RIVERMINES, St. Francois County, MO

RIVERMINES

St. Francois County, Missouri

“The village of Rivermines was first incorporated around 1911. Prior to this time the area had been known as Central Missouri - probably named after the Central Lead Company which had a plant across the river. A part of St. Francois Township, the village was situated on the hill which sloped from Edgewood Street to the river at a very steep grade.

“The area hosted a number of mining company operations over the years. The Doe Run Lead Company had a plant at Rivermines with shafts sunk in 1893 and 1894. By 1903, the Doe Run Company employed about 677 men in the surrounding area.

“The Central Lead Company and later the St. Joseph Lead Company also had operations in the Rivermines area. The railroad, running through Rivermines was built in 1894 by the Mississippi River and Bonne Terre Railroad.

“There was a hotel in Rivermines named the Crews Hotel which was located at 17 Brief Street. It was torn down in 1929 when the Union Electric transmission line was built. It had been a two-story wood-frame building.

“Commerce in the early days was centered around the Country Grocery Store. The original store was located at approximately 32 St. Joe Street or between St. Joe Street and the railroad. It was opened by the Doe Run Lead Company in 1908 and was sold March 1, 1914 to the Bonne Terre Farming and Cattle Company, which was a subsidiary of the St. Joseph Lead Company.

“St. Joe bought all the holdings of the Doe Run Lead Company in 1917 and the Federal Lead Company in 1923.

“The highway known as Highway 32 which runs through Rivermines, was built in 1928. In 1930, the population of Rivermines was 721. The history of Rivermines is a history of quality people who were proud of the village and its place in the development of the Lead Belt area.

“In 1994 the village of Rivermines was consolidated with Flat River, Esther, and Elvins, and the area encompassing these four towns was renamed Park Hills, Missouri, by which name it is known today (2002).”

Contributed via E-mail, by B. Warner on Aug 21, 2002.

The consolidation occurred Jan 01, 1994. However, it appears Rivermines is really not a true ghost town, but just a faded mining town absorbed by a growing town. Its listing here is more due to that history as well as it being a DEAD NAME. Looking at the terra server map, it looks like there were also a number of other small communities in the area, including: Cantwell, Highly Heights, Desloge, Fairview Acres, Gumbo (50-100), Leadwood, Drytown, Mitchell (25-100), Derby (0-rural), Leadington, Federal and Hurryville (60-60). These all are outside the corporate limits of Park Hills, but fall into its sphere of influence. Ones in blue (linked to page) are listed elsewhere in this work. Ones in bold are part of an adjacent community. Those not highlighted are not listed as they fall outside the parameters to be included in this work. (GBS)