Clinton County, Missouri · Incorporated 1867
Born on the railroad and once the Mule Capital of the World, Lathrop is a city of around 2,300 people in Clinton County - forty miles north of Kansas City and three miles off I-35. Pay a water bill, pull a permit, or reach City Hall from here.
Lathrop history
Origins1 of 7
From its humble beginning as a railroad stop along the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad, the community of Lathrop, Missouri has benefited from a unique and rich history. During its extensive timeline, the community of Lathrop has witnessed many distinctive accomplishments, some of which are known worldwide.
In 1866-67, the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad decided to build a station along the developing Kansas City railroad branch south from Cameron, Missouri. The area, now known as Lathrop, MO, was chosen due to the abundance of fresh water springs, which was needed by locomotive steam engines. Lathrop, which was named in honor of the treasurer of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad Company, was laid out and platted in 1867. Shortly thereafter, another railroad line was constructed, allowing a connection to the main line of the Santa Fe. The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad Company later merged with the Burlington Northern line and served the community until 1962, when the branch was discontinued.
Lathrop was first organized on February 2, 1869. The first Board of Trustees consisted of James M. Young, John O. Daniels, George A. Patch, David E. Main as president, Lamar W. Lee as clerk, and H. C. Murdock as treasurer. They served until April 1881, when Lathrop was chartered as a Fourth Class city. Lathrop's first mayor was A. J. Orem. The first school was established as early as 1868. The school was formed in a blacksmith shop and consisted of about twenty pupils. A public school was soon instituted and a grade school building was later constructed in 1871, which was the first brick building erected in Lathrop. The first municipal water distribution system was completed in 1924.
Access to major railroads attracted two businessmen, Mr. Guyton and Mr. Harrington. Guyton and Harrington operated a horse and mule farm, which began operations in Lathrop in 1891. This internationally known horse and mule dealer maintained its principal point of operations in Lathrop. The company's main branch in Lathrop generated 300 jobs; by far the early community's largest employer. Guyton and Harrington's business in Lathrop consisted of 20 "stations". The stations were made up of different facilities and operations, such as barns, offices, stables, washing barns, and loading pens and chutes.
At one time, Lathrop was known to be home to the largest pack mule production farm in existence, earning the community's nickname, "Mule Capitol of the World." During the Boer War in 1901- 02, approximately 170,000 mules where handled by Guyton and Harrington. Almost all of these mules where shipped from the Lathrop location over seas to their final destination in South Africa during the Boer War. Another 90,000 where sold during World War I. It is reported that there were days during peak mule demand when up to 100 trains went through Lathrop. The facilities in Lathrop were able to feed and support 17,000 mules at a time, featuring barns as large as 65,520 square feet. Trains coming into Lathrop not only delivered and received mules, but also brought in grain and hay for feeding the massive number of mules on hand. The large number of trains would often tie up the tracks for miles. At times, switch tracks where backed up as far as Leavenworth, Kansas, a distance of over fifty miles.
Lathrop's historical economy, however, is not limited to the mule trade. In addition to numerous secondary and tertiary businesses developed as a result of Guyton and Harrington, other employers also chose to locate in Lathrop, including the Midwest's largest sunbonnet factory in 1899. The bonnet factory was open eight to nine months a year and produced about 500 bonnets a day. Lathrop Bottling Works was established in 1912 and bottled eight flavors of soft drinks. They were one of the first bottlers in the region to bottle Coca-Cola. A few other historic businesses included The Lathrop Bank (est. 1879), a lumber yard owned by J. O. Daniels (the first settler in Lathrop), the Robison Elevator, and Grant's Grocery.
Lathrop today has grown to a population over 2,000 individuals. At the present date there are three schools in Lathrop, with a new high school currently under development. Lathrop has seen relatively slow, but constant growth in population over the last seven decades. Being located less than forty miles from Kansas City, it is expected that Lathrop will continue to see an increase in size and economy.
City services
The everyday business of the City - water and sewer, trash and recycling, permits and licenses, taxes, and public safety.
