Springfield is located in
Greene County and it is the county seat, 62 miles east of
Joplin between Marshfield and Mt. Vernon. It lies along Interstate 44 near
Stockton Lake and
Stockton State Park.
Founded in 1830, Springfield is part of a scenic region at the northern edge of the Ozark Mountains. When Greene County was organized in 1833, the settlement, named for a nearby spring, became the county seat. Springfield was held by the Confederates during the Civil War until February 1862, when it was captured and held by Union forces.
As Missouri's third largest city, Springfield's population estimate for 1998 was 142,898, an increase of 2,404 since 1990. A study of cities in the United States with the greatest variety of weather ranked Springfield number one. Well-known firms operating in Springfield include Kraft Foods, 3M and Bass Pro Shops, among others. The city's economic output doubled in the past decade.
Springfield is part of the Springfield, Missouri metro area.
