Springfield, Missouri

===Early settlement===
Native American peoples had long lived in this area. In the 1830s, the native [[Osage Nation]], the [[Kickapoo people]] from Indiana, and the [[Lenape]] (Delaware) from the mid-Atlantic coast had settled in this general area trying to evade encroachment by European Americans on their lands. The Osage had been the dominant tribe for more than one century in the larger region.<ref name=":1" />

On the southeastern side of the town in 1812, about 500 [[Kickapoo people|Kickapoo]] built a small village of about 100 [[wigwams]]. They abandoned the site in 1828.

Ten miles south of the site of Springfield, the Lenape had built a substantial community of houses that borrowed elements of Anglo colonial style from the mid-Atlantic, where some of their people had migrated from.<ref name=":0" />

The first European-American settlers to the area were John Polk Campbell and his brother, who reached this area in 1829 from Tennessee. Campbell chose the area because of the presence of a natural well that flowed into a small stream. He staked his claim by carving his initials in a tree.<ref name=":1" /> Campbell was joined by settlers Thomas Finney, Samuel Weaver, and Joseph Miller. They cleared the land of trees to develop it for farms. A small general store was soon opened.<ref name=":0" />

In 1833, the southern part of the state was named Greene County after Revolutionary War hero [[Nathanael Greene|General Nathanael Greene]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gcmohs/2nd_level/brief_history.html|title=A brief history of Greene County, Missouri|website=www.rootsweb.ancestry.com|access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref> Campbell Township was one of the seven original townships organized on March 11, 1833, when Greene County was much larger.

An 1876 map shows its boundaries include all the sections in T29N and R21 and 22W. It was bounded by Center Township on the west, Robberson, and Franklin Townships on the north, Taylor Township on the east, and Wilson and Clay Townships on the south.<ref>[https://greenecountymo.gov/archives/ha1876/table.php County of Greene Historical Archives: 1876 Illustrated Historical Atlas Of Greene County, Missouri.] Accessed August 20, 2021.</ref> (Later, Campbell was split into Campbell No. 1 Township and Campbell No. 2 Township, then into North Campbell No. 1 Township, North Campbell No. 2 Township, and North Campbell No. 3 Township.){{Citation needed|reason=Source needed for the split of Campbell Township|date=October 2023}}

The county seat of Springfield is located in Campbell Township due to the efforts of John Polk Campbell. The township is named after John Polk Campbell, who donated the land for Springfield's public square and platted the town site.<ref>[http://sites.rootsweb.com/~gcmohs/3rd_level/township_03.htm Greene County Historical Society: Campbell Township], accessed August 20, 2021.</ref> In 1835 he deeded 50 acres of land to the legislature for the creation of a county seat. Campbell laid out city streets and lots.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thelibrary.org/lochist/history/holcombe/toc.html|title=History of Greene County, Missouri|website=thelibrary.org|access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref> The town was incorporated in 1838.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thelibrary.org/lochist/history/holcombe/toc.html|title=History of Greene County, Missouri|website=thelibrary.org|access-date=September 7, 2017}}</ref> In 1878, the town got its nickname as the "Queen City of the Ozarks".<ref name=":1" />

The United States government enforced [[Indian Removal]] during the 1830s, forcing land cessions in the Southeast and other areas, and relocating tribes from east of the Mississippi River to [[Indian Territory]]. This later developed as the state of Oklahoma in 1908.

During the 1838 relocation of most of the [[Cherokee]], the [[Trail of Tears]] passed through Springfield to the west, along the [[Old Wire Road]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ozarkgreenways.org/explore/greenway-trails/trail-of-tears/|title=Greenway Trails {{!}} Ozark Greenways|last=Creative|first=Demi|website=ozarkgreenways.org|access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.springfieldmo.org/springfield-history|title=Springfield History - Springfield Missouri Travel & Tourism - Ozarks/Midwest Vacations|website=www.springfieldmo.org|access-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref>