Why visit Hamilton
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 5 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in Hamilton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Hamilton
Hamilton is a city in northern Caldwell County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,690 at the 2020 census. It is known as the hometown of James Cash Penney, who built a national apparel-related business, J. C.
From the Wikipedia article Hamilton, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Restaurants and cafes5
Where to stay3
A Country Charm RV Park
Campground · 0.6 mi
910 North Davis Street, Hamilton
History
Hamilton owes its existence largely to the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad.
Prior to 1854 the area around Hamilton was unsettled prairie land belonging to the U.S. Government. With the coming of the railroad, the Hamilton Town Company was formed to develop a tract of land along the rails.
At first, the name Prairie City was intended for the new community. However, Albert Gallatin Davis, a key member of the Town Company, chose Hamilton instead, in honor of two early Americans, Founding Father and first Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, and Joseph Hamilton, an early American lawyer and military leader killed at the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812.
The first house in Hamilton, fittingly, was built by Davis in the summer of 1855, as well as the first business, a general store, in 1857. The store would serve as Hamilton's first post office and Davis as the first postmaster in 1858. The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad was finally completed on February 14, 1859, and the first train arrived that day. A railroad depot was constructed by the fall of 1859, with Albert Gallatin Davis appointed the first railroad and express agent.
From the History section of Hamilton, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare2
Map of Hamilton
29 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 16°F | 1.1 in | 2.9 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 20°F | 1.6 in | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 2.8 in | 1.0 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 4.0 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 73°F | 52°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 64°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 42°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 30°F | 2.2 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 20°F | 1.7 in | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hamilton 2W (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
Caldwell County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2021-09-01: 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)
- 2011-03-23: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (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, 32 miles away.
- Gallatin 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Excelsior Springs 31 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- Kearney 33 mi southwest, about 53 min by car
- Bethany 36 mi north, about 58 min by car
- Carrollton 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Smithville 39 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Liberty 41 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- St. Joseph 44 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Independence 49 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kansas City 52 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
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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Hamilton-missouri, The original uploader was Americasroof at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.