With the Civil War behind them, Tipton citizens could finally concentrate on building a permanent town. The first public school opened and several church buildings were erected. On July 5, 1882, the citizens voted to become a city of the Fourth Class. In 1860, the town of Tipton had been incorporated.

Tipton quickly became the trade center of mid-Missouri. Merchants came from as far away as Springfield to replenish their stock of goods.

Railroads

The railroad played as important a role in the development of Tipton as it did in its founding. Tipton was a major shipping point for many years. It was on the main line of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and branch lines ran from Tipton north to Boonville (1870) and south to Versailles (1875). Goods could be shipped to Boonville via the Missouri River, then brought by rail to Tipton for distribution throughout Central Missouri.

The "Y", where the rail lines branched off, was one of the favorite recreation spots in town. Citizens of all ages liked watching the trains and passengers come and go.

The train made a morning run to Boonville and back and a round trip afternoon run to Versailles. The branch train stayed in Tipton and members of the crew lived here.

A report published in The Tipton Times of April, 1881 showed the amount of railroad shipments from Tipton in the preceding 12 months:

At that time cash receipts for freight at Tipton ran about $2,000 per month. About $1000 worth of local passenger tickets per month were sold.