[4] Strafford was laid out in 1870 when the railroad was extended to that point, and named after an original owner of the site.

[6] According to Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Strafford is the only town in the United States with two main streets and no back alleys.

The road to the north was the main street until Route 66 was built between the backs of the businesses and the railroad.

The owners simply built new entrances, giving them two front doors.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.63 square miles (6.81 km2), all land.

[7] USGS Department of the Interior Original Survey 1838 and USGS Topographical Maps show the town along the White River Road that became the Telegraph Road to Saint Louis.

22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.