Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns of

MONROE COUNTY

MISSOURI

 

Monroe County is located in the northeastern part of the state, in the second tier of states west of the Mississippi River and four counties south of the Iowa border.  The county seat is Paris.

 

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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
  • USUS Highway
  • IInterstate 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.

 

THE GHOSTS

 

 

SITE NAME

 

POPULATION

1990

U.N.O.

 

DESCRIPTION & LOCATION

BOSTON

 

This settlement was extinct as of 1933. It was laid out in April 1836, by John B Hays in the center of Union Township, west of Middle Grove. The name was doubtless borrowed directly or indirectly from Boston, Mass.

BRADLEY MILL

 

This was one of the first mills in the county. It was in Jefferson Township, three miles northeast of Florida. It was built and operated by Benjamin Bradley.

This is probably flooded by Mark Twain Lake and located near Indian Creed Recreation Area.  (Mike Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

CAVES MILL

 

This mill was on North Fork, in Jefferson Township, west of Stoutsville. It was named for the owner, Richard Cave

CLINTON

 

…SEE Somerset

ELLIOTTSVILLE

 

This was a discontinued post office and country store in Jefferson Township, northeast of Paris, a short distance from Stoutsville, on the North Fork of Salt River.  This place was named for Mr. Elliott, who built several covered bridges, one of them here in the 1860's. In early times Henry Dooley operated a ferry here, becoming wealthy because it was on the route followed by many emigrants on their way to Kansas. 

This might be where HWY 24 crosses the North Fork River.  (Mike Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

FOREST GROVE

 

This was a settlement in Woodlawn Township that no longer existed in 1933. The name was doubtless descriptive.

Probably located southeast of Woodlawn. (M Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

FOXS SETTLEMENT

 

This was the first settlement in the county, made in 1819 or 1820 by Ezra Fox, Andrew and Daniel Wittenburg, and others. It was named for Fox.

It is about three miles east of where Middle Grove now is.  (Mike Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

GIVENTON

 

This place was in Union Township, and was a town platted on May 31, 1888 by Adam Given, owner of the site, and it was named for him. The town did not materialize.

GOSS & VANDEVENTERS MILL

 

This mill was in Jefferson Township, south of Florida. It was owned by John Goss and John Vandeventer, and was one of the first in the county and made flour on a big scale.

HARRIS SPRINGS

 

This place was in Union Township, west of Middle Grove. Here was once a popular resort, there being, among other things, a store, a large hotel, and a dancing pavilion.  Thomas Harris owned the farm upon which the mineral springs were located.

HICKMANS MILL

 

This mill was in Jefferson Township on South Fork of Salt River, south of Florida. Hugh Hickman, for whom it was named, also ran a ferry, receiving his license to operate in 1837.

IRELAND

 

This community was in the north-central part of the county, northwest of Stoutsville; most of the settlers were Irish.

I'm surprised I can't find any trace of this town.  (Mike Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

JONESBURG

 

This was a rival town to Clinton, separated from it by an alley.  It was laid out Sept 20, 1836, by Col Gabriel Jones and Greenlie Hays and was named for the former. It no longer existed in 1933. 

I can't find a Clinton in Monroe County, but there is a Clinton School just northwest of North Fork.  (Mike Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

LEICHLITER

 

This was a country store in Washington Township, near the Washington School, and owned by Charles L. Lichliter. It was abandoned as of 1933.

MEREDITHS MILL

 

This mill was in Jefferson Township, on North Fork of Salt River. It was named for Hugh Meredith, who owned and operated it.

MILL GROVE

 

This was a discontinued post office and settlement in Marion Township, begun in 1870. Campbell's Gazetter states it was the original name for Evansville. Old settlers deny this.

SHAKE RAG

 

A predominantly African-American settlement established near Holliday. The name shake rag comes from the bandanna knotted at the four corners worn by the women, who often shook their heads when talking.

I sure would like to find this, but I had no luck.  (Mike Flannigan, Jan 31, 2001)

SMITH SETTLEMENT

 

This settlement was the second in the county, so named because it was established by Joseph Smith Sr., Alexander W. Smith, Joseph Smith Jr., and Samuel H Smith, who probably were squatters, since their names are not in the deed record. Located between Paris and Florida, between the Middle and North forks of the Salt River.  The McGees were also pioneers here.

SOMERSET

 

AKAClinton

 

This settlement was in Washington Township, and was laid off under the name of Clinton on Aug 5, 1836, by George Glenn, Samuel Bryan, and Spotwood Williams. When the post office was established about 1870 a little northwest of the old town, its name was changed to Somerset because of another Clinton in MO.  Both names were doubtless borrowed.

THOMPSONVILLE

 

This country store was in Jackson Township, near Paris. Charles Thompson, of Illinois, bought a large tract of land here and built a handsome home and a small store. The latter was still in operation in 1933, but the house had burned down. 

This was probably southwest of Paris.  (Mike Flannigan)

TOMKINSVILLE

 

This settlement in Clay Township was laid out on July 4, 1839, by Joseph Sidner.  An addition was made on July 8, 1839, by Taylor Barton, but no lots were ever sold here. The place soon became extinct. It was named for Elihu B Tompkins owner of almost a thousand acres of land in the neighborhood.

VENTURA

 

This is a discontinued post office and country store in Jackson Township, south of Paris. The name is coined, signifying that the store was a venture.

 

MORE INFORMATION

 

 

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.

 

 

Also visit:

 

Ghost Town USA’s Ghost Towns of Missouri

 
Missouri Ghost Town locations with names beginning:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | PQ | R | S | T | UV | W | XYZ

 

Detailed information on individual locations:

BLYTHEDALE | Haran | McLellan Spings | Rivermines

 

Listings of related groups of locations

FERRIES | MILLS | RURAL POST OFFICES | WAY STATIONS

 

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CURRENT Ghost Town of the Month | PAST Ghost Towns of the Month

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A few LINKS to outside webpages:

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FIRST POSTED: Sep 28, 2001

LAST UPDATE: April 09, 2005

 

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This entire website, and all individual web pages is
copyright © 1998-2010
by Gary B Speck Publications

 

ON THIS PAGE, copyright is not claimed for information quoted from the Missouri Ghost Town discussion group, which is marked as noted in the introduction above.  All other unmarked information falls under Gary B. Speck Publication’s copyright protection.

 

The MO GT DISCUSSION FORUM information is posted as a public service for all “subscribers” to the group and is posted with their permission.  It is not to be used for commercial gain without the express written consent of the individuals who make up this discussion forum.

If you have any questions regarding this disclaimer, please contact me at GHOST TOWN USA

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