The town of Otterville was first called Elkton. It was laid out by Gideon R. Thompson in 1837. A public square was laid out and some building were built near the square. William G. Wear entered the forty acres on which Elkton was built, in the year 1836, and sold it to Thompson in 1837. About this time, Thompson and George Wear built a storehouse near the Thompson's dwelling. The town of Otterville was regularly laid out by W.G. Wear in 1854, though several houses had been built previous to that time within its present limits.
The town of Otterville was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of Missouri on February 16, 1857. The town was previously called Elton and Ottertown before being named Otterville. The reason for the name Elkton was because many of the early settlers were Presbyterians from Kentucky and Tennessee. Both stats were located in the Elk Presbytery. Also, there were many elk in the area and Ottertown and Otterville were used as names because of the great number of otters in a creek given the same name.
On February 22, 1947 a city election was held and Otterville was raised from status of village to a Fourth Class City.
August 24, 1860 the Missouri Pacific railroad was completed to Otterville from St Louis. For awhile, Otterville was the end of the railroad , which cause the town to prosper. The fact is know that the railroad needed to build, repair and have Maintence shops for its own usage. Sedalia offered to give the acreage needed and Otterville wanted to sell the land needed, hence the office for free acreage was the on chosen by the railroad.
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