Ghost Towns of Missouri, B

Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns, Mining Camps,

and Other Formerly Inhabited Places in

MISSOURI.

Locations beginning with B

PLEASE NOTE:

Unless noted otherwise, most of these listings are quoted from postings to Rootsweb’s Missouri Ghost Town discussion forum (THE LIST). 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.
Unless noted otherwise, indicated population figures are from the 1990 census. (In the next year these should be updated to the 2000 census.) If the population is listed as 0*, the asterisk indicates “assumed”, based on other facts.
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 types of locations had small communities grow up around the main business.
When a current town that is not listed in this work went by a different name, or a name markedly different than its present name, it is indicated by the DEAD NAME entry. These are noted due to the fact that these names MAY be discovered in research, and by listing them here, it makes it easier for the researcher to discover the current name.
In all the listings below, personal comments will be noted with either names or initials, like (MF) {Mike Flannigan}, or (GBS) {Me}. In some cases, I didn’t write down the name, but only an e-mail address, so I left them in. If you know of any Missouri ghost town location not listed on these pages, please contact THE LIST if you are a member, or me if not. I will pass on the information to THE LIST.
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.
Locations with part of the name HIGHLIGHTED are linked to a page listing “all” locations of the same type such as those listed below. Many times these type of locations acted as a magnet for a small community that later faded away. Some of these locations included: Ferries, Mills (These include flouring, grist and logging mills.), Mines (and the associated mining camps), Rural Post Offices (These were usually small “post offices” located in a farmer’s home or out building. They served folks in outlying farming areas, and often acted as a community center or gathering place to catch up on the latest gossip or commodity prices.), Way Stations (These include railroad & stage stations, rural stores, taverns, or other stopping points along transportation routes.).
See also our Ghost Town Index, listed by County.

Without further ado, let’s visit some of Missouri’s many hundreds of ghost towns!

-B-

BACON Cass Co.

Bacon was a switch in West Dolan Township on the Kansas City Southern Railroad. It was built about 1910. It was probably named for a railroad official. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 02, 2001)

BAD LICK Buchanan Co.

I'm new to the list. I have an old photograph that says it was taken in "Bad Lick", MO. I think the photo may have been taken in Buchanan Co. The time would probably have been in the 1840's. Does anyone know if there was once a town called "Bad Lick"?? (Margaret Gee, Jan 11, 2001)

BAILEY Pulaski Co.

Location not determined.

BAKERS MILL Montgomery Co.

This early 1840s water-powered mill was located in southwestern Danville Township, on the east bank of the Loutre River. It was operated by Sylvester and Captain John Baker, after whom it was probably named.

It was probably located near Big Spring. (Mike Flannigan)

BALDRIDGE Pulaski Co.

Was a post office in Piney Township 1886 – 1901. It was named for the family who owned the land.

I think this is 3.4 miles south of Big Piney. (MF)

BALLS MILL Vernon Co.

…SEE Little Osage

BALLTOWN Vernon Co.

…SEE Little Osage

BALTIMORE Franklin Co.

DEAD NAME – An early name for New Haven. (GBS)

BAND MILL St. Charles Co.

...SEE Cog Wheel Mill

BARNETT Maries Co.

...SEE Barnetts Station

BARNETTS STATION Maries Co.

AKA: Barnett, Barretts Station

This village was abandoned by 1938. It was located in northern Boone Township and was named for Dr Harrison Barnett, who was a physician there in the early 1850's.

I suspect this might be southeast of Meta in Sugar Creek Valley, but that's just a guess. (Mike Flannigan)

BARNEYS FORD Lincoln Co.

Barneys Ford was a crossing at Frenchmans Bluff.

BARRETTS STATION Maries Co.

...SEE Barnetts Station

BARRY TOWN St. Francois Co.

A short distance from Doe Run.

This might be about 1.5 miles west of Doe Run. (MF)

BARTLETT SPRINGS Pulaski Co.

Location not determined.

BARTONSVILLE Gasconade Co.

AKA – Bartonville

This was the county seat before Osage and Maries Counties were formed. The county seat was moved here in 1825 when Gasconade City, the first county seat, was flooded. In 1828 Bartonsville was flooded, and the county seat was moved to Mt Sterling.

Used to be the county seat, and now we have almost no record of it! (Mike Flannigan)

BARTONVILLE Gasconade Co.

...SEE Bartonsville

BASIN KNOB POST OFFICE Johnson Co.

