Lamar, Missouri
Lamar is a city of 4,284 people in Barton County, Missouri, founded in 1852.
Why visit Lamar
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails, 9 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Barco Drive-In, Plaza Theatre and Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Lamar
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lamar
Lamar is a city in and the county seat of Barton County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 4,266. It is known as the birthplace of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States.
From the Wikipedia article Lamar, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks1
Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Lamar, Missouri
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes9
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.9 mi
37 East Highway 160, Lamar
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 07:00-23:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 1.0 mi
21 East Highway 160, Lamar
Mo-Th 09:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-02:00; Su 09:00-24:00
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger · 1.1 mi
11 East Highway 160, Lamar
05:00-23:00
History
Lamar was laid out in 1856. It was named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, second president of the Republic of Texas. The city suffered multiple attacks by rebels during the Civil War.
On May 28, 1919, a 28-year-old white man, Jay Lynch, was lynched in Lamar for the murders of Barton County Sheriff John Marion Harlow Jr., and his son, Dick.
Lamar was considered to be a sundown town prior to the Civil Rights era.
From the History section of Lamar, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Boarders Inn & Suites by Cobblestone Hotels - Lamar
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
45 Southeast 1st Lane, Lamar
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare1
Map of Lamar
32 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 2.0 in | 3.2 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 26°F | 2.2 in | 1.8 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 34°F | 3.3 in | 1.4 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 44°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 54°F | 7.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 6.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 57°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 46°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 26°F | 2.4 in | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lamar 7N Hcn (7 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
Barton County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 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)
- 2017-06-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-01-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Nevada Municipal Airport (NVD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 miles away.
- Frontenac 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Oronogo 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Pittsburg 24 mi west, about 38 min by car
- Carthage 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Greenfield 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
- Webb City 26 mi southwest, about 43 min by car
- Carterville 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Carl Junction 27 mi southwest, about 43 min by car
- El Dorado Springs 30 mi northeast, about 48 min by car
- Joplin 31 mi southwest, about 51 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
- Harry S Truman Birthplace SHS 20150715-8218, Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0
- Truman Birthplace oblique view, Karen Montgomery, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Barton County MO Courthouse 20150715-8234, Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0
- ISS022-E-97975 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-5001 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-5000 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS027-E-34608 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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