Arkoe, Missouri was founded on September 15, 1874 by Dr. Perry Hoshor Talbott and Scott Kennedy Snively, two prominent residents of Nodaway County. Arkoe is located two miles east of State Highway 71 on State Route U, approximately 9 miles southeast of the Nodaway County seat of Maryville.
The name "Arkoe" was derived from the book, The Life and Adventures of Peters Wilkins, written by Robert Paltock, and published in England in 1759. The book, which founder Perry Talbott read, was the only book written by Paltock and is considered an early example of fine science fiction, akin to those books later written by Jules Verne and others.
In the book, an "arkoe" is a body of land nestled adjacent to a placid body of water. This is a fitting description for the town of Arkoe, surrounded by rich farmland, wooded areas, and the generally placid 102 River, which borders the town on the east.
RAILROAD'S INFLUENCE
Arkoe came about in much the way many towns did during the 1850s, 60s, and 70s, as part of the development of the state's railroad network. In 1853, the Platte Country Railroad was chartered and began work on a rail line that would run from Kansas City, to St. Joseph, north through Savannah, and continue north across Nodaway County to the Iowa state line. Bonds were issued by the State of Missouri and work began. The Civil War put many fledgling railroad companies into receivership during the war, and the Platte Country Railroad was one of those, falling into default on repayment of interest due on the bonds. In 1867, the State of Missouri agreed to let the railroad move forward, providing it did so under the auspices of the Missouri Valley Railroad. The same conditions existed, however, and the railroad was required to reach the Iowa line by the end of 1869. In 1869, the Missouri Valley Railroad crossed out of Andrew County and into Nodaway County. Late in 1869 railroad contractors working to secure right of way for the railroad found themselves at Howard's Mill, just south of what would later become Bridgewater, Missouri. Cox's Mill was the original site of one of the first grist mill's in Nodaway County. It operated for many years. In the latter years of the Civil War, a carding mill took its place, owned by O.A. Howard. In 1869, right of way was granted to the Missouri Valley Railroad for their branch line across Howard's property, and the town of Bridgewater was platted and established. Several residences, and two general stores were established there to serve the needs of the residents of White Cloud Township. Later that same year, the railroad sought and received right of way to cross the land of Dr. Perry Talbott, a mile north of Bridgewater. In March of 1870, the Missouri Valley Railroad consolidated with the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad. In May of 1870, the KC, SJ & CB Railroad consolidated with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) and the line crossing White Cloud Township became known as the "Burlington Route." In the fall of 1874, Arkoe was officially surveyed and platted and the town was established. It was not named, however, until August of 1877, when the CB&Q Railroad agreed to have a depot built and Arkoe was added to the train schedules.
ARKOE CONTINUES TO GROW
After 1874, Arkoe grew rapidly, with many business-minded men and women moving into the community, buying lots and establishing businesses. A train depot, tank, and warehouse were built for the use of the railroad. The town had multiple general stores of mixed merchandise over its history, a post office, two resident physicians, a one-room and later a two-room schoolhouse, two churches, a blacksmith shop, livery, grain dump, stockyards, restaurant, barber shop, a hotel, flour mills, slaughterhouse, steam-powered flour mill, lumberyard, phone company, Moon's Dance Hall, and at one time held boxing matches before the State shut the operation down as the promoters did not have a state license and did not have a doctor present during the matches. Arkoe also had a baseball team, beginning in 1933. In the early '40s, the team was named county league champions. Arkoe's population blossomed to 129 by the 1920 Census, and Arkoe was considered one of the business freight and passenger stops in Nodaway County.
ARKOE INCORPORATED
On April 6, 1906 Arkoe was incorporated, and its first Board of Trustees was appointed. Since that time, Arkoe has remained an incorporated town in Nodaway County, and today it is the only incorporated town within the township.
PRESENT-DAY ARKOE
Today, Arkoe is a predominately residential community, with only three "commercial" type structures existing. It is also home to three home-based entrepreneurs. All of the original business structures are gone, but a couple of the homes built in the town's early days still remain. There is much more to be learned about Arkoe and about the impact it had on Nodaway County.
