Ripley County, Missouri

Ripley County
County
Ripley County Courthouse in Doniphan
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°40′N 90°52′W / 36.66°N 90.87°W / 36.66; -90.87
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	January 5, 1833
Named for	Eleazer Wheelock Ripley
Seat	Doniphan
Largest city	Doniphan
Area
• Total	632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
• Land	630 sq mi (1,600 km2)
• Water	2.1 sq mi (5 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,679
• Density	17/sq mi (6.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	8th
Website	www.ripleycountymissouri.org

Ripley County is a county in the Ozarks of Missouri. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 10,679.^[1] The largest city and county seat is Doniphan.^[2] The county was officially organized on January 5, 1833, and is named after Brigadier General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, a soldier who served with distinction in the War of 1812.^[3]

The original area included what would later become Oregon, Howell, Shannon and Carter counties. The historic Natchitoches Trail passes through Ripley County. It was a Native American trail to the Southwest that was used by pioneers, including Stephen F. Austin. During the American Civil War, Ripley County was strongly pro-Southern and provided four colonels for the Confederate Army. Several Civil War skirmishes took place in the county. Tourist areas include the Current River and the Mark Twain National Forest.