298 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI in the church. The Epworth League of the Methodist church o s fine grounds and has a yearly encampment as does also the Bap- tist Young Peoples' Union. Doubtless this Highest Point on Pilot Knob, Arcadia Heights special feature of life will continue to develop until the town is a famous resort for conven- tions and societies holding their meetings in the summer time. The course so far taken has been to avoid the development of the usual forms of resort life with large and expensive hotels, but to encourage simpler living. Tents and small cottages are in most demand for these gatherings. The present population is 289. The Ar- cadia Valley Enterprise is an influential week- ly paper edited by Fuller Swaift and is Re- publican in politics. The town is situated on the main line of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway. Lesteeville The town of Lesterville in Reynolds county was settled about 1860, but has never been incorporated as a town and it is now im- possible to give the names of the first settlers. The first merchant in the town was William Bowen, there are now four general stores and a hub factory. The financial interests of the town are eared for by the Bank of Lesterville. The more important buildings are the school house and Masonic hall. The town is not situated on a railroad and is rather difficult of access. Its population is about 300. Sm^uller Settlements Des Arc, an incorporated village in Union township in Iron county, is twenty -nine miles south of Ironton on the Iron Mountain Rail- road; it has a hotel, floui'ing mill and two general stores. Its population is about 200. The little town of Middle Brook, a short distance north of Ironton and on the line between Iron county and St. Francois county, was laid out as a town in 1856.
