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INTRODUCTION

Unless noted otherwise, information on this web page is from original research by Gary B. Speck.  However, much information in these ghost town listings is quoted from postings to the Rootsweb Missouri Ghost Town discussion forum (MO-GT), and that information is indicated as follows.  Specific information and/or personal comments will be appropriately credited with either names or initials, like (MF) {Mike Flannigan}, or (GBS) {Me}. In some cases, I didn’t save the name, so those will be indicated as MO-GT. 

If you know of any Missouri ghost town location not listed on these pages, please contact the MO-GT discussion forum, if you are a member.  If you are not a member, please contact me and I’ll pass on the information to the group.  If you are interested in Missouri ghost towns and would like to join the group, let me know and I’ll tell you how to join the forum. 

Please note that some minor editing for editorial consistency and spelling WAS made, as well as spelling out of directions (N, SE, NNW, etc), and numbers less than ten.

Highways are marked thus...

• CR – County Roads
• SH – State Highway
• US – US Highway
• I – Interstate Highway

Locations marked with a $ indicate an admission fee is charged to visit the site.

Unless noted otherwise, all indicated population figures are from the 1990 census. 

GNIS stands for the US Geologic Survey’s Geographic Names Information System. 

Many of these listed locations may be just rural post offices, country churches, schools, forts, stage stations, crossroads stores, mills or river fords, rather than what we normally consider towns.  The reason for that is that many of these smaller locations had small communities grow up around the main business. 

Memories of the past glory of these one-time active communities still float like dust in the wind over Missouri’s hillsides and prairie.  The winds of time that created these ghosts reach deep into America's Heartland and those gentle zephyrs take those past memories and deposit them in front of you.  Reach out and grab them!  Without further ado, let’s visit some of Missouri’s many hundreds of ghost towns!

PLEASE NOTE: 

Where photos are indicated thusly (PHOTO!), please use your browser’s “BACK” button to return to this page.  More photos will be added over time.

SITE NAME

POPULATION

1990

U.N.O.

DESCRIPTION & LOCATION

ALEXANDER & RIEDS MILL

...SEE Ried & Alexanders Mill

ALEXANDRIA

Alexandria is the site on which Hines was later located. Alexandria was laid out in 1822 and became the county seat in 1823. In 1822 the St. Louis and Hannibal Railroad bypassed the town and it died out by 1829.  Both these towns are officially dead, but still have residents.  They were located near the intersection of CR KK and SH 61. (It was followed later by what is now called OLD Alexandria – SEE below)

BARNEYS FORD

Barneys Ford was a crossing at Frenchmans Bluff.

BECKS LANDING

Becks Landing was located on the Mississippi River south of Cap au Gris.

BIG SPRINGS MILLS

AKA Enon

Big Spring Mills was located near Flint Hill in southeastern Clark Township. It was out of existence by 1943.  The spring is also called Zumwalts Spring.

BLANTONS FORD

Blantons Ford was named for Ben Blanton.

BOONS MILL

Boons Mill was a water mill six miles north of Elsberry. The house to the old mill was about 113 years old in 1942. 

This description would put it near Annada, in Pike County, but it's probably really in Lincoln county. Another interesting place lost to history.  (MF)

BROWNS MILL

Browns Mill was an old mill near Louisville on a road of some importance. Browns Mill was named for J Brown, who built the mill in 1856.

BURR OAK MILL

AKA – Robinsons Mill

Burr Oak Mill was located in Burr Oak.

BURR OAK VALLEY MILLS

Burr Oak Valley Mills was a flourmill in Foley.

CAMP CREEK MILL

Camp Creek Mill was located in southeastern Bedford Township near Troy.

CARTERS MILL

Carters Mill was named for Sam Carter.

CAVE CITY

Cave City was a contractor’s camp just north of Silex, and named for a cave.  Other data suggests this is seven miles south of Silex.  (ANY corrections???  GBS)

COFFEY & DEGARMAS MILL

...SEE Coffeys Mill

COFFEYS MILL

AKA – Coffey & Degarmas Mill

Coffeys Mill was located on the West Fork of Cuivre River.

COLLARDS MILL

Collards Mill was located near Troy.

COTTLES MILL

Cottles Mill was an early mill on Cuivre River.

COX FORD

Cox Ford was a crossing on the North Fork of Cuivre River in Bedford Township.

COXS MILL

...SEE Jesse Coxs Mill

CREECH FORD

Creech Ford was a crossing on Big Creek in south Clark Township.

DAVID McMILLANS MILL

…SEE McMillans Mill

DAVIS MILL

Davis Mill was a treadmill two miles west of New Hope. Davis Mill was named for Ephraim Davis.

DAWSON FORD

Dawson Ford was located at Bryants Creek on the New Hope and Paynesville Road.

DEGARMAS MILL

...SEE Coffeys Mill

DIGGS MILL

Diggs Mill was located in northwestern Hurricane Township. Diggs Mill was the first water mill in the county. It was washed away by a waterspout around 1870.

DRAKES FORD

Drakes Ford was on the Cuivre River.

