Dogwood is an

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 ...

in northwestern Douglas County,

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 ...

, United States. It is located on

Missouri Route 14 Route 14 is a state highway traveling through the southern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 60 (US 60) in Marionville, and its eastern terminus is at US 63 on the northern edge of ...

, approximately northwest of Ava and southwest of Seymour.''Ava, Missouri,'' 30x60 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1985''Mountain Grove,'' 30x60 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1983 The old store building sits at the intersection of Route 14 with route BB and the Dogwood cemetery is to the west at the intersection of routes 14 and Z.

History

In 1879, a

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

veteran built a log store building and home near a spring surrounded by

dogwood ''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shrub ...

s along the route of the

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

– Rockbridge portion of the old Salt Road along which salt, lumber and other materials had long been transported between northern

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

and Springfield.Painter, M. E., ''History of the Dogwood Community,'' Douglas County Historical Society Journal, May 1994, pp.12-13 A post office was established at Dogwood in 1880 and remained in service until 1909. A school was established in 1888 and a log school building was built north of the store in 1891 and was replaced by a frame building in 1910. The school was north of the store.''Fordland, Missouri,'' 15 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1939 In 1900, a missionary began holding church services in the school building. In 1905, a church building was erected and land was set aside for a cemetery. In 1932, due to widening and re-routing of Route 14, the church was moved to its current location north of the cemetery. In 1904, a second church was built north of the store and in 1931, a third church was built to the southeast on Route 14.

Geography

Dogwood is located on a ridge at approximate elevation of on the edge of the

Springfield Plateau Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

with the steep valleys of the Beaver Creek valley to the east and the Swan Creek valley to the southwest. The Dogwood fire tower and state hunting area on Tigris Peak is to the southeast.''Dogwood, Missouri,'' 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1985

References

Unincorporated communities in Douglas County, Missouri 1879 establishments in Missouri Unincorporated communities in Missouri {{DouglasCountyMO-geo-stub