Marceline was effectively built by the Santa Fe Railroad by purchasing land from area farmers and plotting what would become the Missouri Division Point for the Santa Fe Railway. The first lot was sold on January 28, 1888. There were five stores by February 1888, and on March 6, 1888 the Linn County Court incorporated the City of Marceline and appointed A. D. Reynolds as Mayor. The population has fluxuated from more than 5,000 people, to under 2,000.