Ghost Towns of Missouri, I-L

Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns, Mining Camps,

and Other Formerly Inhabited Places in

MISSOURI.

Locations beginning with L

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!

-L-

L'HABITATION St. Charles Co.

A place down the Missouri River, near St Charles.

LABADDIE SETTLEMENT Franklin Co. 0

This early settlement was on the Labadie Bottoms along the south bank of the Missouri River, near the confluence of Labaddie Creek/Missouri River. That would place it in the vicinity of the Labadie Power Plant, which is located about 2.5 miles north of the current town of Labadie (1990 pop – 370). The mouth of the creek is in Sec 18, T44N, R2W, Boles Township, at an elevation of about 475’. The area has levees and the power plant, so there is probably nothing left of the original site. (GBS)

The mouth of Labadie Creek is at:

Lat: 38.5628303, Long: -90.8443016

Lat: 38º33’46”N, Long: 090º50’39”W

LACLEDE JUNCTION St. Louis Co.

Located in southeastern Central Township near St Louis City.

I wonder if this is near Laclede Station? (Mike Flannigan)

LACLEDE STATION St. Louis Co.

Located south of Manchester Road, south on Laclede Station Road. South of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. T45N, R6E. (Michelle Robinson)

I think this is now called Lake Junction. (Mike Flannigan)

LACON Maries Co.

Lacon was a rural post office in Boone Township. It was relocated several times, and discontinued before 1938.

LAHOMA St. Louis Co.

Located in Carondelet Township on the St Louis City border.

LAKE FARM Warren Co.

AKA – Groveland

Located in the northwestern part of Elkhorn Township and named for the 20-acre lake on it. Was once a watering place for the Wabash Railroad.

There is no Elkhorn Township in or near Warren Co. (Mike Flannigan)

Anybody have any idea where it might actually be? (GBS)

LAKESIDE ESTATE Benton Co.

Lakeside Estate was a lake resort located on the north bank of the Osage River in southern Cole Township.

LAKEVIEW Cass Co.

Lakeview was a settlement in southern Mt. Pleasant Township. It was named for the lake in sight of the settlement. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 07, 2001)

LAMESEND Pike Co.

I'm trying to find a place in Missouri from about 1820. Prof. William H.C. Bartlett attended West Point 1820-1824. On his application papers he listed LAMESEND, PIKE CO, MISSOURI as place of residence. Nobody can tell me where it is or what it is called now. Believe it is near St. Louis or Louisiana City...

“The first hotel, or tavern, as it was then called, was located on the corner of Second and Georgia streets, where the National Hall now stands. This house was built in the spring of 1819, and was first kept by Obadiah Dickinson, and afterwards by Marshall Mann, and was conducted as a public house for twelve years.”

(p. 645 from History of Pike Co, 1883)

This came from the BYEGONE TOWNS list. If you know it’s location please contact me.

LaMOTTE LEAD MINE Madison Co.

…SEE Mine LaMotte

LANCASTER Cedar Co.

DEAD NAME – This was the original name used for what is now the county seat of Stockton. The name of the community was changed to Fremont in 1847. (GBS)

LANDMARK Howard Co.

It was located on an old stage line road from Fayette to Columbia. This town received its name from a large tree that stood on a hill nearby.

LASOURIS St. Charles Co.

An Indian Village once located on the Mississippi River in southern Portage Des Sioux Township.

LATIN SETTLEMENT Warren Co.

An early community located in southwestern Warren Co. Settled by highly educated German men, "Akademikers", who tended to speak in Latin.

Probably near Case, but I'm not sure. (Mike Flannigan)

LAWRENCE FORD Lincoln Co.

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

LAWSON FULBRIGHT MILL Greene Co.

This was another unidentified mill with an undetermined location and time of operation. Like the Jones

Spring mill, it is just mentioned by name in some old records. (GBS)

LEDBETTERS St. Francois Co.

Located on the St Francois Co. Electric Railroad near Farmington.

LEFKER MILL Bates Co.

Lefker Mill was established on the Marais des Cygnes River in 1870. It was named for J. A. Lefker.

LEICHLITER Monroe Co.

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

LESLIE Benton Co.

AKA: Lessley

Leslie was a former village named after a local family. It was located in the southeast corner of the county on the southern boundary of Union Township, about 6.5 miles east of the Smith - Black Cemetery. That would be where CR YY crosses the Benton/Hickory county line south of CR AA. This is a VERY remote area. Only one or two homes remain.

Sec. 2, T38N, R21W

Approximate Latitude 38° 03’ 47” N, Longitude 093° 07’ 17” W.

(Mike Flannigan)

LESSLEY Benton Co.

