Towns & Cities

If you have any information on towns, schools, post offices, historical churches, founding fathers, location, history, etc., please submit the information to me for inclusion on this site.

Below are all of the populated areas listed in the USGS for this county as well as some additional information about those areas.  

Villiage of Annada, populated & unincorporated. The village is named after a Pioneer citizen's daughter (Ann & Ada Jamison). Operating Post Office since 1880

Village of Ashburn, populated & unincorporated. Named after early settler, George T. Ashburn (d. 1868)Operating Post Office since 1868

Township of Ashley, census-designed place, populated & unincorporated.  Six miles from south of Bowling Green.  Platted in 1836. Named after William Henry Ashley, Lieutenant Goveror in the 1820s.  The Post Office opened in 1835 until 1965.

Township of Ashley, inactive, populated & unincorporated.  Founded in 1852, named after Ashley, Missouri

Town of Booth, ghost town and extinct. The Post Office opened in 1884 until 1895.  Named after a local doctor, Thomas Booth.  The town became extinct because the people found better jobs in a near town because the Booth Factory closed down, which employed 80% of the town.

City of Bowling Green, populated & unincorporated, county seat (1824) of Pike County. Established in 1819. James Beauchamp Clark House in on the National Register.  Named after Bowling Green, Kentucky.  At the junction of highway 54 and 61.  Notable Residents

Township of Buffalo, inactive.  Formed in 1819, named after the Buffalo Creek.

Town of Busch, ghost town and extinct, populated & unincorporated. The Post Office opened in 1886 until 1948.  Named after Anheuser-Busch, they kept an ice warehouse near the site.

Community of Calumet, populated & unincorporated.  Six miles southwest of Clarkesville, intersection of Missouri Routes N & D, and six miles north of Eolia.  The Post Office opened in 1872 until 1907.  Named after the nearby Calumet Creek.

City of Clarksville, in Calumet Township populated & unincorporated, platted in 1819.  Named after the Governor of the Territory, William Clark.  National Register of Historic Places - The Clarksville Historic District, Clifford-Wyrick House, Lock and Dam No. 24 Historic District, Northern Methodist Episcopal Church of Clarksville, and Turner-Pharr House.  Clarksville is adjacent to the Mississippi River, on State Route 79 & about nine miles southeast of Louisiana, Missouri.

Township of Cuivre, inactive.  Formed in 1820, named after the North Fork Cuivre River.

City of Curryville, in western Pike County, populated & unincorporated.  Platted in 1886.  Named after the town's original owner, Perry A. Curry.  The Post Office has been in operation since 1869.

Community of Cyrene, populated & unincorporated in southeast Pike County on US Route 61, about six miles southeast of Bowling Green.  The Post Office opened in 1879 until 1964.  Named after a place mentioned in the Bible, Cyrene, Libya.

Community of Edgewood, populated & unincorporated in southeast Pike County, located on Missouri Route WW, about 4.5 miles southeast of Eolia.  The Post office opened in 1879 until 1955.  Named Edgewood because it was situated at the edge of a large forest.

Neighborhood of Elmood, populated & unincorporated, located in Louisiana, Missouri, part of Buffalo Township

Village of Eolia, populated & unincorporated.  Platted in 1881 near railroad line.  Named after the Greek God of winds, Aeolus, because the surveyor on the day it was platted, said it was the windiest day he had seen.  The Post Office has been in operation since 1881.  National Register of Historic Places - The Griffith–McCune Farmstead Historic District and St. John's Episcopal Church.  Located 1/2 mile from the Pike-Lincoln county line on US Route 61.  

Community of Estes, populated & unincorporated in southwest Pike County, located on Missouri Route 1, about 11 miles southwest of Bowling Green.  The Post office opened in 1886 until 1906.  Named after a local merchant, Mr. Estes.

Community of Farmer, populated & unincorporated.  Platted in 1885 and the Post office opened in 1885 until 1906.  Named after an early settler, Moses Allen Farmer.

City of Frankford, populated & unincorporated.  Named after an earlier settler and their 1st home, which was Frankfort, Kentucky.  The Post Office has been in operation since 1830.

Community of Gazette, populated & unincorporated in southwest Pike County, located 1.3 miles from Pike-Audrain county line to the west along Missouri Route K, about 6.5 miles west of New Hartford.  The Post office opened in 1887 until 1932.  It is not known who Gazette was named after.

Township of Hartford, inactive.  Possibly named after the Hertford, England or another town of a similar name.

Community of Hope, populated & unincorporated in Pike County, no further details are known   

Township of Indian, inactive.  Founded in 1842 and named after the Indian Creek.

Community of Kissenger, populated & unincorporated.  The Post office opened in 1879 until 1919.  It is named after the original owner of the town, James Henley Kissenger.

Ghost Town of LaMotte, populated & unincorporated. The Post Office opened in 1886 until 1948.  Named after an official of the powdermill.

