Tarkio College was founded in 1883 largely through the efforts and support of a local farmer and entrepreneur, David Rankin. It became a well-respected, four-year private liberal arts college which operated until 1992. It was reopened in 2019 as Tarkio Technology Institute, a nonprofit technical and trade education institution certified by the Missouri Department of Higher Education, offering hands-on courses in welding, HVAC, plumbing, wind energy, computer information technology, health occupations, and business. The institution is student-focused and founded upon principles of service, faith, honor, and the human spirit.