…SEE Leslie

LEWIS FORD Barry Co.

Location not determined.

LEWISBURGH St. Louis Co.

...SEE Saint Paul

LEWISTON Montgomery Co. 0

This is an extinct village in southwestern Bear Creek Township, near the present site of High Hill (1990 population – 204 - GBS). It was founded in 1825 and became the second county seat of Montgomery Co., from 1826 until it was moved to Danville in 1834. It was evidently named for General Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark expedition, whose trek westward in the early 19th century brought them fame. (GNIS)

Hard to believe this one is lost! (Mike Flannigan)

LICKSKILLET Cass Co.

Lickskillet was a town established south of Dayton on Grand River about 1840. It was named because the storekeeper there set out dirty skillets for the dogs and wild animals to lick clean. The town was extinct by 1852. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 07, 2001)

LIEGE Montgomery Co.

AKA – New Bellflower

This village was named for Liege, Belgium, and was also known as New Bellflower, from the older adjoining town by the same name (only the railroad separated them). Because of the similarity of names, the name was changed to Liege. It was laid out in July, 1903. (Mike Flannigan)

LIKINS MILL Lawrence Co.

Likins Mill was named for W. Likins, who built a mill on the Turnback and operated it before the Civil War.

LILLARD COUNTY Lafayette Co.

DEAD NAME – This was the original name for Lafayette County. It was established in 1820, and the name was changed in 1834. (GBS)

LIME KILNS (#1) St. Louis Co.

Located in Meramec Township, the terminus of a branch of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad.

(Mike Flannigan, Dec 30, 2000)

Just down the road from where Yeatman's Lime Kiln is located. This place is on the west side of Glencoe Rd., not even 1/4 mile from the railroad. In Meramec Township, T44N, R3E. (Michelle Robinson)

This is the one in Rockwoods Reservation, or at least very close to it.

(Mike Flannigan)

LIME KILNS (#2) St. Louis Co.

There is a little place in Bonhomme Township called Lime Kilns. It is located at the end of Hanna Rd, right before the railroad tracks.

T44N, R4E. (Michelle Robinson)

This is barely west of Pettys Hill. (Mike Flannigan)

LITTLE OSAGE Vernon Co. -

AKA Austins Mill, Balls Mill, Balltown

Little Osage was the name given by C. D. Ball in 1851, when he laid out the town. He named it for the Little Osage River. It was probably northwest of Horton. (MF)

LITTLE OSAGE VILLAGE Vernon Co. -

Little Osage Village was an early Indian village located about six miles from the Grand Osage Village on the east side of the river. (MF)

LITTLE PINEY Phelps Co.

Located at or near Arlington and may be an earlier name for that current community. “I think this was the first “town” in what became Phelps Co.” (MO-GT, Dave P, Sep 16, 2002)

LITTLE PRAIRIE Pemiscot Co.

The exact location of this historical location is not determined.

LITTLE PRAIRIE Phelps Co. -

First settled by Benjamin Wishon, who had a general store and later a post office. MO map of 1865 shows it east of Dillon at or near the railroad. Today it would be southeast of Little Prairie Lake, north of the railroad and (I think) just east of Wishon Cemetery. (MO-GT, Dave P, Sep 07, 2002)

Was located in southwestern St. James Township on a small prairie. (GNIS)

LITTLES Pemiscot Co.

The exact location of this historical location is not determined.

LINDERSVILLE Adair Co. Rural

Lat 40° 05' 40" N, Long 092° 42' 19" W – Elevation: 844'.

LIVING SPRING Montgomery Co. -

Anybody heard of Living Spring? (Mike Flannigan)

LOCKHART Lawrence Co.

Lockhart was a station on the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in 1885. It was named for W. A. Lockhart, a railroad

official.

LOCUST GROVE Henry Co.

Locust Grove was a settlement and office in Bethlehem Township. It was named for its location in a locust grove.

LOCUST MOUNT POST OFFICE Miller Co.

This post office was located in eastern Saline Township, about two miles east of Spring Garden. (However, this would be outside both Saline Township and Miller County – Mike Flannigan). It was situated on a mound with locust trees around it. The Post Office was in operation 1867-1882.

LOEFFLER POST OFFICE Adair Co. Rural

Lat 40° 06' 11" N, Long 092° 49' 59" W – Elevation: 1000'

LOEHR St. Louis Co.

Was located on Clayton at Baxter Road. (Michelle Robinson)

Loehr is basically where I grew up. It’s history as far as a town name goes, but you'd think it was a metropolis if you visited it today. It had about 20 occupied structures in 1954. (Mike Flannigan)

It is not listed in Rand McNally. (GBS)

LONDON Atchison Co.

