Ghost Towns of Missouri

Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns, Mining Camps,

and Other Formerly Inhabited Places in

MISSOURI.

Locations beginning with W

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!

-W-

WADES MILL Henry Co.

Wades Mill was erected in Tebo Township in 1835 by Richard Wade, for whom it was named.

Maybe located near Wade Cemetery? (Mike Flannigan)

WADESBURG Cass Co.

Wadesburg was a village in eastern Sherman Township. It was laid out in 1858 and named in honor of W. A. Wade. The town died upon construction of the Kansas City, Clinton, Springfield Railroad a short distance away. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 07, 2001)

WALBY Vernon Co.

AKA – Wolby

“On a 1910 Death Certificate, the son of the deceased was listed as living in Walby/Wolby, MO. I know in 1900 he was in Vernon County, MO, but cannot find him in 1910. Has anyone seen or heard of this place name?” (Norman Lewis, Jul 01, 2001)

WALDO Jackson Co.

…SEE Westmorland

WALDOCK Andrew Co.

Location not determined.

WALKERS FORD Lincoln Co.

Walkers Ford was located on West Fork Cuivre River.

WALNUT CREEK POST OFFICE Bates Co.

Walnut Creek Post Office was established in 1876 and named for the stream on which it was located. It became extinct when Walnut grew up two miles away.

This is probably near Thomas Cemetery. (Mike Flannigan)

WALNUT FOREST Greene Co.

Located two miles from Strafford, was named for the nearby walnut forest.

WALNUT PLAINS St. Louis Co.

…SEE Price

WALNUT PLAINS CAMPGROUNDS St. Louis Co.

A religious meeting ground.

Anybody know where the Price building was? ‘Cause that's where this was held. There is also reportedly a Walnut Plains Cemetery here. (Mike Flannigan)

Possibly same as Price/Walnut Plains. (GBS)

WARE Jefferson Co. Rural

“Interested in Ware, Mo. It's not a ghost town yet. Wondered if anyone would know anything about it, as my kin lived there, some buried there and were Ware's. Who was it was named after, etc.”

(Jan in Texas)

WARRENSVILLE Franklin Co.

DEAD NAME – Early name for Robertsville. (GBS)

WARRENVILLE Franklin Co.

DEAD NAME – Early name for Robertsville. (GBS)

WASHINGTON COUNTY MINING TOWNS Washington Co. -

Location not determined.

WATKINS MILL Clay Co.

An 1860s era woolen mill, 6.5 miles north of Excelsior Springs, and 1.5 miles west of US 69 on CR MM

WATSONIA St. Louis Co.

Located in Central Township near Gregg.

We don't know where Gregg is either. (Mike Flannigan)

WATTS MILL Jackson Co.

Watts Mill, is located just east of 103rd and State Line, right where 103rd crosses Indian Creek in southern Kansas City. The city has placed a marker at the foundation of the mill, which burned in 1949. I used to walk my dog there 25 years ago. (C. Vance, February 18, 2002)

WATTS MILL Lincoln Co.

Watts Mill was located on Guinns Creek at Pattersonville.

WAVERLY Henry Co.

Waverly was located in the northwestern part of the county.

WAYMAN Pulaski Co.

Was a village southeast of Waynesville. It was named for a pioneer family. It was abandoned by 1938.

WAYNE Barry Co. 50

“I wanted to know if Wayne is considered a ghost town. It is just South of Exeter, MO. I'm interested in anything in Barry Co. Thanks.” (unidentified E-mail)

If Wayne is the bump in the road that I am thinking of about seven miles south of Exeter, 15 years ago, there was a couple of old wooden buildings and an old house. It was on a pitiful excuse for a paved road. When I was a young person I think it was on a county gravel road. I don't recall there being anything else on that road. Was there once a church there? Doesn't a little creek run by it? (Becky Quinn)

Wayne actually looked like a fairly decent small town in 1974. It shows about 17 permanent residences and associated barns and out buildings. I don't see much in the way of churches, schools, or cemeteries real close to town. Sounds like if it weren't so close to Cassville and Exeter, it might be history already.