City of Louisiana, populated & unincorporated, located in northeast Missouri, south of Hannibal to St. Charles County on the Mississippi River at Junction of State Route 79 and US 54. St. Charles enters Louisian via the Champ Clark Bridge (named after a Bowling Green, Missouri Speaker of the House, James Beauchamp Clark.)  Founded in 1816 by John Walter Basye and named the town after his daughter Louisiana.  Notables - Samuel Caldwell and Joel Shaw.  National Historic Register - Georgia Street Historic District, Charles Bacon House, Capt. George and Attella Barnard House, Bethel Chapel AME Church, City Market, Goodman-Stark House, Louisiana Station aka Louisiana Chicago & Alton Railroad Depot, Louisiana Public Library, North Third Street Historic District, Pike County Hospital, and Stark Mansion aka Gov. Lloyd Crow Stark House and Carriage House. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources indicates, it is "the most intact Victorian Streetscape in the state of Missouri."  Notable people

Community of McCune (aka McCunes & McCune Station), populated & unincorporated, on Missouri Route U, intersection of US Route 61, Peno Creek is about 1/4 mile to the west, Bowling Green is six miles to the southeast.  The McCune's Station Post office opened in 1879 until 1920.  Named after the pioneer citizens John and William McCune.

Community of McIntosh, populated & unincorporated.  Named after the owner of the site, William McIntosh. 

Community of Mundy Landing, located in Ashburn

Community of New Harmony (aka Harmony), populated & unincorporated.  Located in west Pike County, on County Road, east of Missouri Route V, 6 miles from Vandalia & 4 miles south-southeast of Curryville.  Platted in 1857.  Post office opened in 1858 until 1904. Could be named after Harmony, Kentucky.  

Community of New Hartford, populated & unincorporated.  Located on Route 161, about 14 miles south of Bowling Green.  Platted in 1871.  Post office opened in 1871 until 1997. Could be named after Township of Hartford.   

Village of Paynesville, populated & unincorporated.  Platted in 1831.  Named after a St. Louis Tradesman William Payne.   Post office opened in 1833 until 1997.  Notable people

Township of Peno, inactive.  Founded in 1819 and named after the Peno Creek.

Township of Prairieville, ghost town and inactive.  Founded in 1870 and named after Prairieville, Missouri (extinct town). High risk of tornadoes, about 1 a year.  Home to Pike County Genealogical Society and Museum.

Township of Reading, ghost town and extinct.  Post office opened in 1868 until 1901.  Named after pioneer settler William Reading.

Neighborhood of Roblee, populated & unincorporated.  No further details are known.

Saint Clement, census-designed place, populated & unincorporated.  Six miles from south of Bowling Green.  Named after a colony of German Catholics in 1870.  The Post Office opened in 1870 until 1882.

Township of Salt River, inactive.  Founded in 1820 and named after the Salt River.

Community of Sledd, populated & unincorporated.  Located in southeast Pike County, on Missouri Route W, 2 miles south of Paynesville and 1/2 mile north of the Pike-Lincoln county line.  Post office opened in 1891 until 1901. Named after early Postmaster, Alexander Sledd.  Notes on GNIS: A store and discontinued post office in the southwestern part of Calumet Township, named for Alexander Sledd, the postmaster, who with his brother William ran the store. Previously Smith's Mill was located here. It was run by Levi Smith until pressure of the law caused him to quit business. A favorite transaction at the mill was a bushel of corn for two gallons of whiskey.

Township of Spencer, inactive.  Founded in 1820 and named after Spencer Creek

Community of Spencerburg (aka Spencersburg), populated & unincorporated. Located on Route 161, 4 miles south of Bowling Green. Platted in 1836. Post office opened in 1837 until 1903. Named after Spencer Creek.

Community of Stark (not to be confused with Stark City, Missouri), populated & unincorporated. Post office opened in 1888 until 1907. Named after the original owner of the site, Thomas Thornton Stark.

Village of Tarrants, populated & unincorporated.  Located about 1 mile northeast of Bowling Green on Missouri Route AA.  Named after a St. Louis Tradesman William Payne.   Unclear who is is named after.

Community of Vera (aka Watson), populated & unincorporated. Located 5.5 miles northeast of Bowling Green, on US Route 54. Post office opened in 1902 until 1942. Named after a daughter of an early settler, Vera Spears.

Notables that are native to or resided in Pike County

James Edmund Allen (1894-1964) - illustrator, printmaker, and painter.  He was a native of Louisiana, Missouri.  Significant collections of his prints can be found at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ratliff Boon (1781-1844) - politician, military officer, 2nd Governor of Indiana, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Indiana's 1st district, 2nd and 3rd Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, Indiana Senate, Indiana House of Representatives. He was the son of son of Jesse and Kessiah Boon and died in Louisiana, Missouri. He was instrumental in the formation of the state Democratic Party, and he supported President Andrew Jackson's policies while in the House

James Overton Broadhead (1819-1898) - lawyer, politician, United States Ambassador to Switzerland, U.S. House of Representatives
Missouri's 9th district. He received his law license, Broadhead began a private practice in 1842 at Bowling Green, Missouri.  He was also the first president of the American Bar Association.

