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2020 MCDONALD COUNTY DIRECTORY | 25 Southwest City Where you can be in three states at one time Tucked in the southwest corner of Missouri, this growing community is the only place in Missouri where you can stand on a marker and be in three states at one time. Being a border town to the Indian reservation, Southwest City has a rich, diverse culture that residents are very proud of. The city recently restored an old Presbyterian church and converted it into an arts center. The library doubles as an historical resource where you can learn about the city's colorful past. The first settlement in Southwest City goes back to 1842, but the town did not receive its official name until four years later, in 1846, after a general store opened in the Honey Creek Valley. Because the town was located along the Indian Territory border, it wasn't long before it became a crossroads for travelers on their way to settle in the west. It was also a social gathering place for drummers, bootleggers and land speculators. Southwest City is today is a teaming center for commerce. The city is home to some 40 businesses including Simmons, a poultry processing plant that employees hundreds of people. It is a diverse community and considered to be one of the most progressive growing communities in McDonald County. As a thriving economy in manufacturing, construction, educational services, health care and food processing, the Southwest City employment statistics boast an amazing 96.4% of the city's population as employed. 39.2% of these jobs are in production, transportation and materials moving. By Randy Rice McDonald County Directory