutchen Theatre.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Charleston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Charleston
Charleston is a city in and the county seat of Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,056 at the 2020 census, a decrease from 5,947 in 2010. and since 1968 has been home to the annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival which highlights the old homes and gardens throughout the town.
From the Wikipedia article Charleston, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Jacob Swank House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
McCutchen Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Former movie theater in Charleston, Missouri, United States
Moore House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic home located at Charleston, Mississippi County, Missouri
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Charleston Country Club
Golf course · 1.9 mi
201 North Country Club Lane, Charleston
Restaurants and cafes2
Where to stay3
Quality Inn Charleston I-57
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
102 Drake Street, Charleston
History
Charleston is the largest town on the Missouri side near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Its history has long been tied to river commerce and the development of the highly productive agricultural lands that surround the community.
Settlement initially occurred on the north side of town, in what in 1805 was called "Matthews Prairie".
After purchasing 22.5 acres (91,000 m2) for $337, Joseph Moore laid out Charleston in 1837. Some say the community derives its name from nearby Charles Prairie, while others believe the name is a transfer from Charleston, South Carolina. In 1845, it was selected as the county seat. A post office in Charleston has been in operation since 1847.
The Civil War Battle of Charleston was fought on August 19, 1861. Killed in the battle were one Union soldier and thirteen Missouri State Guard soldiers.
On September 1, 1861, Confederate General M. Jeff Thompson robbed the Union Bank of Charleston. Thompson, who handed the cashier a note, gave the cashier an hour to get approval from superiors to give him keys to the vault. After receiving the money, he left a receipt for $57,000 and discovered later that only $56,000 was in the bags.
From the History section of Charleston, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Map of Charleston
24 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 26°F | 3.8 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 30°F | 3.9 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 38°F | 4.8 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 5.4 in |
| May | 78°F | 58°F | 5.1 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 66°F | 4.4 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 70°F | 4.1 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 3.2 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 48°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 37°F | 4.5 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 4.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cairo 3N (12 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
Mississippi County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-09-21: 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)
- 2019-05-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cairo Regional Airport (CIR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- East Prairie 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Cairo 10 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Sikeston 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- New Madrid 26 mi southwest, about 42 min by car
- Hickman 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Clinton 26 mi southeast, about 41 min by car
- Cape Girardeau 30 mi northwest, about 48 min by car
- Bloomfield 33 mi west, about 53 min by car
- Jackson 37 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Union City 37 mi southeast, about 1 h 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
- Charleston-Mississippi-County-Courthouse-mo, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Jacob Swank House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Moore House in Charleston, Nyttend, Public domain
- Capture12-16-2017-4.33.18 PM, Mredmo, CC BY-SA 4.0
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