A Tour Of Jerico Springs, Missouri’s Forgotten Ghost Town
In Missouri, some towns fade but never truly disappear.
Jerico Springs, once a bustling community, now lingers as a ghost town with stories still etched in its quiet streets and weathered remains.
A visit here offers more than a glimpse of abandoned buildings – it’s a journey into a past that whispers through every corner, reminding travelers of lives once lived and histories long remembered.
Birth of a Healing Haven
Jerico Springs emerged in the 1840s when settlers discovered mineral springs bubbling from the earth. Native Americans had long revered these waters for their healing properties.
By the 1880s, the town had transformed into a popular health resort destination.
Visitors traveled from across the country seeking relief from ailments like rheumatism, kidney problems, and digestive disorders in the sulfur-rich waters.
Golden Era of Prosperity
Strolling through town during the early 1900s, you’d find yourself amid a bustling community boasting hotels, bathhouses, and shops.
The crown jewel was the magnificent Monegaw Hotel, where wealthy guests enjoyed luxury accommodations after soaking in the therapeutic springs.
Local commerce thrived with a bank, general store, blacksmith, and even an opera house providing entertainment.
Railroad connections brought regular tourists seeking the famous ‘Jerico water’ cure.
Mysterious Ruins of the Springs
Nature has largely reclaimed the famous springs that once drew thousands.
Stone foundations and crumbling concrete basins mark where elaborate bathhouses once stood.
A weathered sign barely visible among overgrowth points to ‘Spring No. 3,’ once advertised as having the strongest mineral content.
Adventurous visitors might still find small pools of mineral-rich water bubbling from the ground, leaving rusty deposits on surrounding rocks.
Remnants of Main Street
Phantom storefronts line what was once a vibrant commercial district.
The partially collapsed bank building stands as a silent sentinel, its vault door still visible amid rubble.
Faded advertisements painted on brick walls advertise products from a century ago.
Rusty metal awning frames hang precariously over empty doorways where shopkeepers once greeted customers.
Wild roses now climb through broken windows of the old post office, nature’s slow reclamation of human ambition.
The Town’s Haunting Decline
Jerico Springs’ downfall began in the 1930s when the Great Depression devastated tourism.
The final blow came when changing medical practices diminished belief in mineral water cures.
By the 1950s, most businesses had closed their doors forever.
Today, fewer than a dozen residents remain in the surrounding area, caretakers of a fading history.
The old cemetery on the hill offers perhaps the most complete record of those who once called this place home.
