Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns of

RALLS COUNTY

MISSOURI

 

Ralls County is located in the northeastern part of the state, bordering the Mississippi River

just south of Hannibal. The county seat is New London.

 

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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

ABELLS

 

This settlement and post office was located in Center Township, near St. Paul’s Church.  The post office was discontinued in November 1858. It was named for the storekeeper. (GNIS)

 

A very interesting area.  The cemetery is quite large, and probably still in use. (Mike Flannigan)

 

T56N, R7W, Fifth Principal Meridian

BLUES STORE

 

This store was in southern Saline Township and was owned by a man by the name of Blue, who also operated a grist mill here. The place no longer existed in 1933. The name Brunes Store is an error that appeared on the Ralls Wall Map.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan)

BRANHAM

 

Branham was listed in the Rand McNally Atlas, but nothing could be learned of the place. 

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan)

BRASHEAR FORD

 

This old river ford was located about two AIR miles southeast of Spalding on the Salt River, where Hopi Trail dead ends at the river.  (GBS)

 

Just south of the north section line, Sec 6, T55N, R5W, Fifth Principal Meridian

Lat: 39.5983769, Long: -91.5023764

Lat: 39º 35’ 54”N, Long: 91º 30’ 09”W - elevation 495’

BRUNES STORE

 

…SEE Blues Store

CINCINNATI

-

My father was raised at Cincinnati and lived in the hotel.  In the 1930s it was in use as a residence.  At that time the only other buildings were the barn and the old store building.  I played there as a child when we had picnics in the early 50s.  The only building left now is the barn.  My cousins live in a newly built home.  The town site has been in my family since the 1920s.  In prehistory this site was also a Native American village.

(Condensed from an E-mail from Laura Hamm, Apr 09, 2003) 

 

It was located on Cincinnati Road, a half mile north of the Salt River, about 13 AIR miles southwest of Hannibal.  The GNIS aerial photo only shows a few scattered farms around the area. (GBS)

 

Ctr Sec 8, T55N, R6W, 5th Principal Meridian.

Lat: 39.5633757, Long: -91.5943235

Lat: 39º 33’ 48”N, Long: 91º 35’ 40”W - elevation 528’

CLEMENS

 

AKA - Taylor

 

Located on the Burlington Northern Railroad and the Mississippi River about eight miles southeast of Hannibal.  It is about a mile east-southeast of Saverton at Lock & Dam #22 at Mile 301. It is on the east side of Lookout Mountain.  (GBS)

 

This railroad station was in southeastern Saverton Township, on the Burlington Railroad and was named for Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), by Mr. Henry Miller, general manager of the Burlington Railroad. Before the railroad, the place was a boat landing named Taylor, after a pioneer family who came early to the township. (GNIS)

 

NE¼ Sec 20, T56N, R3W, 5th Principal Meridian.

Lat: 39.6364349, Long: -91.2512552

Lat: 39º 38’ 11”N, Long: 91º 15’ 05”W - elevation 469’

COUNTY LINE FORD

0

Was on the Salt River, but is now under the waters of Mark Twain Lake on the Ralls/Monroe County line east of Florida. (GBS)

 

SW¼ Sec 32, T55N, R7W, 5th Principal Meridian.

Lat: 39.5017075, Long: -91.7132196

Lat: 39º 30’ 06”N, Long: 91º 42’ 48”W - elevation 607’

CRIGLERS MILLS

 

AKA – Rouseburg

 

 

This discontinued Post Office and mill was named for the owners of the mill, Robert, William and James Crigler.  It was formerly known as Rouseburg for two cousins, Jack and Lee Rouse, who ran a store there. It was in Saling Township.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan)

DEAD MANS CROSSING

 

The crossing was known by this name after Alfred Pickett was killed here by a train in 1878. This crossing in on the St Louis, Hannibal and Keokuk Railroad in Spencer Township, near New London.  (GNIS)

 

New London is the county seat and is located at the junction of SH 19/61, in the northeastern part of the county about eight miles south-southwest of Hannibal.  The nearest current rail line is out of Hannibal or along the west bank of the Mississippi River.  The GNIS topographic map shows an abandoned railroad line coming into New London from the south, from Center, paralleling SH 19.  (GBS)

ELLIOTT

 

AKA

Elliott Station

 

This railroad station was in Spencer Township, three miles south of New London and was once an important shipping place for grain and live stock, but was abolished by 1933. It was named for Wilkerson B. Elliott, on whose land it was located. It is commonly referred to as Elliott Station.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan)

ELY LICK

 

This was a country store in Spencer Township, four miles west of New London that was named for its owner, Isaac Ely. He also operated a salt mill here. 

