It was founded in 1966 when voters in the counties of Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne approved the taxing district of Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne counties.
[5] Three Rivers is governed by a six-person board of trustees elected by residents in the college's taxing district.
The college has an 80-acre (32.4 ha) campus in Poplar Bluff, Missouri with full-service locations in Dexter, Kennett, and Sikeston, and in-district locations in Doniphan, Caruthersville, Piedmont, Portageville, New Madrid, and Van Buren, and offers classes at various sites and high schools throughout the region.
[2] Three Rivers competes as a member of the NJCAA in the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference.
The school's most famous athletic alumnus is Latrell Sprewell, who played basketball for Three Rivers before playing Division I basketball at Alabama.