History

The first settlers of Weiner were members of the John P. Phillips family from Macon, Georgia. They arrived in 1866, and other families began forming the earliest settlement approximately one and a half miles west from present-day Weiner. Being a prairie land surrounded by forest, the town was originally known as West Prairie, and a post office of that name was build in 1874.

In 1881, the construction of the St. Louis and Southwestern Railroad resulted in a depot station being built in the West Prairie area. The station was named Weiner, after a St. Louis railroad official. Thanks to this railroad, the population in the area began to rapidly increase. Saw-milling became the primary industry of the area and caused an increase in homes and stores nearby. It was around this time the town became known to everyone as Weiner, due to the popularity of the train stop. Several families of German origin began to settle in Weiner and nearby areas, after learning about the availability of land.

In the early twentieth century, the streets of Weiner were filled with shoppers. The town featured three grocery stores with fresh eggs and chickens kept in the backyard of the stores. It also was home to four gas stations, and Victory Theater. One could also find a dress shop, a doctor’s office, a barber shop, a furniture store, and several restaurants. Visitors to the town could stay in the hotel, located right next to the train station. Another popular spot for both visitors and locals was the town saloon. Education was also popular in the area, but as schools were typically one-room schoolhouses, many different schools were constructed. There were a total of 12 Schools in the area. To find pictures of Historic Weiner, check out the town gallery page.