(Mike Flannigan)

WEBSTER MINE Washington Co.

This lead mine in the Southeast (MO) Lead District also produced zinc. Exact location not detemined. (GBS)

WEHRMANNS MILL Warren Co.

An early mill in Camp Branch Township.

WELBOURN TOWN St. Francois Co.

Located west of Doe Run.

WELCOME Osage Co. -

In the eastern part of the county. Actual location not determined.

WEST ASHBY STATION St. Louis Co.

Located in Central Township on the Creve Coeur Electric Car Line.

WEST BELTON Cass Co.

West Belton was a station on the K. C. and S. Railroad and on the St Louis and San Francisco Railroad, one mile west of Belton in Mount Pleasant Township. It was built about 1890 so travelers might change railroads.

Latitude: 38° 49' 45" N Longitude: 094° 33' 58"W – El 1070'

WEST CLAYTON St. Louis Co.

Located in Central Township southwest of Fanita Station.

WEST POINT Bates Co.

...SEE Dana

WEST UNION Cass Co. 0

West Union was a town in southeastern Union Township laid out in 1872 by A. C. Hoag. It was named for the township, and because it was located in the west part of the county. It was abandoned by 1933.

Lat: 38°41'47"N, Long: 094°32'17"W – El 935'

WEST WALNUT MANOR St. Louis Co.

Located in northeastern Central Township near St Louis.

There was also a West Walnut Manor school in this area. (Mike Flannigan)

WESTBROOK Pemiscot Co.

The exact location of this historical location is not determined.

WESTCOTT Phelps Co.

Location not determined

WESTMORLAND Jackson Co.

AKA - Waldo

This old community was located on Wornall at 75th St. A theater building bearing the name Westmorland Theater stands a block west of Wornall on 75th. The little railroad station was demolished some years ago had the name Westmorland on it. The area has for many years been known as Waldo, an obvious reference to the pioneer Waldo family owning quite a bit of land in the area.

(Robert F. Schnebelen, 10/12/2002)

WHARTON Pulaski Co.

Was a post office in Cullen Township. It was discontinued by 1938. It was named for the first postmaster, Mrs Magnolia Wharton.

WHINNERY MILL Greene Co.

The Whinnery Mill site is near Ash Grove. Exact location not determined.

WHITENER St. Francois Co.

A stop on the St. Francois County Electric Railroad, on the Whitener farm.

WHITEHOUSE FERRY Phelps Co.

AKA - Whitehouse Ford, Whitehorse Ford

“Don't think this was ever really a town. Today it is a boat access/resort type area. The ford access is on the east bank of the Gasconade. Table Rock on the other side.”

NE Sec 2, T37N, R10W.

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

I'm sure you are right about Whitehouse Ford. In the old days fords were often considered towns because they sometimes had provisions. (Mike Flannigan Sep 17, 2002)

WHITEHOUSE FORD Phelps Co.

…SEE Whitehouse Ferry

WHITEHORSE FERRY Phelps Co.

…SEE Whitehouse Ferry

WHITES FERRY Henry Co.

Whites Ferry was located near the crossing at Brownington in the Grand River. It was operated by David White.

Now flooded by Truman Lake. (Mike Flannigan)

WHITES MILL Bates Co.

Whites Mill was located at Rosier in West Boone Township in 1882. It was named for H. White.

WICKER MINE Franklin Co. 0

This lead mine was located five miles west of St. Clair, in Sec 5, T41N, R1W. By 1888 it had produced some 100 tons of galena ore. (GBS)

WIDOW McCULLOCKS MILL Lincoln Co.

Widow McCullocks Mill was an early mill on the West Fork Cuivre River three miles from Truxton.

WILA New Madrid Co.

AKA – Wiley

Exact location of this historical location not determined.

WILBUR Pemiscot Co.

The exact location of this historical location is not determined.

WILEY New Madrid Co.

…SEE Wila

WILDWOOD STATION St. Louis Co.

