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Area History
Here we present to you a variety of interesting stories about local people and places. We will be adding stories as they become available to us. So bookmark this page and check back often. Also, if you have a story that would be of interest to our community, please let us know.
Wright City is named after doctor, Henry C. Wright who received a land grant from the U.S government, and came to the area in the early 1830’s. By 1857 the first railroad line was passing through the area, and Dr. Wright sold the right-of-way to the Northern and Pacific Railroad Company which later became the Wabash Railroad and is now known as the Norfolk and Western. He envisioned the possibility a whole new town based on the train transportation into the area with scheduled stops at the new train station, so within a short time he had a town platted. The town was incorporated in 1869 with an official population of 169, and named after the founder Dr. H.C. Wright. Dr. Wright is buried in the backyard of a home near the railroad tracks on East South First Street.
The famous 20th Century Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr was born in Wright City on June 12, 1892 to the Reverend and Mrs. Niebuhr the minister of the Friedens Evangelical Church now known as the Immanuel United Church of Christ. He is famous for writing the original version of the famous “Serenity Prayer” sometime in the 1930’s.
Reinholt Niebuhr’s original version is:”God, give us GRACE to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, COURAGE to change the things which should be changed,
And the WISDOM to distinguish the one from the other.”
Wright City has experienced a very slow but steady growth rate since its beginning; however, it is located in one of the ten fastest growing counties in the state. As of this printing the population is estimated at 3,000 compared to the 2000 census of 1,532 which is around a 52 % increase in only six years. What does the future have in store for Wright City?
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A Timeline of progress and interesting history:
1852 Pauldingville Masonic Lodge established.
1869 Wright City is incorporated with 169 citizens.
1903 Wright City News established.
1907 First Annual Warren County fair.
1924 Big Boy’s Restaurant opens.
1936 Old Middle School was built.
Diekroeger Park established.
1956 Wright City Centennial Celebration.
1966 Wright City Boy’s Basketball Team won the State Championship.
1967 New High School opened.
1982 First Strassenbash in honor of opening the over pass that had been closed for 2 years.
1983 Tornado destroyed the Lion’s Club.
1986 Fugitive, Michael Jackson found hiding in
a barn in Wright City.
1989 New Elementary School opened.
1991 1st Wright City Connection published.
Corwin Ruge Park established.
1994 Wright City High School Girl’s Softball Team won State Championship 2 years.
1996 City Hall moved to 203 Veterans Pkwy.
2004 New Middle School opened.
2005 Big Boy’s Restaurant closes.
2006 25th Annual Strassenbash.
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Learn about Wright City Chamber
and see the efforts done to help the Wright City community!
You can help
too! Click here.
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