PALMYRA, a flourishing post-village, capital of Marion county, Missouri, 100 miles N. E. from Jefferson City. The situation is high and healthy; the water is excellent. Marion City, the landing-place of Palmyra on the Mississippi, is 6 miles distant. The railroad which is in course of construction between Hannibal and St. Joseph will pass through Palmyra. The village contains 5 large brick churches, several respectable schools, a United States land-office, 1 or 2 newspaper offices, and 1 bank. Pop. in 1850, 1284; in 1853, about 2000. (Baldwin & Thomas, A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States ... 1854)
PALMYRA, The county seat of Marion County, Liberty township, on the Hannibal and St. Joseph and Palmyra and Quincy Railroads, 11 miles from Quincy, six from Marion city, 14½ from Hannibal, 135 from St. Louis and 260 (usual route) from Jefferson City, actual distance in an air line 90 miles. It is situated between North and South rivers, one mile from each. It is the handsomest city in Northern Missouri, and beautifully located in the midst of a very fertile region of country, and is regularly laid out and tastefully built. The principal edifices are St Paul's College, Bethel College, Baptist male and female Seminary. The Presbyterian Female Institute, and the Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist Episcopal, Reformers and German churches, schools, etc. It had one library association, one lodge, No. 18 F. and A.M., one Chapter, No. 2, R.A. M., one lodge and encampment of I.O.O.F., thirty stores of various kinds, one large and excellent hotel, the "National," kept by W.G. Overton, two steam flouring mills, one machinery agency, two sash and blind factories, one job printing office and a weekly newspaper, the Palmyra Weekly Courier, published by Sosey and Hughes, every Thursday morning. The chief products are corn, hemp, wheat, oats, cattle and hogs - minerals, limestone and coal, of an inferior quality. There are several very fine springs in the vicinity. Population 3000. (The Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1860)