Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city of 16,254 people in Butler County, Missouri.
Why visit Poplar Bluff
Townapedia lists 23 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 29 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include AMC CLASSIC Poplar Bluff 8, Hydro Adventures, Mark Twain School and Alfred W. Greer House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Poplar Bluff
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff is a city in and the county seat of Butler County, Missouri, United States, that is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. The population was 16,225 at the 2020 census. The Poplar Bluff Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of all of Butler County. The city is at the crossroads of U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Poplar Bluff, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Hydro Adventures
Monument and historic site · 2.2 mi
Amusement park in Missouri, United States
Museums and landmarks23
Mark Twain School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Alfred W. Greer House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Butler County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Courthouse in Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Cynthia-Kinzer Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Garfield Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic district in Poplar Bluff, Missouri
J. Herbert Moore House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
John Archibald Phillips House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic home located at Poplar Bluff, Butler County, Missouri
Moore-Dalton House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
North Main Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
National historic district located at Poplar Bluff, Butler County, Missouri
Poplar Bluff
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Train station in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, USA
Poplar Bluff Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
National historic district located at Poplar Bluff, Butler County, Missouri
Poplar Bluff Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Public library in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, United States
11 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
_b.jpg){kind=link}
_a.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Restaurants and cafes29
Castello's Restaurant & Catering LLC
Restaurant · 1.9 mi
2775 North Westwood Boulevard, Poplar Bluff
Mo-Tu 05:30-21:00; Fr 05:30-22:00; Sa 07:00-22:00; Su 07:00-20:00
Hayden's Drive-In
Restaurant · Barbecue, Burger · 0.8 mi
807 West Maud Street, Poplar Bluff
17 more on the map.
History
The French were the first Europeans to assert any territorial rights over the Poplar Bluff area. The French held the area until 1771 when it was ceded by treaty to Spain. Spain held the area until 1802 when it was returned to France. The area that would become Poplar Bluff and Butler County had no permanent European settlement until 1819, when the first white family moved into the area. It was reported that about 300 Native Americans resided in the area at that time.
The earliest permanent settlements in what is now Butler County occurred in the early 19th century along the Natchitoches Trail, an old Native American trail west of what is now Poplar Bluff on Ten Mile Creek and Cane Creek. Butler County was organized in 1849 and Poplar Bluff was chosen as the county seat. In 1855 the first courthouse was built and the town grew.
A tornado leveled most of the city, especially the original business district along Main and Broadway streets, on May 9, 1927. The tornado killed 98 people, tying it as the seventeenth deadliest tornado in U.S. history. On March 15, 2025, a low end EF3 tornado hit the western and north western part of town, killing one person and damaging many structures.
From the History section of Poplar Bluff, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Super 8 by Wyndham Poplar Bluff Missouri
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
2831 North Westwood Boulevard, Poplar Bluff
Drury Inn & Suites Poplar Bluff
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
2220 North Westwood Boulevard, Poplar Bluff
Churches and places of worship16
Shopping11
Pack's Do-It Center
Hardware store · 1.0 mi
918 South Westwood Boulevard, Poplar Bluff
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries26
Healthcare6
Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center - Westwood
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.7 mi
2620 North Westwood Boulevard, Poplar Bluff
Map of Poplar Bluff
131 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 26°F | 3.5 in | 0.6 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 30°F | 3.6 in | 1.6 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 38°F | 4.8 in | 1.3 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 47°F | 5.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 71°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 68°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 61°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 48°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 38°F | 4.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 29°F | 4.3 in | 1.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Poplar Bluff (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
Butler County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires (Severe Storm)
- 2024-07-23: 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport (POF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Poplar Bluff Depot map
- Fisk 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Fairdealing 13 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Qulin 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Neelyville 15 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Naylor 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Puxico 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Ellsinore 22 mi northwest, about 35 min by car
- Dexter 25 mi east, about 40 min by car
- Kennett 42 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Paragould 49 mi south, about 1 h 15 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
- Rodgers Theatre, 204-224 N. Broadway Street, Poplar Bluff, Mo, USA, Michael Gäbler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- House adjacent or in Garfield Historic District (Poplar Bluff, Missouri) b, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- House adjacent or in Garfield Historic District (Poplar Bluff, Missouri) a, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 451 N Main St-Poplar Bluff MO, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- House in North Main Historic District (Poplar Bluff, Missouri), Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 426 N Main St-Poplar Bluff MO, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Another house in North Main Historic District (Poplar Bluff, Missouri), Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Large Letter Postcard (4583899132), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Greetings from Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Large Letter Postcard, Steve Shook, CC BY 2.0
- Poplar Bluff Public Library, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Stair0926131303-01, Melbr00ks, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Depot0926131257-00, Melbr00ks, CC BY-SA 3.0
- J. Herbert Moore House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alfred W. Greer House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mark Twain School, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Williams-Gierth House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wheatley Public School 2022 rear, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gatlin Grocery Store - Frank and Lutie Jordan House 1, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gatlin Grocery Store - Frank and Lutie Jordan House 2, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pleasant Hill Baptist Church - 915 Garfield St. - b, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pleasant Hill Baptist Church - 915 Garfield St. - a, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wheatley Public School 2022 a, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wheatley Public School 2022 b, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pleasant Hill Baptist Church - Garfield St. c, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pleasant Hill Baptist Church - Garfield St. d, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wheatley Public School 2022 front door, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wheatley Public School 2022 e, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wheatley Public School, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- BrickRoadway-NorthMainHD-PoplarBluffMO, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ZionLutheranChurch-PoplarBluffMO, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thomas Moore House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John Archibald Phillips House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ChurchOfTheHolyCross1-PoplarBluffMO, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Moore-Dalton House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ChurchOfTheHolyCross2-PoplarBluffMO, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rodgers Theatre 2023, Rustyvp, CC0
- Rodgers Theater, Rustyvp, CC0
- Williamson-Kennedy School, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wright-Dalton-Bell-Anchor Department Store Building, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Butler County Courthouse, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.