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan - Nov 30, 2002)

FARMERSVILLE

 

This store and blacksmith shop was in Southern Saline Township, and was abandoned long before 1933. It received its name because it was put up by farmers on a cooperative basis.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan - Nov 30, 2002)

FIKES LICK

 

…SEE Picketts Mill

FORT MASON

 

This was an early Indian stockade fort, built during the War of 1812 south of Saverton, under the leadership of Captain Musick, Callaway, and others, who had charge of the warfare against the Indians in this part of the state. The fort was named for Captain James Mason, an army officer. It was later destroyed by fire. (GNIS)

FREEMAN

 

…SEE Freemore’s Lick

FREEMORES LICK

 

This was one of the earliest salt mills in the county, it was in northwestern Spencer Township and was operated as early as 1800 by Charles Freemore Delaurie of St Louis County, who was led to the salt lick by an Indian friend and guide, Rain-in-the Face. The English middle name was given to the place. It is sometimes erroneously named Freeman or Freemans Saline. (GNIS)

GILBERT LANDING

START HERE ON DETAILS

It is on the Mississippi R., a short distance from the old settlement at Salt Springs (now Saverton); named for the first American settler in the county, Samuel Gilbert, who bought claim to the land from Victor La Gotra, a French settler who was residing here

GOODINS MILL

 

This grist mill was on the Salt River, in Saline Township, and was abandoned long before 1933. It was named for John Goodin, the owner.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

GREEN LAWN

Rural

 

HASSARD

30

 

HATCH

N/L

 

HOG FORD

 

 

HUNTINGTON

Rural

 

HUTCHISON

N/L

 

JESSAMINE

 

 

JOANNA

N/L

 

(THE) LANDING

 

…SEE The Landing

LIBERTY HALL

 

 

LITTLE BLUESTEM

 

 

LITTLE FORD

 

 

MADISONVILLE

Rural

 School nearby

MATSONS MILL

 

 

MEGOWN SPRINGS

 

 

MONKEY RUN

Rural

 

MOUNT PRAIRIE POST OFFICE

 

This discontinued post office in Salt River Township was named from Mount Prairie Presbyterian Church. (GNIS)

 

This church (Mount Prairie Presbyterian Church) was in Salt River Township, and was organized on April 6, 1831. It united with the Presbyterian Church in Perry in 1881. It was named from its location on a small knoll in the midst of prairie land. (GNIS)

 

Both appear to have been located near Perry. (GBS)

NADINE

 

 

NOONAN

 

 

OAKWOOD JUNCTION

 

This was a railroad stop on the Hannibal and St Louis Railroad, about one mile from Oakwood in Clay Township.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

 

Oakwood is on the railroad, straddling the Ralls/Marion County line about two miles southwest of Hannibal.  The description above would probably place it about a mile southwest of where the railroad crosses the county line, at or near where it passes under US 61 at Ralls. Could this have been an earlier name for Ralls?  Ralls has a variant name of Outer Depot, which indicates it was also a train station and was in the same vicinity.  (GBS)

 

INFO FOR RALLS:

NE¼ Sec 1, T56N, R5W 5th Principal Meridian, Clay Township

Lat: 39.6635562, Long: -91.4015390

Lat: 39º 41’ 01”N, Long: 91º 24’ 06”W – elevation 531’

OLD TANYARD

 

 

ORWOOD

 

 

OWENDALE

 

 

PICKETTS MILL

 

AKA

Fikes Lick

Saint Vrains Mills

 

This grist mill in the northeast corner of Jasper Township was abandoned by 1933 and was named for the owner, Alfred Pickett, who was killed in a railroad accident in 1878. He was a Kentuckian, who came to Missouri in 1828, when he was eight years old. This was earlier known as Saint Vrains Mills, for a former owner, and later Fikes Lick for Abraham Fike, another owner. 