Location not determined.

LONE OAK POST OFFICE Bates Co.

...SEE Stumpton

LONGVIEW Franklin Co.

A resort near St Clair.

I wonder if this was near Piney Bluff School? (MF)

LOTUS SPRINGS Dade Co.

Lotus Springs was a short-lived health resort five miles northwest of Everton founded at the close of the Civil War.

I think this is just south of Bracket Hill. (Mike Flannigan)

LOUISVILLE Bates Co.

Louisville was a town located near the mouth of Mine Creek. It was started by McDaniel before the Civil War. The town ceased to exist after the war.

This is relatively close to Worland. (Mike Flannigan)

LOUISVILLE Chariton Co.

AKA – Thorntonsburg, Louisville-on-Missouri River

This town was first named Thorntonsburg in honor of the man who established the first ferry at Glasgow, MO. The citizens, many of whom were from KY later changed the name to Louisville-on-Missouri River.

This is actually just north of Glasgow, barely over into Chariton County. (Mike Flannigan)

Is commonly listed in Howard County since it is so close to the county line. (GBS)

LOUISVILLE FORD Lincoln Co.

A crossing near Louisville on the North Fork Cuivre River.

Louisville was laid out in 1831 by Hannible MARSHALL, Enoch EMERSON, and Dayton CRIDER. Other early residents were Col. Meredith COX, a Mr. SCROGGINS, and a Mr. BROWN. (Shellie Allen, March 2002)

LOUISVILLE-ON-MISSOURI RIVER Chariton Co.

...SEE Louisville

LOUTRE ISLAND Montgomery Co. -

This (populated place) was in southeastern Loutre Township, and was the first settlement of the county, dating back probably to 1798 and begun by Hale and Christopher Talbot. The Post Office here was moved to McKittrick in 1895. It was named from its location on Loutre Island. (GNIS)

Somebody has hopefully recorded the history of this area, because it is a very interesting area. (Mike Flannigan)

Loutre Island was about where the Warren/Montgomery County line meets the Missouri River. GNIS also lists a Loutre Island in Warren County. (GBS)

LOUTRE ISLAND Warren Co.

A settlement on Loutre Island, in extreme southwestern Bridgeport Township from 1810 to 1890. (GNIS)

Loutre Island was about where the Warren/Montgomery County line meets the Missouri River. GNIS also lists a Loutre Island in Montgomery County. (GBS)

LOUTRE LICK Montgomery Co.

AKA – Van Bibbers Lick

This was one of the earliest settlements of the county, settled between 1808 and 1810 and so named because of its location near a salt lick on Loutre River. It was also known as Van Bibbers Lick, for Major Isaac Van Bibber, who migrated to MO in 1800 from KY. Here he erected a hotel, some cabins, and stables. He tried unsuccessfully to operate a salt mill. (GNIS)

Fascinating. I need to check this one out myself someday. (Mike Flannigan)

LOVERINGS FERRY St. Louis Co.

Located on the Meramec River a short distance above the Mississippi River.

This might be near Flamm City? (Mike Flannigan)

LOW GAP SCHOOL Pulaski Co.

Location not determined

LOWER FERRY Benton Co.

Lower Ferry crossed the Osage River at Warsaw. It was established by George Hooper. It was so called because it was a little below the Upper Ferry.

LOWER FERRY St. Louis Co.

Located on the Meramec River one mile above the mouth at Kings Trace.

Hmmm, Kings Trace. I wish I knew where that was. (Mike Flannigan)

LUEBBERING Franklin Co. 70

This tiny town is located on CR FF, about three miles south of Lonedell and ten AIR miles southeast of St. Clair. It is in the SE¼, Sec 20, T41N, R2E, Prairie Township at an elevation of 768’. (GBS)

Lat: 38.2703301, Long: -90.8192998

Lat: 38º16’13”N, Long: 090º49’09”W

LUMLEYS MILL Lawrence Co.

William Lumley, a Revolutionary soldier, built a mill on a spring branch about six hundred feet from the Turnback near the Terrell Ford about 1835.

I wish I knew where this was. I don't know where Terrell Ford is either. (Mike Flannigan)

LUTSENHIZER MILL Bates Co.

Lutsenhizer Mill was erected on Straight Branch in 1841 and named for Jacob Lutsenhizer. The mill existed until about 1854.

Probably fairly close to Smith Cemetery. (Mike Flannigan)

LYON Pulaski Co.

…SEE Richland

* * *

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:

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Listings of related groups of locations

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First Posted: July 27, 2001

Last Updated: May 10, 2008

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