Located on the Creve Coeur Electric Line.

WILKINSON St. Louis Co.

Located on the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in Central Township. West End Park is (or was) located here. There is a Wilkinson School in Maplewood that is very close to the St. Louis City – St. Louis County line. This sounds too far west to be in Central Township, but maybe not? (Mike Flannigan, Dec 30, 2000)

WILLIAMS MILLS Stone Co.

Was a mill owned by J B Williams about 1851.

WILLMATHSVILLE Adair Co. Rural

Lat 40° 19' 35" N, Long 092° 24' 32" W

WILLOW FORD Lincoln Co.

A crossing on Kings Lake in eastern Hurricane Township It was named for the willows.

WILSON Adair Co.

Lat 40° 03' 59" N, Long 092° 23' 00" W

WINCHESTER New Madrid Co.

I only have an approximate location on Winchester. Here's what I have on Winchester: In November of 1814 county surveyor Joseph Story laid out this town. Named in honor of Col. Henderson Winchester who lived in the vicinity. Mentioned in the "Additional Info" section for Bennifield Cemetery (McMullin Cemetery.txt in Scott county). Reportedly was located 0.5 miles south of Sikeston, before the town of Sikeston was founded in 1860. Location given is a point roughly 0.5 miles south of Sikeston, but the ghost town could be more than 0.5 miles from here. (Mike Flannigan, Jun 11, 2002)

WINCHESTER Putnam Co. -

This was the second county seat of Putnam Co. The seat was shifted to Harmony (later called Unionville). Exact location not determined. (GBS)

WINTERS MILL Montgomery Co.

This mill was in northwestern Danville Township, on Whetstone Creek. It was built by Sterling Winter in the early 1870's. (Mike Flannigan)

WISE Barton Co.

Zodiac Springs had a sister ghost town, Wise, across the road and down a mile from Zodiac. The book that I got the information from was printed by the Lamar Democrat titled, "The Pictorial History of Barton County." I am going to see if it is still available. (Sue Walters, Jan 02, 2001)

I think Wise may be 2.5 miles southeast of Zodiac. There is still a St. James Church and Cemetery in that area. (Mike Flannigan, Jan 03, 2001)

WITTENBURG Perry Co. 300

Along the Mississippi River, 20 miles southeast of Perryville, and 75 miles south of St. Louis.

Elevation 380'.

WOLBY Vernon Co.

...SEE Walby (above)

WOMMACK MILL Greene Co.

Located in Fair Grove, the steam-powered Wommack Mill was built in 1883, by Joe Hines and John Boegle. It operated until 1969 when the Fair Grove Historical and Preservation Society purchased and restored the mill. (GBS)

WOODLAND St. Louis Co.

Located in southeastern St. Ferdinand Township on the Wabash Railroad.

WOODLAND PARK St. Francois Co.

Located 3.5 miles northwest of Farmington.

Sounds like this is near the drive-in theater northwest of Farmington. (Mike Flannigan)

WOODS & CHRISTY MINE Franklin Co.

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

WOODS FORT Lincoln Co. 0

When the county was established in 1819, the county seat was awarded to Wood’s Fort, a military post established in 1812. Later it was moved to Troy, which MAY have been an outgrowth of Wood’s Fort. (GBS)

Woods Fort was a stockade in the area of Troy. It was built in 1812 and portions of it were standing in 1943. (GNIS)

WORCESTER Audrain Co. -

Worcester was located on CR J out of Mexico. It was about ten miles northeast of Mexico and about seven or eight miles east of Molino, as the crow flies, and about the same distance West of Farber. (Howard Fitzpatrick, Apr 30, 2002)

WORTMANS STORE Franklin Co.

Located at Beemont.

WRIGHTSBURG Bates Co.

Wrightsburg was filling station on Highway 71 established about 1930 by F. Wright.

WYLIE McDonald Co.

Location not determined.

-END-

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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 | Rivermines | McLellan Springs

Listings of related groups of locations

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

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First Posted: July 27, 2001

Last Updated: April 04, 2009

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