Cote Sans Dessein, Missouri

The town of Cote Sans Dessein survived repeated destruction by flooding, until it was finally largely abandoned and its population mostly dispersed.

[2] The History of Callaway County by John G. Provines [3] indicates that a patent for a survey of the area was granted in 1800 by the Spanish military government of Louisiana, before transfer to France lasting two years, and indicating that the area had rich soil and abundant fish and game.

[7] At the time of initial Missouri statehood in 1821, the town was among those proposed as the site for the new state capital of Missouri after its transfer from St. Charles, but it was later decided to locate the capital in Jefferson City due in part to warranted considerations of possible flooding.

[8] Following early destruction by Missouri River floods, the town was relocated about one mile inland from the Missouri River shore in west-south-central Cote Sans Dessein Township, or about two miles southwest of the village of Tebbetts.

[9] The second location was also substantially destroyed by floods, at which time many or most survivors moved elsewhere, followed by the shutdown of the post office in 1907.