Area code 573 serves eastern Missouri, including cities like Columbia, Jefferson City, Cape Girardeau, and Hannibal. Created in 1996 from a split with 314 and 816, it covers a diverse mix of college towns, state government centers, and river communities along the Mississippi. The area includes the University of Missouri and Missouri’s state capital, making it central to education and politics. Seven-digit dialing is still common locally. Area code 573 represents Missouri’s heartland, combining academic influence, political importance, and the cultural heritage of the Midwest and the Mississippi River valley.