Basin Knob Post Office was established at Basin Knob about 1853. It was removed to Pittsville after 1858.

I think this is about 2.5 miles west of Elm, MO. (MF)

BASS MILL Greene Co.

In 1915, the ruins of this 1858-1867 era steam-powered grist mill were still visible near the Pomme de Terre river and Fair Grove. In 1863 the small community of Bassville (SEE) was established at the mill.

BASSORA Franklin Co. 0

Bassora was originally laid out in 1836 along the Missouri River in Sec 23, T44N, R1W. It had a “public landing” as well as surveyed streets and eventually a cemetery. In 1839, Washington was established just to the west in Section 22, and eventually overgrew and absorbed the site of Bassora. Bassora was located on the east side of Washington centered around the Fulton/3^rd Street area, east of the SH 47 bridge over the river. (GBS)

BASSVILLE Greene Co.

Bassville doesn't have many residences either, but it's got a large cemetery and nearby church. (MF)

I have a farm at Bassville. The church has 200 members and is very active. The cemetery is very well maintained. The old store, post office and blacksmith shop was torn town in the late 60's. By my count we have about 20 families in a one-mile radius. (BQ)

BATES COUNTY POOR FARM Bates Co.

Was located just northwest of Butler.

BATESVILLE POST OFFICE Bates Co.

Batesville Post Office was an office located at Harmony Mission in 1841, and moved to Papinsville in 1848. It was named for the county.

BAVARIA Franklin Co.

A vanished town near South Point. Platted on Sept 6, 1858.

This is just east of Washington. (Mike Flannigan)

BEAVER Phelps Co.

AKA – Beaver Station, Beaver Valley

This old railroad station was probably killed by the growth of Newburg. It is no longer legally accessible. The Yowell Cemetery #1 is also there. A post office operated here 1873-1875 and again 1882-1885. (MO-GT, Dave P, Sep 16, 2002)

· NE¼ Sec 25, T37N, R9W.

BEAVER CREEK MINE Phelps Co.

Beaver Creek Mine is located about one mile up Iron Ore Creek, high on the ridge on the east side of the creek. You can see it on the 1985 Rolla topo. (Mike Flannigan Sep 17, 2002)

BEAVER STATION Phelps Co.

…SEE Beaver

BEAVER VALLEY Phelps Co.

…SEE Beaver

BECKERS LANDING Franklin Co.

A boat landing in northeast Boles Township.

This is probably near the Labadie power plant. (Mike Flannigan)

BECKS LANDING Lincoln Co.

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

BEE BRANCH POST OFFICE Johnson Co.

Bee Branch Post Office was located in Grover Township and named from the little creek nearby. This is probably located by the Pettis Co., line at the junction of CR NN and CR E. (Mike Flannigan)

BEEMONT Franklin Co. -

Listed in the 1888 Goodspeed’s History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford & Gasconade Counties, Missouri as one of the “other towns and post offices in Franklin County.” No other information available. It was on CR ZZ, a half mile east of the county line and about five miles north of Gerald. (GBS)

· SW¼ Sec 10, T43N, R4W, Lyon Township.

· Lat: 38.4806046, Long: -91.3593235

· Lat: 38º28’50”N, Long: 091º21’34”W - elevation 640’

BELGIQUE Perry Co.

Can anyone tell me about the town of Belgique, MO? Went past there 12/27/2001...Just a bunch of old foundations....what happened to it? (Renee Byram Kleffner)

It possibly got wiped out in the 1993 flood, since it is down in the flood plain. In 1970 it had more than 20 occupied residences and a large building (church?). Nativity Cemetery is (was) just 0.3 miles east-southeast of the town center. (Mike Flannigan)

About the now ghost-town of Belgique, Missouri. My father grew up on a farm between Belgique and Menfro in Perry County Missouri and he went to grade school in Belgique. The inhabitants originally came from Belgium and wanted to name their settlement 'Belgium', but since a village by that name already existed in Missouri the inhabitants decided to give their town the French name for Belgium. There were originally 2 groups: Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Walons from Belgium. Settlers also later came from Ijzendijke, Groede and Watervleit in the Netherlands. At one time there had been shops, pubs, a town hall, a post office in the general store, a Catholic grade school which later became a public school (eight grades), and there had even been a convent for nuns. By 1993, however, there wasn't much left of the town. The pubs and businesses were long gone by then. The Archdiocese in St Louis wouldn't provide a priest for the parish either since the community was so small. The Roman Catholic Church in Belgique had been closed a year prior to the 1993 flood and most everything inside had been gutted and sold off by the Archdiocese in St Louis. The bell tower had been ripped out too. The '93 flood was the last nail in the coffin for Belgique and Menfo. The flood washed away most buildings and I believe even slightly damaged the grave yard (caskets float). I believe 2 families still live in Belgique, but they had to forfeit any rights to federal flood disaster aid should they insist on living in the bottoms. That above everything else convinced the people of Belgique to resettle on higher ground. (Contributed by Brian Farrar, Jan 24, 2006)

