Andrew County

About Andrew County

Andrew County is steeped in historical significance and civic tradition. Established in 1841 as part of the Indian Platte Purchase Territory annexed in 1837, the county is named after Andrew Jackson Davis, a St. Louis editor. The Andrew County Courthouse, built in 1899, remains the heart of local government, housing essential offices such as the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, MU Extension Office, and Northwest Missouri Child Support services. Savannah, the county seat, was laid out the same year the county was organized and played a vital role in regional commerce with the arrival of the railroad in the mid-19th century.

Rich in American heritage, Andrew County has a dynamic history shaped by Civil War divisions, pioneer settlement, and agricultural development. Its glacial plains support fertile farmland nourished by rivers such as the Nodaway and Missouri, once explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The county is also known for producing prominent figures, including Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first female governor in U.S. history and director of the U.S. Mint, as well as several influential governors and public servants. Historic towns such as Amazonia, Fillmore, and Rosendale reflect the county’s longstanding roots and continued legacy in Missouri’s cultural and political landscape.