Fulton to Celebrate 200 Years with Founders Day Events July 31 and August 1

FULTON, MO — The official Fulton Founders Day Celebration will span two days: July 31 and August 1, 2025, with events honoring the past and showcasing the people and places that define Fulton today.
The celebration begins on Thursday, July 31 at 11:30 AM, with a Founders Day Monument Unveiling and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on the southwest side of the Callaway County Courthouse. This permanent marker, made possible through the collaborative efforts of local leaders and history enthusiasts, honors the very ground where Fulton’s story began.

On Friday, August 1, the festivities continue at the Brick District Playhouse
• 4:00 PM – Networking and Cocktail Hour
• 4:30 PM – Founders Day Program Reflections on Fulton’s past, present, and future, featuring a keynote address by Dr. Gary R. Kremer, Executive Director of the State Historical Society of Missouri
• Following the ceremony: Enjoy a self-guided walking tour through the Brick District highlighting Fulton’s rich history, as well as a visit to the new monument site.

“Founders Day isn’t just about looking back,” said Bruce Hackmann, board member of the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society and a key organizer of the event. “It’s about connecting generations: past, present, and future, and taking pride in the place we all call home.”

Everyone is welcome: residents, former residents, and visitors. It’s a celebration that belongs to all who love Fulton.

Stay up to date on bicentennial announcements by visiting https://www.callawaychamber.net/fulton-founders-day/ and following @CallawayChamberofCommerce, @CallawayMoHistory, @BrickDistrictFulton, and @CityofFulton on Facebook.

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August 1, 1825, is recognized as the founding date of Fulton, the second county seat of Callaway County. Three commissioners appointed by the Missouri General Assembly chose the site for the town three days earlier and named it Volney after a French infidel. At the insistence of Robert Dunlap, a local landowner, the county commission agreed to change the name on August 1 to Fulton in honor of the inventor of the steamboat. The original town of Fulton comprised 50 acres of land bought from George Nichols for $50.00 and contained 147 lots that went on sale for as little as $1.00 apiece beginning September 5, 1825.