Cole County, Missouri, USA

Cole County lies in central Missouri, where the Missouri River meets the northern edge of the Ozark Plateau. Jefferson City, the state capital, is the county seat and largest community, while smaller towns and rural areas extend across wooded hills, river bottoms and farmland. The county was organized in 1820 and named for pioneer Stephen Cole during Missouri’s transition from territory to statehood. River and rail routes helped make the area a crossroads for central Missouri. Manufacturing, health care, education, agriculture and transportation also shape the local economy and landscape.