“The First Historical Reference to Sugar Creek was June 25, 1804. That was the night Lewis and Clark pitched their tents and camped as they made their way up the Big Muddy following the Louisiana Purchase. Meriwether Lewis noted in his diary that the Sugar Maples lining the creek near where they camped gave the fresh, clear water a sweet taste.” (Source: The Examiner)
“Sugar Creek tradition begins with the Native Americans calling the area home. Rumor has it that Sugar Creek got its name from the creeks lined with Sugar Maples that made the water taste “sweet”. Sugar Creek was also one of the many jumping off points for travel to the West in the early 1800’s. Wayne City Landing saw settlers heading west, trappers returning to market with their pelts, and barge traffic coming and going up and down the Missouri. After Wayne City Landing, settlers came from Eastern European bringing their rich heritage of music, dance, songs, food and costumes. These immigrants came from Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Yugoslavia and made their homes in Sugar Creek as part of the work force needed to build the Standard Oil Refinery in the late 1800’s.” (Source: City of Sugar Creek Website)
You can learn about the economic history associated with the township of Sugar Creek and its relationship with the Standard Oil Refinery dating back as far as 1904 by reading the article Standard Oil Refinery and the birth of Sugar posted in The Examiner on October 17, 2017. Visit our community blog, specifically the article Neighbors are Organizing to Protect Their Families and Homes to read more about why the oil refinery ultimately closed in 1982.
The city of Sugar Creek recently celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2020. The town hosts an annual Slavic Festival. Slavic heritage in Sugar Creek which has been celebrated in Sugar Creek since the 1970’s.
On June 25, 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on an island in the Missouri River opposite what is modern day Sugar Creek. (Source: Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) Known as Upper Independence Landing originally, the territory along the Missouri River served as a port to receive supplies for early pioneers. It was renamed Wayne City Landing after an army lieutenant, Anthony Wayne. (Source: Piland, Richard Newton [2010] “Introduction”. Sugar Creek) Wayne City, which is now on the national historic register, also received travelers who were headed west along the Oregon, California and Santa Fe Trails. In 1850, the first railroad west of the Mississippi River was constructed to join Wayne City and nearby Independence, Missouri.
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