DRYDEN

…SEE Drydensville

DRYDENSVILLE

AKA – Dryden

Drydensville was a village in eastern Snow Hill Township. 

DUNCANS MILL

Duncans Mill was on Crooked Creek in northeastern Clark Township.

DUTCH MILLS

Dutch Mills were large saw and gristmills on Camp Creek three miles east of Truxton. The name referred to the German owners.

EAGLES FORK

Eagles Fork was in Lincoln County Mo and there was no Post office there. It was considered a neighborhood (community) in the 1850's. The original house is still standing and is still owned by the original family (Meyer's). The post office I believe was Moscow (Moscow Mills) MO.

Contributed by Karen Bosler, Jan 30, 2006

EGYPT FORD

Egypt Ford was located on Kings Lake. It was named in the late 18^th century.

ELLIS MILL

…SEE Tillotsons Mill

ELLIS & POWELLS STEAM MILL

…SEE Tillotsons Mill

ELSBERRY MILL

…SEE R. T. Elsberry Mill

ENON

…SEE Big Spring Mills

FLORENCES GRIST MILL

Florences Grist Mill was located in Union Township 2.5 miles northwest of Auburn. Named for its owners.

FORDS MILL

Fords Mill was located in northwestern Lincoln County.

GAMMON FORD

Gammon Ford was a crossing on the West Fork Cuivre River in northwestern Hawk Point Township and southeastern Nineveh Township.

GEIGERS MILL

…SEE Martins Mill

GRANTS FORD

Grants Ford was a ford on the Cuivre River between southwestern Monroe Township and southeastern Clark Township.

GRIMMETTS MILL

AKA Richardsons Mill

Grimmetts Mill was located at the Louisville and Olney Ford over Cuivre River. 

Richardsons Mill was an old mill on the West Fork Cuivre River in Hawk Point Township eight miles northwest of Troy.  (SAME? – GBS)

HACKBERRY SPRING FORD

Hackberry Spring Ford was on West Fork Cuivre River in northwestern Hawk Point Township.

HAFFS MILL

Was located on the road from Troy to Bowling Green.

HAMMONDS MILL

Hammonds Mill was located on the North Fork of the Cuiver River in southern Waverly Township.

HARVEYS MILL

Harveys Mill was located in northeastern Bedford Township.

HICKORY GROVE FARM

Hickory Grove Farm was located in northwestern Waverly Township, east of Louisville

HIGHSMITH FORD

Highsmith Ford was a crossing on the Cuivre River between western Monroe Township and northeastern Clark Township.

HUTTONS MILL

Huttons Mill was located in central Bedford Township Named for John Hutton.

HUTTS FORD

Hutts Ford was located on Cuivre River. Named for Thomas G. Hutt.

JABIUS MILL

AKA – Schroeders Mill

Jabius Mill was located in southern Clark Township.

JEFFERSON FORD

Jefferson Ford was a crossing at Silex on the North Fork of the Cuivre River.

JESSE COXS MILL

Jesse Coxs Mill was on the Cuivre River near Davis in northern Bedford Township.

JONESVILLE

Jonesville was an African-American settlement one mile from Troy.

LAWRENCE FORD

Lawrence Ford was a crossing on Sulphur Fork in northwestern Waverly Township.

LOUISVILLE FORD

A crossing near Louisville on the North Fork of the Cuivre River.

MARTINS MILL

AKA – Geigers Mill

Martins Mill was a water mill at Moscow in western Monroe Township.

McCULLOCKS MILL

…SEE Widow McCullocks Mill

McGREGORS FORD

McGregors Ford was a crossing on Big Creek in southwestern Clark Township.

McMILLANS MILL

David McMillans Mill was an early mill named for the owner.

MOSS FORD

Moss Ford was a crossing on North Fork Cuivre River in northwestern Waverly Township.

NEW LIBERTY

New Liberty was a town in northeastern Nineveh Township. Named for the church.

NEW SALEM

New Salem was a small hamlet in northern Monroe Township near New Salem Baptist Church.

NINEVAH

…SEE Olney

OAK RIDGE

Oak Ridge was located in east-central Hurricane Township.

OLD ALEXANDRIA

Old Alexandria was a town on the old site of Alexandria. Old Alexandria was established about 1860 and deserted by1886.  (It was preceded by what is now called Alexandria – SEE above.)

OLD MILL

Old Mill was located on a fork of Mill Creek in Union Township

OLNEY (FORD)

AKA – Ninevah

100

Apparently this little town began as a ford crossing the river.  The farmer on whose land it was didn't really give it a name, but the post office was called "Lost Creek" or "Lost Branch". When it grew up and was called Ninevah and for some unknown reason was changed to Olney. That's about all I know……There was a mill there, too, called Richardson's Mill, I think. 

