Manson

Manson, a historic town in Calhoun County, was founded in 1872. Its strategic location along the railroad fueled rapid growth, making it one of the county's largest towns by the early 20th century. Despite facing a devastating tornado in 1979, Manson has persevered and remains a thriving community today.

The City of Manson was built upon the site of the Manson Impact Structure, the largest known meteorite crater in the United States.  The crater, measuring more than 23 miles in diameter, was created when a meteorite crashed into earth some 74 million years ago.  The crater now sits approximately 200 feet below the City of Manson.  Although the crater is not visible today, the impact of the meteor significantly changed the geography of the area.  As a result, the City of Manson was known for years as the “soft water capital of the world”.
 

City History

Before there was Manson there was Yatesville, a small settlement located three miles southeast of Manson in the northeast corner of Calhoun County. With the coming of the railroad in 1870, the town of Manson was born in 1872.

By 1900, Manson had become one of the largest towns in the county, with 1,424 residents. This growth continued through 1970, when the community’s population peaked at 1,993 people. While a deadly tornado struck the town in 1979, Manson rebuilt its downtown and homes that were destroyed. Today, the town remains a vibrant place to call home.

Content written by Darcy Maulsby, Lake City, author of the history book "Calhoun County" | darcymaulsby.com