Robert Alexander Campbell (1832-1926), politician, lawyer and businessman, 19th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri. He was a native of Bowling Green, Missouri.

Joel Bennett Clark "Bennett Champ Clark" (1890-1954).  He was a native of Bowling Green, Missouri and the son of Champ Clark and Genevieve Davis Bennett.  He was from a political family his father was the 36th Speaker of the House and his sister, Genevieve Clark Thomson was also active in politics as a women's suffrage activist.

James Beauchamp Clark "Champ" (1850-1921) - politician, attorney, 36th Speaker of the House, Leader of the House Democratic Caucus, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Missouri's 9th district, presidential candidate in 1912.  He was admitted to the bar, and the following year he moved to Bowling Green, Missouri, the county seat of Pike County, where he practiced law.

George Samuel Clason (1874-1957) - author. He was from Louisiana, Missouri and his most notable book is his first, The Richest Man in Babylon, 1926.  He is credited with coining the phrase, "Pay yourself first"

Jack Dougherty (aka Virgil Ashley Dougherty) (1895-1938), actor. He was born in Bowling Green, Missouri and was the son of Roy Dougherty and Julia Ach

Lowell Gibbs Fitzsimmons "Cotton" (1931-2004) - college and NBA Coach.  He was a native of Bowling Green, Missouri and attended Bowling Green High School.

Claude Benton Gillingwater (1870-1939) - stage and screen actor, studied law. He was a native of Louisiana, Missouri and appeared in more than 90 films.

Mary Foote Henderson (1842-1931) - author, real estate developer, and social activist (aka "The Empress of Sixteenth Street"), she was born in New York.Henderson was a notable advocate of women's suffrage, temperance and vegetarianism. She was the daughter of Eunice Newton and Elisha Foote and lived in Louisiana, Missouri.

William Leonard Hungate (1922-2007) - Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (appointed by President Carter), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Missouri's 9th district. Graduated from Bowling Green High School in Bowling Green, Missouri, in 1940

Glenn Thomas Jacobs "Kane" (1967- ) - wrestler, 7'0".  Attended high school in Bowling Green, Missouri, where he excelled in football and basketball.

Virginia Kirtley (aka Virginia M. Saffell) (1888-1956) - silent era Actress. She was born in Bowling Green, Missouri and appeared in more than 50 films.

Elliott Woolfolk Major (1864-1949), lawyer and progressive politician, 33rd Governor of Missouri, 25th Attorney General of Missouri, Member of the Missouri Senate. He went to Watson Seminary in Pike County. He was admitted to the bar in 1885 and started his political career.

Arthur Murray (1851- 1925) - career U.S. Army artillery major general. He was born in Biowling Green, Missouri and was notable for his service as Chief of Artillery for the United States Army Artillery Corps, and the first Chief of United States Army Coast Artillery.

Chad Perkins (1978- ) - politician, radio host and police officer, Speaker pro tempore of the Missouri House of Representatives, Bowling Green Mayor, Member of the Missouri House of Representatives 40th district. He graduated from Bowling Green High School in 1997.

Sterling Price (1809-1867) - politician and senior officer in Conderate States Army, 11th Governor of Missouri, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Missouri's at-large district. He was the son of Pugh and Elizabeth Price and became a slave owner and planter, growing tobacco on the Bowling Green, Missouri prairie.

William Reynolds Purnell (1886-1955) - Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. He was from Bowling Green, Missouri and was was awarded the Navy Cross for his role in protecting convoys against German submarines as commander of the USS Lamson.

Raymond Phillips Sanderson (1908–1987) - artist and sculptor. He was born in Bowling Green, Missouri.

William Jackson (Jack) Schull (1922-2017) - geneticist and Professor Emeritus of Human Genetics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He was born in Louisiana, Missouri and was the son of Eugene Schull, a shoe cutter, and Edna Gertrude Davenport

Edward Otha South (1904-1962) - jazz violinist. He was a native of Louisiana, Missouri. In 2020, Mazz Swift, a consultant for The New York Times, selected Eddie South's performance of "Black Gypsy" for a feature on "5 Minutes That Will Make You Love the Violin."

Lloyd Crow Stark (1886-1972) - businessman and politician, 39th Governor of Missouri, Chair of the National Governors Association.  He was a native of Louisiana, Missouri and son of Clarence McDowell and Lillie Crow Stark.  He was a 1908 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, earning the rank of Major. After serving, Stark went into the family business, the Stark Brothers' Nursery (1816), as vice-president and general manager, popularizing the Golden Delicious apple.  Stark's home at Louisiana from 1915 to 1940 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as the Gov. Lloyd Crow Stark House and Carriage House, in Louisiana, Missouri.

Genevieve Clark Thomson (1894-1981 - suffragist. Born in Bowling Green, Missouri and was the daughter of another notable Champ Clark and Genevieve Davis Bennett. She was an advocate of temperance and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Terms
Unincorporated place - a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation.
Census-Designated place - a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only
Populated Place - it indicates a human settlement of any size, whether it's a hamlet, village, town, or city

Sources: wikipedia, gnis data, unless otherwise noted