Ninevah was established in 1855 by Joseph Wells.  It later became known as Olney. (From the book Map of Lincoln County Missouri, first published in 1860 by Edmund Ellis, reproduced in atlas form by the Lincoln County Genealogical Society, 1993)

Contributed by Shellie Allen (Feb 2002)

PARSONS MILL

This might have been just over the county line into Pike county.  (MF)

Parsons Mill was a personal name.  This old mill was possibly operated by my PARSONS family.  I don’t have any info on it, so if any of you do, please let me know at GHOST TOWN USA.  (GBS)

PATTERSONVILLE

Pattersonville was a town, which was platted but never developed on Guinns Creek on the Pike County line.

POLLARDS FORD

Pollards Ford was located on Big Creek in southeastern Clark Township.

POWELLS MILL

…SEE Tillotsons Mill

R. T. ELSBERRY MILL

RT Elsberry Mill was a steam mill at Elsberry. RT Elsberry Mill was named for Robert Elsberry on whose land the town of Elsberry was built.

RICHARDSON MILL

Was a saw and gristmill in northwestern Hurricane Township near the Smith School. It has been gone since about 1895

RICHARDSONS MILL

...SEE Grimmetts Mill

RIED & ALEXANDERS MILL

Ried and Alexanders Mill was a steam and saw mill near Ried School and Okete Presbyterian Church.  Ried and Alexanders Mill was named for the owners, D. C. Ried and J. Alexander.

ROBINSONS MILL

...SEE Burr Oak Mill

ROSS MILL

Ross Mill was a saw and gristmill in Moscow Mills.

SCHROEDERS MILL

...SEE Jabius Mill

SEYMOUR FORD

Seymour Ford was on North Fork Cuivre River in Bedford Township.

SITTONS FORD

Sittons Ford was located in northeastern Millwood Township.

SITTONS MILL

Sittons Mill was located in northeastern Millwood Township. 

Possibly near Sittons Ford. (GBS)

SNOW HILL

AKA – Snowhill

Snow Hill was a voting place on Bobs Creek in Snow Hill Township in the late 1800s.  (MF Jul 2001)

SPYRES MILL

Spyres Mill was located in northeastern Prairie Township.  (MF July 18, 2001)

STALLARDS MILL

Stallards Mill was a horse mill four miles southwest of New Hope in operation from the 1840s to the 1880s.

I suspect this is near Okete.  (MF July 18, 2001)

STONES MILL

Stones Mill was located in southwestern Waverly Township.

STOUTS SETTLEMENT

Stouts Settlement was an early community near New Hope.

TILLOTSONS MILL

AKA – Ellis and Powells Steam Mill

Tillotsons Mill was established in 1858 in eastern Union Township on Mill Creek. 

VOMUNDS FORD

Vomunds Ford was located on Lead Creek in Millwood Township.

WALKERS FORD

Walkers Ford was located on West Fork Cuivre River.

WATTS MILL

Watts Mill was located on Guinns Creek at Pattersonville.

WIDOW McCULLOCKS MILL

Widow McCullocks Mill was an early mill on the West Fork Cuivre River three miles from Truxton.

WILLOW FORD

A crossing on Kings Lake in eastern Hurricane Township It was named for the willows.

WOOD’S FORT

0

When the county was established in 1819, the county seat was awarded to Wood’s Fort, a military post established in 1812.  Later it was moved to Troy, which MAY have been an outgrowth of Wood’s Fort. (GBS)

Woods Fort was a stockade in the area of Troy. It was built in 1812 and portions of it were standing in 1943.  (GNIS)

Historians estimate that there may be as many as 50,000 ghost towns scattered across the United States of America. During the next five years, Gary B. Speck Publications will be publishing unique state, regional, and county guides called

The Ghost Town Guru's Guide

to the Ghost Towns of *** ™

These original guides are designed for anybody interested in

ghost towns. Whether you are a casual tourist looking for a new and different place to visit, or a hard-core ghost town researcher, these guides will be just right for you. With over 30 years of research behind them, they will be a welcome addition to any ghost towner's library.

Thank you, and we'll see you out on the Ghost Town Trail!

For more information on the ghost towns of MISSOURI,

contact us at

Ghost Town USA.

E-mailers, PLEASE NOTE:

Due to the tremendous amount of viruses, worms and “spam,” out there, I no longer open any e-mails with unsolicited attachments, or messages on the subject lines with “Hey”, “Hi”, “Need help”, “Help Please”, “???”, or blank subject lines, etc.  If you do send an E-mail asking for information, or sharing information, PLEASE indicate the appropriate location AND state name, or other topic on the “subject” line.  THANK YOU!  :o)

IMPORTANT

These listings and historical vignettes of ghost towns, near-ghost towns and other historical sites in MISSOURI above are for informational purposes only, and should NOT be construed to grant permission to trespass, metal detect, relic or treasure hunt at any of the listed sites.

If the reader of this guide is a metal detector user and plans to use this guide to locate sites for metal detecting or relic hunting, it is the READER'S responsibility to obtain written permission from the legal property owners. Please be advised, that any state or nationally owned sites will probably be off-limits to metal detector use. Also be aware of any federal, state or local laws restricting the same.

When you are exploring the ghost towns of MISSOURI, please abide by the

 Ghost Towner's Code of Ethics.