Phelps County, Missouri

Phelps County
County
New Phelps County courthouse in Rolla
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°53′N 91°47′W / 37.88°N 91.79°W / 37.88; -91.79
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	November 13, 1857
Named for	John S. Phelps
Seat	Rolla
Largest city	Rolla
Area
• Total	674 sq mi (1,750 km2)
• Land	672 sq mi (1,740 km2)
• Water	2.5 sq mi (6 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	44,638
• Density	66/sq mi (26/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	8th
Website	www.phelpscounty.org

Phelps County is a county in the central portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 44,638. The largest city and county seat is Rolla.^[1] The county was organized on November 13, 1857, and was named for U.S. Representative and Governor of Missouri John Smith Phelps.^[2]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the mean center of U.S. population in 2000 fell within Phelps County.^[3]

Phelps County comprises the Rolla, Missouri Micropolitan Statistical Area. Much of the county is included within the Ozark Highlands American Viticultural Area (AVA). Vineyards and wineries were first established in the county by Italian immigrants in Rolla. Since the 1960s, winemakers have revived and created numerous vineyards in Missouri and won national and international tasting awards.^[4]

The first Phelps County Court convened on November 25, 1857, in the John Dillon cabin.^[5] The historic courthouse was begun in mid-summer of 1860, used as a Union hospital during the American Civil War and served as the courthouse until February 1994, when all county offices were relocated into the new Phelps County Courthouse, which was dedicated on May 22.^[6]