BELLANDS FERRY St. Charles Co.

Located on the Missouri River at St. Charles. Founded by J.B. Belland in 1805.

BELLE PLAINE POST OFFICE Cass Co.

Belle Plaine Post Office was located near Harrisonville. It was named for the school, which is two miles south of Harrisonville. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 02, 2001)

BELLEFONTE Pulaski Co.

Location not determined.

BELLEVILLE STORE Montgomery Co.

AKA – Half Way House

This discontinued Post Office and store were located on Little Bear Creek, in eastern Bear Creek Township. It was established by a Mr. Hoss and named for his oldest daughter, Belle. It was also known also as Half-Way House, due to its location midway on the Truxton-Jonesburg mail route. (Mike Flannigan)

BELLS MILL Bates Co.

Bells Mill was a sawmill on the Marais Des Cygnes built shortly after the Civil War and named after James S. Bell.

This might be present day Athol or Nyhart. (Mike Flannigan)

BELMONT HEIGHTS St. Louis Co.

Located in Bonhomme Township near Hillsboro and south of Valley Park.

I doubt this is near Hillsboro. (Mike Flannigan)

BENOIST St. Louis Co.

Located near Esther.

??? Esther is in St. Francois Co., two counties south of St. Louis Co. (Mike Flannigan)

BENTON CITY Johnson Co.

Benton City was a town on the Osage Division of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad in northwestern Rose Hill Township, started in 1872. The town was abandoned after a short time. It was named for Senator Thomas Benton. This may be located near Latour. (Mike Flannigan)

BEOUF CREEK Franklin Co.

Listed in the 1888 Goodspeed’s History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford & Gasconade Counties, Missouri as one of the “other towns and post offices in Franklin County.” No other information available. It was probably a misspelling of Boeuf Creek (SEE) (GBS)

BERGER SETTLEMENT Franklin Co.

An early colony along the Missouri River. (GNIS)

Surely this is simply the existing town of Berger. (Mike Flannigan)

Berger had 247 folks in 1990. (GBS)

I am currently living in Berger. We have lived there for nine, years and you’re right, it is a ghost town. There are 247 or so people that live there. It is a shame that the city council has let the town go into such disarray. The flood of 1993 really hurt the town. It used to be thriving, having churches, bars (of course!), restaurants, a mortuary, beauty salon, grocery stores and much more. It is my understanding that this was a hopping town as early back as the 70's maybe even some of the '80's. The nearest town is 10 miles, which is where we have to go for food and school. The nearest WalMart and "big" town is 30 miles. Unfortunately the town has succumbed to being a ghost town, and sometimes I wonder if it is not all of the "dead and stagnant" thinking of those that run the town!

Contributed by “B” Oct 06, 2005

BERGER STATION Franklin Co.

DEAD NAME – Early name for Berger. (GBS)

BERNHEIMER Warren Co. rural

Shown in the 1995 Rand McNally Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide, but not on the current state road map, this tiny community is located along the railroad at the junction of SH 94/CR U about five miles west of Treloar (pop-130). (GBS)

BERNICE CITY Atchison Co.

Location not determined.

BERT Maries Co.

...SEE Honseville

BESTS BOTTOM POST OFFICE Montgomery Co.

This boat landing (Kallmeyers

Landing

) was on bottomland along the Missouri River in south-central Loutre Township. John Best, a Kentuckian, located here in 1808 and built a fort. Bests Bottom Post Office was also located here. The boat landing was named for Garrett Kallmeyer, owner of the landing, and here. It looks like this was across the river from Gasconade, MO. There are still a few homes in the area.

(Mike Flannigan)

BEULAH Phelps Co.

The post office was established in 1886.

(MO-GT, Dave P, Sep 16, 2002)