Take a Lonely Drive Through Missouri’s Forgotten Ghost Town

There is so much history here that few will take the time to discover. A recent trip by explorers shows what little remains of a Missouri ghost town that time seems to have forgotten.

This is Jerico Springs, Missouri founded in 1882

If you're not familiar with Jerico Springs, Missouri, it's located in the southwestern corner of the state not that far from Joplin. There is very little of this tiny town's history documented other than its founding and naming based on the biblical city of Jericho. Jerico Springs, Missouri has never been a large population center to say the least, but recent years have seen the few that do live here become less and less as the years go by. The last census saw a nearly 30% drop in population. Still, there are some that still call it home. It has an operational city hall and church and the fire department building remains, but those that live in Jerico Springs are outnumbered by those that have left. As of now, it's a lonely reminder of a simpler time in Missouri. Let's hope that it can hang in there and not end up totally vacated like some other rural small Missouri places.