Ghost Towns of Missouri, O-R

Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns, Mining Camps,

and Other Formerly Inhabited Places in

MISSOURI.

Locations beginning with R

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!

-R-

R. T. ELSBERRY MILL Lincoln Co.

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.

RADER Maries Co. 0

Rader was a rural post office in Jackson Township, and named for Reverend Rader. It was abandoned by 1938.

RAGSDALES MILL Dade Co.

Ragsdales Mill was built by J. D. Ragsdale about 1845.

RAILROAD STATIONS/SIDINGS/SWITCHES all counties

For a list of the various railroad stations, sidings and switches that may have had communities located there, go to our WAY STATIONS page.

RAMSAYS LICK Pike Co.

This was a settlement in Calumet Township, made in 1799 by Capt. Allen Ramsay and named for him. It was located on the creek, which also bears his name.

Probably located near Hutts Tollgate. (Mike Flannigan)

RAMSEY Miller Co.

AKA – High Point

This post office was located about three miles south of Capps on Humphrey Creek. It was named for George Ramsey, the first settler. The post office operated from 1880-1910.

RAMSEYS LICK Warren Co.

A settlement on Lost Creek in Pinckney Township. A hunting camp was located here by Captain W. Ramsey about the beginning of the 19th century.

This is probably northeast of Gore, but I'm not sure. Sure would be nice to find this one. (Mike Flannigan)

RANDELMAN MILL Stone Co.

Was named for the Randleman family, who owned the mill in 1850.

RANKINS MILL Hickory Co.

Rankins Mill was a water mill, built on the Pomme de Terre River by Amos Paxton. It was about six miles below Hermitage and was named for the first owner, on whose land the mill operated.

RATHBONE Phelps Co.

Location not determined. (MF)

RAYMORE JUNCTION Cass Co.

(No location/historical info on GNIS)

Latitude: 38° 46' 41" N Longitude: 094° 25' 05" W – el 1055'

READ HILL MINE Franklin Co.

…SEE Thomas Mine. Part of the Thomas Mine complex.

RED MILL Lawrence Co.

…SEE The Old Red Mill

RED ONION TOWN St. Francois Co.

Located at Red Onion Lead Shaft. This is barely south of Leadington. (Mike Flannigan)

My 82-year old father says it is about where the KFC is in Leadington and there used to be a cave by the same name. (L Patterson, Jan 20, 2004)

REED MINE Franklin Co.

…SEE Thomas Mine. Part of the Thomas Mine complex.

REEDS LANDING Franklin Co. 0

This place was on the old St. Louis, Kansas City & Colorado Railroad line in T44N, R1 or 2E, (Boles Township), near Ridenhour Creek. There were granite quarries nearby. It was probably along the Missouri River. (GBS)

REEDVILLE Franklin Co.

Located a short distance south of Stanton. (GNIS)

This was a small lead mining town established in 1860. It was owned by the Missouri Lead Mining Company and peaked in 1865-1867, with a population of 300 people. It had a blacksmith, company store and a schoolhouse. By 1868 it began to fade, and in 1888 “presented a deserted and desolate appearance.” It was located in T40N, R1W, Meramec Township, and PROBABLY was the support town for the Reed Mine. Reedville School is shown on GNIS maps 1.5 miles west of CR K, about two miles north of the county line and east of Meramec State Park in the NW¼ Sec 4, T40N, T1W, Meramec Township. (GBS)

REKATES STORE Warren Co.

Located on the Holstein Road 0.5 mile east of Smith Creek.

Anybody know if Holstein Road is the same as SH 94? (Mike Flannigan)

There is a HOLSTEIN community (1990 pop 130) on CR N, just north of Treloar, which is on SH 94, eight miles west of Marthasville. (GBS)

RELFE Phelps Co.

The post office was active 1866-1870 and again 1876-1928. Was located on Spring Creek, between Relfe Spring and

Relfe School.

Ctr Sec 36, T35N R10W

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

REMOU St. Charles Co.

A village possibly named for Remoux a Baguette.

RENICKVILLE Franklin Co.

Located in western Boone Township.

This is probably near Rineck School. (Mike Flannigan)

RESORT Adair Co.

Location not determined.

RICHARD CAVES MILL Boone Co.

Located on the farm of Capt. David Guitar. The mill was erected around 1821 or 1822 and was a horse-powered mill.

RICHARDSON MILL Lincoln Co.

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

RICHARDSONS MILL Lincoln Co.

...SEE Grimmetts Mill

RICHEY Maries Co.

AKA – Bucksnort

Richey was a store in Miller Township, and was named after the storekeeper. Also known as Bucksnort because Mr. Richey said he could hear a buck snort every morning.

RICHLAND Pulaski Co.

AKA - Lyon

Was a town in western Liberty Township, laid out in 1869. It was originally called Lyon, but the name was changed when it was discovered that there was another Lyon in MO.

Listed as a ghost town, but I think this is present-day Richland. (Mike Flannigan)

RICHLAWN Cass Co.

Richlawn was a town in northwestern Big Creek Township, laid out in 1893. It was named by E. D. Barker for the rich grass country. It was abandoned by 1933.

Latitude: 38° 50' 00" N Longitude: 094° 22' 27" W – El 905'

RICHMOND Howard Co.

Settlers from Virginia named this town for the capital of Virginia. It was extinct many years before 1928.

RIDGE FARM STATION St. Louis Co.

AKA – Ridgefarm Station

Located on the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in Bonhomme Township. (Mike Flannigan, Dec 30, 2000)

RIDGEFARM STATION St. Louis Co.

…SEE Ridge Farm Station

RIED & ALEXANDERS MILL Lincoln Co.

