Show ENDS AN OLD TOWN Athens of Missouri by Court Order Dies a Natural Death When Railroads Pass It By Noted By-Noted Noted for Beauty and an Excel lent College Trenton frenton iro Mo Edinburg known over the state before the war as the Athens of Missouri and for man many years the rival of as aa a trading trading trading tra tra- tra- tra ding point and political center where many men afterward prominent rn m state affairs received their first collegiate col col- col- col legate training was rated recently by an order of the county cou court rt The order marks the last step In Inthe inthe the little towns town's retrogression since the Chicago Rock Island Quincy and Omaha Kansas City railways passed the village by The story of the settlement growth and decline of the village of Edinburg is full of interest The town came into existence in 1838 1538 when Isaac J. J Harvey built a store there Not so favorably situated as Trenton the growth of the town did not compare with that of the county seat until after 1850 At the way half mark of the century Grand River college was established in Edlu- Edlu burg Then came an era of prosperity The fame of the school grew and instructors instructors instructors in in- of the best were numbered in the faculty The pretty little town was in itself an attraction to students and the name of Edinburg became widely known Business boomed the town took on a thriving air and the county seat feared for Its own growth Then came the war and progress stopped The luster of the classic school became dim After the war there was a revival of learning In Edinburg and the prospect was fair fail again until the Chicago Rock Island Pacific railroad came through in 1871 and marked I Trenton as as S the future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture city of the section Business projects were killed in Edinburg Edinburg Ed Ed- and the village lost ground but the fame of the school still lived C q r f S s I I II fi Grand River College Another railroad came through from Quincy and Edinburg's hopes quickened quicken quicken- ed that It would reach that place When this failed however the doom of f the village was sealed Steadily since then the town has lost in population and business A few years ago the college itself was removed removed re reo re- re moved to Gallatin in order to secure railroad advantages In December 1909 the petition for was presented to the court J. J G. G Mc Me- waid wald was appointed trustee for the incorporation to settle up its affairs and classic Edinburg is no more |