The mystery of a name: was it a dog or a person?
In short: Rolla, Missouri, sits at the crossroads of three competing origin stories. Was the city named after a 'good-for-nothing' hunting dog, a specific North Carolina town, or a man who carved his name into a tree? The truth lies in a mix of folk legend and historical record.
The naming of Rolla is shrouded in local lore. One popular story, acknowledged by the Phelps County Historical Society as a folk legend, suggests that residents of neighboring Dillon chose the name after losing a competition to become the county seat in 1861. According to this tale, they selected 'Rolla' specifically because it was the name of a useless hunting dog.
A second account stems from a citizens' meeting where three distinct preferences emerged: John Webber wanted 'Hardscrabble' (referring to the local soil), Edmund Ward Bishop pushed for 'Phelps Center,' and George Coppedge advocated for 'Raleigh.' The tie was eventually broken by Bishop, who agreed to Coppedge’s suggestion of Raleigh but insisted on the spelling 'Rolla' to better suit the region.
The third narrative, which possesses some firsthand evidence, links the name to Rolla Rose of St. Louis. During a hunting trip in the 1840s, Rose reportedly carved his name into a tree as a landmark so that his companions would not lose their way. This version was later publicized by his widow, Adeline Rose, in the St. Louis Globe newspaper in July 1903.
Beyond its naming mysteries, Rolla has served as a vital transportation hub since 1860, when it became the western terminus of the first leg of the 'Frisco Line' railway. Today, it remains an academic and industrial center, hosting the Missouri University of Science and Technology—noted for its engineering departments—and several major manufacturing facilities including Brewer Science and Hartmann North America.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Rolla, Missouri
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