Missouri was officially a slave holding state but the location of slaves were determined geographically. The enslaved population was distributed along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The greatest concentration was in the area known as "Little Dixie", so called due to the settlement of Southerners before the War between the states.. This core includes present day counties of Howard, Cooper, Boone, Callaway, Audrain, Randolph, Monroe, Ralls and Pike.