Rosati & Knobview, Missouri

A Summarized History of Knobview & Rosati

Rosati, Missouri (formerly known as Knobview) is located on the eastern edge of Phelps County along I-44 and Historic Route 66, between the towns of St. James and Cuba.

Knobview acquired its name sometime during the first half of the 19th century when westbound travelers on Springfield Road reached a hill where three hills (knobs) could be seen in the southwest.

The railroad reached Knobview in 1860, and in the very late 1800s, the railroad began selling excess land along its right-of-way.

In 1895, an American who owned a cotton plantation in Arkansas recruited Italians to come to America to work on his Sunnyside Plantation along the Mississippi River in southeast Arkansas.

The first group of Italians arrived at Sunnyside in November, 1895, but many lost their lives over the next three years due to malaria which was caused by the many mosquitoes that lived in the surrounding, swampy area. A second group arrived from Italy in December, 1896. Hundreds eventually died.

After fulfilling a two-year contract, the Italians looked for another place to live, away from the swampy land at Sunnyside. They received word about Knobview, where the railroad was selling excess land, and nearly one-half of the group decided to move there. Most of the others went to northwest Arkansas and founded the town of Tontitown.

The first Italians arrived at Knobview in January, 1898. Life was very hard, but within the next ten years, they had stores, a canning factory, a church, a school, a saloon, a post office, and a depot.

Vineyards were started in the very early 1900s which led to more and more acreage over the years, and eventually, a grape and wine industry.

Knobview's name was changed to Rosati in 1931 in recognition of Bishop Joseph Rosati, the first bishop of St. Louis.

Rosati still has many vineyards, and several area wineries have been established over the last several decades.