The Richest Soil Grows the Deepest Roots: Life in Platte County’s Missouri River Bottoms

The Richest Soil Grows the Deepest Roots is a compelling historical memoir that intertwines Ruth’s memories growing up on her family farm in the Missouri River bottoms of Platte County during the Great Depression and World War II with her family saga spanning five generations. Ruth’s story gives rich personal insight into the complex intermingling that occurred in Missouri among Southerners who had been traveling west since the founding of Jamestown and mid-nineteenth century immigrants from Germany. Whatever the differences, Ruth’s ancestors found much in common as hard-working people building a farm community in the fertile Missouri River Bottoms.

This insightful book shares rich details about the region’s history and its complexities. Meandering, treacherous, and full of sediment, the Big Muddy, as the river is called, has been a central feature of Ruth’s family for over 200 years. From 18th century Boonsborough Kentucky, to the California Gold Rush, and the brutal Civil War in Missouri, readers will be enlightened by the rich history and deeply unique experiences shared in this memoir.