unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
Ozarks
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
of southern
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
. The community is located just west of
Missouri Route 5
Missouri Route 5 is the longest state highway in Missouri and the only Missouri state highway to traverse the entire state. It is part of a three state, 650 mile highway 5. To the north, it continues into Iowa as Iowa Highway 5 and to the south ...
An early variant name was Partlow, after J. W. Partlow, a railroad promoter. A post office called Partlow was established in 1886, the name was changed to Bidwell in 1895, and the post office closed in 1915. The present name of Bidwell was the wife's maiden name of an early postmaster.