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

 

Jasper Township is located in the southern part of the county south of Madinsonville, north of SH 154, west of the Ralls/Pike county line and east of CR P and south of where the angled county line turns north-south. (GBS)

PIDDLETOWN

 

This settlement was in Salt River Township. The name was transferred from Piddletown School.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

PIDDLETOWN SCHOOL

 

This old school is listed by GNIS as historical and was located on the north side of Piddletown Lane, about a half mile west of the junction with CR B, about eight AIR miles south-southeast of Mark Twain Lake and State Park and about 13 AIR miles west-northwest of Vandalia.  The GNIS aerial photo shows the site in a cleared area between some fields and the trees along West Lick Creek.  The name was also given to the community of Piddletown  (GBS)

 

Ctr Sec 29, T53N, R7W, Fifth Principal Mer

Lat: 39.3464290, Long: -91.7079391

Lat: 39º 20’ 47”N, Long: 91º 42’ 29”W – elevation 715’

PIGEON CREEK POST OFFICE

 

This post office was discontinued long before 1933, and was in Center Township and named for its location on Pigeon Creek. (GNIS)

 

Pigeon Creek does not have a location marked in GNIS, but Center Township is in the center of the county around the town of Center.  (GBS)

PLUM CREEK

 

 

RALLS JUNCTION

 

 

RENSSALAER

94

Inc 2/22/1990

RIVERVIEW

 

This was a country store was in the extreme northern part of Salt River Township, on a high bluff overlooking the Salt River, hence its name.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

 

Could it have possibly been on the southeastern extension of Mark Twain Lake across from or south of the dam?  (GBS)

SAINT VRAINS MILL

 

…SEE Picketts Mill

SALT RIVER

N/L

 

SALT SPRINGS

DEAD NAME

This is the original name for Saverton.

SEELY SCHOOL

 

 

SHALETON

N/L

According to GNIS, this location was shown on a 1919 era map.  It was along the railroad following the west side of the Mississippi River, just south of Mile 300 and the confluence with Foots Creek.  (GBS)

 

SE¼ Sec 28, T56N, R3W, Fifth Principal Meridian

Lat: 39.6192128, Long: -91.2326434

Lat: 39º 37’ 09”N, Long: 91º 13’ 58”W – elevation 463’

SHAVER FORD

N/L

 

SHEIL

N/L

 

SHEPARD FORD

 

 

SPALDING

Rural

 

SPALDING SPRINGS

 

 

SPENCER LICK MILLS

 

 

SUGAR GROVE

 

This was a settlement in northwestern Center Township, on Sugar Creek that was named from the sugar maple trees.

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

 

Sugar Creek runs about five or six miles from a spot on SH 19, about 1.8 miles northeast of Center, north to the Salt River just north of the junction of Magnolia Road/CAR A. It lies about two miles east of and roughly parallels CR H.  (GBS)

 

Jct CR A/Magnolia Rd (near mouth):

Ctr Sec 1 T55N, R6W, Fifth Principal Mer

Lat: 39.573105, Long: -91.515727

 

Jct Sugar Creek/SH 19 (near source):

NW¼ Sec 30, T55N, R5W, Fifth Principal Mer

Lat: 39.520727, Long: -91.504397

TAYLOR

 

…SEE Clemens

THE LANDING

8

Inc 12/14/1989

TRABUES LICK

 

This was one of the earliest salt mills of the county, named for its operator, Antoine Trabue, a French explorer and musician, who is said to have introduced draft horses into northeastern Missouri from France and bees from Italy.  The name is pronounced tribue as in tribute. (GNIS)

 

Too bad we’ve lost the location of this one.

(Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

UTTER POST OFFICE

 

This post office was in southeastern Saline Township, established in 1887 and discontinued in 1891. It was named for J. B. Utterback, who ran the PO and store. (GNIS)

 

The Utterback Cemetery is also listed by GNIS, and the post office and store were probably located nearby.  The cemetery is located at the west end of Eisenhower Trail, west of the big bend in CR J on the southeastern side of Mark Twain Lake, east of Florida and west of Center, north-northwest of Perry. (GBS)

 

CEMETERY data below:

NW¼ Sec 33, T53N, R7W, Fifth Principal Mer

Lat: 39.5080966, Long: -91.6918262

Lat: 39º 30’ 29”N, Long: 91º 41’ 31”W – elevation 702’

UTTER STORE

 

This store was named for J. B. Utterback, who ran the post office by the same name and the store. (GNIS)

(GNIS via Mike Flannigan – Nov 30, 2002)

WEST HARTFORD

N/L

 

WEST HARTFORD POST OFFICE

 

This is a discontinued post office in western Jasper Township, on the 4,000 acre farm of Samuel Spencer from Connecticut. He named it for Hartford, CT. (GNIS)

 

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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Also visit: Ghost Town USA’s

 

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A few LINKS to outside webpages:

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FIRST POSTED: Jan 19, 2004

LAST UPDATE: April 08, 2009

 

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by Gary B Speck Publications

 

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