Ried & Alexanders Mill was a steam-powered sawmill near Ried School and Okete Presbyterian Church. Ried & Alexanders Mill was named for the owners, D. C. Ried and J. Alexander.

RIGDONS MILL Ste. Genevieve Co.

Located three miles from River Aux Vases. See Steven Schmidt’s linked web page for additional information.

RIGHT POINT Camden Co.

Right Point was a village in the southern point of Auglaize Township, northwest of Stoutland.

This may be a distortion of the name Wright. (Mike Flannigan)

RINGO POINT Adair Co.

Location not determined.

RIVELY Bates Co. 0

Rively was a mining town located in New Home Township. It was named in 1888 for J. T. Rively. It was extinct by 1933.

Sure would like to find this one. (MF)

RIVERMINES St. Francois Co.

West of Flat River between Flat River and Elvins. *NOTE* About 1993 Elvins, Esther, Flat River, and Rivermines consolidated and became known as Park Hills. (Pam Shelton, February 26, 2002)

This old lead mining town was established in the 1890s and incorporated in 1911. It was first called Central Missouri (after the Central Mining Company mine). It remained a viable little town until 1994, when it, Flat River, Esther, and Elvins, and the area encompassing these four towns was renamed Park Hills. (B. Warner, Aug 21, 2002)

A municipality that has been incorporated into Park Hills. Due west of Flat River on Old 32. (L Patterson, Jan 20, 2004)

This was our Ghost Town of the Month for Dec 2007.

RIVERSIDE Miller Co.

AKA – Riverside Park

Located in northeastern Jim Henry Township, on the Osage River, possibly west-northwest of Meta.

RIVERSIDE PARK Miller Co.

…SEE Riverside

RIVERVIEW Franklin Co.

A resort on the Rock Island Railroad about five miles east of Union in Union Township. Opened in 1922.

ROARING RIVER Barry Co.

Founded in 1876 by C. Hadock, this was a settlement on the Roaring River.

ROARING RIVER MILL Barry Co.

Was built on the Roaring River about 1860.

ROARKS MILL Dade Co.

Roarks Mill was located one mile below Seyberts Mill and named for its owner.

This is all flooded now by Stockton Lake. (Mike Flannigan)

ROBESONS MILL Stone Co.

Was named for the Robeson family, who operated it about 1855.

ROBINSON Cass Co.

Robinson was a station on the K. C. and S. Railroad in northern Mount Pleasant Township. It was named for

J. V. Robinson, who owned the store there at the time of the building of the railroad.

This was probably just west of Belton, MO. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 07, 2001)

ROBINSON MILL Christian Co.

Was built on Finley Creek by the Robinson brothers.

ROBINSONS MILL Lincoln Co.

...SEE Burr Oak Mill

ROBISON Macon Co.

AKA New Boston

No other information could be obtained. (Mike Flannigan)

ROCHPORT — -

Exact location not determined

ROCKDALE Camden Co. 0

Rockdale was a village located in the center of Jasper Township, and was deserted by 1943.

Apparently located 1.5 miles east of Hurricane Deck. (Mike Flannigan)

ROCKFORD POST OFFICE Cass Co.

Rockford Post Office was an office in Grand River Township. It was named for Rocky Branch, near which it is located, and for the ford where people crossed it. There is conflicting information that places it on Sugar Creek, which is 5.3 miles to the southwest. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 07, 2001)

ROCKLAND SWITCH St. Louis Co.

Located on the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in eastern Meramec Township. I suspect this might be Yeatman. (Mike Flannigan, Dec 30, 2000)

ROCKY COMFORT McDonald Co.

Location not determined.

ROEDDERVILLE Franklin Co.

AKA – Flint Hill

Located between Beaufort and Leslie.

I live down the road from Flint Hill Road in Leslie MO. I had started talking to a land owner about different ghost towns and he showed me where a town was once on a part of his property. When he bought the farm back in the 1960s the school house and part of the general store and blacksmith buildings were still there. He actually sold the buildings to someone that wanted them for the old wood. The property is located on Flint Hill Road, and at one time only a path thru the woods just big enough for trailers was the only way to get to it. You can still see the trails that were used, not all grown up yet. It is definitely Roedderville and I am tickled to have found it.

Contributed by “Jim”, Sep 17, 2005

ROLAND McDonald Co.

Location not determined.

ROLLA ORCHARD Phelps Co.

Location not determined

ROSIER Bates Co. 0

Rosier was a town founded in 1881 in West Boone Township. It was named for A. C. Rosier. It was extinct by 1933.

ROSS MILL Lincoln Co.

Ross Mill was a saw and grist mill in Moscow Mills.

ROSS MILLS Clay Co.

Location not determined

ROUSEBURG Ralls Co.

…SEE Criglers Mills

RURAL DALE Grundy Co.

Site is now lost in a plowed field.

Apparently this was about two miles south of Dunlap. There is still a cemetery by that name in the area. (Mike Flannigan)

RURAL POST OFFICES all counties

For a list of the ferries in the state of Missouri, go to our RURAL POST OFFICES page.

RURAL STORES all counties

For a list of the various rural stores in Missouri, go to our WAY STATIONS page.

RYE Adair Co.

Location not determined.

* * *

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 Springs | Rivermines

Listings of related groups of locations

FERRIES | MILLS | MINES | RURAL POST OFFICES | WAY STATIONS

Also visit: Ghost Town USA’s

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

Ghost Towner's Code of Ethics | Publications | Genealogy | License Plate Collecting

A few LINKS to outside webpages:

Ghost Towns | Treasure Hunting | License Plate Collecting | Genealogy

First Posted: July 27, 2001

Last Updated: December 17, 2011

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