Sign up for city water, sewer and residential trash at City Hall, or download the Application for Utility Service. Bills are due on the 15th of each month. New service needs a deposit in advance - $100 for homeowners, $200 for renters.
Utility and Municipal Court payments can be made online, at the City Hall counter, or in the after-hours drop box. Payments by phone go through 1-877-463-5127; you will need your account number and the amount.
Collection is Monday north of Oak Street and Tuesday south of it - containers out by 7:00 a.m. Four cans or eight bags a week, plus two bulky items. Curbside recycling is collected on Thursdays and the tote is free.
A building permit is required for a new house, a room addition, or work inside the house such as finishing a basement. Fencing, sidewalk, business license, conditional use and low-speed vehicle applications can all be downloaded.
The Lathrop Municipal Code is published in full. Real estate and personal property taxes appear on your Clinton County statement and are paid to the County Collector in Plattsburg. The sales tax rate in Lathrop is 7.225%.
Dial 911 in an emergency. The Lathrop Police Department's non-emergency line is 816-528-6550 and the Lathrop Fire Protection District's is 816-528-4254. Problems with an animal, wild or domestic, go to the Police or to City Hall.
Government
City Hall is at 707 Oak Street and the switchboard is 816-740-4251. Public Works, the Police Department and the Fire Protection District publish their own numbers.
Calendar of events
Meetings, and what the Chamber has on around town.
Events come from the City of Lathrop Chamber of Commerce calendar, which the City embeds on its Calendar of Events page. In a live build this section reads from that calendar directly, so it never needs updating by hand.
Not live in this preview. The entries below were read from the City’s own calendar on 18 August 2026 and are frozen — nothing here updates itself until the site is actually deployed.Community
66 local businesses and 19 rental contacts, plus the organisations around town.
The Climate of Lathrop is typically Midwestern with a variation of temperatures and precipitation. The average temperature is 55 degrees. There are two months with averages below 32 degrees. July is the warmest with an average temperature of 79 degrees. The average date of the first fall freeze is October 22, making the growing season approximately 192 days. Average snow fall is 20 inches and the annual precipitation is 34.2 inches.
Council documents
13 sets of council minutes and all 19 chapters of the comprehensive plan. Every one opens as a PDF.
Forms and permits
8 applications and permits, ready to download.
Utilities
City Hall bills water, sewer and trash. Electricity, gas, telephone and internet are run by someone else — here is who to call for each.
Licenses
City licenses are obtained by contacting City Hall. Both kinds fall due on 1 July.
Municipal Code
The whole code in one PDF, current as of September 2023.
For the City: these instructions are out of date — they name Internet Explorer, retired in 2022, and assume Acrobat Reader must be installed. Every current browser opens a PDF on its own.
Report a concern
Report a water problem, a stray dog, or anything else the City should know about.
Latest from the City
The agenda for the 18 August 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
The agenda for the 16 June 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
The agenda for the 19 May 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
The agenda for the 21 April 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
The agenda for the 17 March 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
The agenda for the 17 February 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
The agenda for the 20 January 2026 City Council meeting, published as a PDF.
A Missouri Product Stewardship Council fact sheet on SB239, linked by the City for residents wanting more information.
The City's municipal code, published in full as a single PDF.
Information published by the City on water taste and colour. No publication date is stated alongside the link.
Good questions
A 5% penalty is added to any water bill still unpaid after the delinquent date. If it is not paid by 9:00 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the following month, a further $35 late fee applies to customers inside the city limits and $50 to customers outside them, and water service is discontinued until the bill, penalty, late fee and any reconnection fees are paid in full.
Clinton County.
7.225%.
Yes. There is a noise control ordinance restricting excessive, unnecessary or loud noises in the City - vehicle horns, animals and fowl, vehicular noise, and playing stereos between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Contact Lathrop Police on 816-528-6550, or Lathrop City Hall on 816-740-4251.
The Betty Brazelton Center, at Lathrop City Hall, 707 Oak St.
City Hall
City Hall is at 707 Oak Street, Lathrop. Water and Municipal Court bills can be paid online, at the counter, or in the after-hours drop box - and the City's text and email alerts are free to sign up for.
