Although Avilla has a population of 100 or so residents, it is considered one of the “living ghost towns of Historic Route 66.” This rural village was founded in 1856 and is the fourth oldest settlement in Jasper County, Missouri. It has a rich history and a bit of a dark past. Interestingly, some people say the darkness still haunts the once thriving town. To learn more about Avilla, a ghost town in Missouri, take a look below.

"AvillaMo2000" by Traveler7 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -
Businesses and storefronts once lined the main strip. In this photo from 2000, you can see the Avilla House, built in 1868, on the far right. Tom Barbado’s Garage, an early Route 66-era auto shop is the second stone structure from the left. Both of these buildings have since been demolished. The white building, Old Flo's Tavern, still stands today next to the abandoned stone IOOF Lodge and Old French's Grocery Store.

The decline of Avilla started after World War II when people began moving to larger industrial cities for job opportunities. Then in the 1960s, Route 66 was bypassed with I-44, and the town eventually lost much of its commerce due to the diverted traffic. The remaining businesses had either failed, closed, or relocated by the 1970s. Then a large fire in 1971 at the Avilla lumberyard destroyed several of the buildings, including most of the lumber company. Although the lumberyard was rebuilt, the town continued to decline and has never really rebounded completely. Now, all that remains are vacant lots, abandoned buildings, and a few buildings that are still being used.
"AvillaPostOffice" by Eric Swanger - http://www.littleblackstar.com. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -
The 1915 Bank of Avilla served the town for three decades. During the Great Depression, the notorious "Irish O’Malley Gang" robbed the bank and kidnapped the cashier. Although no longer a bank, this historic building has been utilitzed as the town's post office since 1952 and stands as a local cultural icon.
"Bloody-bill-anderson" by Unknown - State Historical society item [SHS 023422-1]http://shs.umsystem.edu/historicmissourians/folklegends/james/jamesbloodybill.html. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons -
Like many Missouri towns, Avilla found itself split during the Civil War. Tensions among residents of opposing views caused some families to be torn apart, while others left the town in fear of their safety. Confederate guerrilla attacks against Union sympathizers were common. William T. Anderson was a pro-Confederate guerrilla leader believed to have led several such attacks. Although he was killed in 1864, Anderson was posthumously nicknamed "Bloody Bill" for his ruthless actions.

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"Gunshot skull civil war" by National Institutes of Health, Health & Human Services - Civil War Collection, National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C. From exhibition "Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body"U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons -
Another Civil War-era legend involves a spirit haunting the town. The "Avilla Phantom Bushwhacker" or "Rotten Johnny Reb" is said to haunt not only the town, but also the "Death Tree." It is also said that during the war, the skull of a Confederate bushwacker was found. Rather than burying it, it was hung from a tree as a warning to other bushwhackers. As a result, the ghost of "Rotten Johnny Reb" searches the town and surrounding woods for his head, and for "Yankees" to kill. Many deaths were blamed on him over the years, with the legend driving off many of the remaining townspeople after the war ended.
"Rotten Johnny Reb and the Death Tree" by Traveler7 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons -
According to the old legend, the only way to end the curse and put Rotten Johnny’s spirit to rest is to find his skull, cut it down from the tree, and bury it, or set it ablaze on holy ground. If you believe such legends, it would be nearly impossible to carry this out because the location of the "Death Tree" died off when the last survivors of the war did. There was a belief that black crows would flock to it during the day as a perch, and that it was an apple tree that no longer would bear fruit. However, time and the changing landscapes have made it nearly impossible to find the tree today, if it even still exists at all.
"Shadowman-3" by w:User:Timitzer - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shadowman-3.jpg. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -
Probably even more spooky than Rotten Johnny Reb and the Ghost Tree are the multiple sightings of Avilla’s "Shadow Folk." These ghostly figures have been seen through windows, wandering through the halls of abandoned homes, and even strolling down the empty roads in town. The Shadow Folk are dark figures resembling people... shadows without people to cast them. They are believed to be spiritual impressions of those who lived in Avilla long ago. They are most likely to be seen at the old abandoned part of the village along Route 66.

US Route 66 was re-designated Missouri Route 96 in 1985, but by then, Avilla was already the quiet rural community that it continues to be today. Have you ever been to Avilla, Missouri? If so, did you have a paranormal experience? Let us know in the comments below.

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Jennifer Young | August 16, 2022

What are three of the most haunted places in Missouri?

There are several creepy places in Missouri where people have been known to experience paranormal activity. Listed below are three of these places, including information about why they're some of the most haunted places in Missouri.

1. Peace Church Cemetery

Peace Church Cemetery is located in Joplin, Missouri and is the final resting place of Billy Cook. During the 1950s, Billy killed six people, which led to his execution in the gas chamber. Many visitors of Peace Church Cemetery have reported seeing Billy's ghost. Many people have also claimed they were hit by thrown objects even though nobody else was present.

2. Hotel Bothwell

Missouri's Hotel Bothwell, which is located in Sedalia, is a 1927 Jazz-era hotel that has seen its fair share of paranormal activity. Several guests of this hotel have reported everything from ghost sightings and strange voices, to doors closing on their own. Many of them have also reported objects missing from their rooms. Although Missouri's Hotel Bothwell is haunted on all floors, the third floor is believed to be the most haunted.

3. Lemp Mansion

The historic Lemp Mansion is located in St. Louis, Missouri and currently serves as a restaurant and inn. Based on the number of suicides and other deaths within the Lemp family that took place at this mansion, it's one of America's 10 most haunted places. Lemp Mansion is supposedly haunted by several ghosts of the Lemp Family. But that's not all. William Lemp, Jr. had an illegitimate son that he hid away in the attic. Today, this son, known as the “Monkey-faced boy,” supposedly haunts the attic of Lemp Mansion.

What's one of the creepiest ghost stories in Missouri?

There have been several ghost stories told in Missouri. One of the most popular and creepiest ghost stories in Missouri is the story of Momo the Monster. Momo means "Missouri Monster," and that's just what Momo is. According to witnesses, Momo is approximately seven feet tall and has a pumpkin-shaped head. He also has orange glowing eyes and a face covered in long wiry hair. Momo is an ape-like creature similar to Bigfoot. He supposedly smells really bad and strolls up and down the Mississippi River killing animals and scaring people. In 1971 and 1972, several people reported the sighting of Momo in Louisiana, Missouri.

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