New Boston, Missouri

Last weekend, on our trip to Missouri to visit my family, we went through the little town of New Boston, population 310. It was founded in 1846, and named after – you guessed it: Boston.  We went through a lot of small towns on our trip, but this one caught our eye, and we stopped to take a look. It was Sunday morning, and we didn’t see anyone, save the 3 vehicles that went by on the road through town in the half hour we were there. There were several points of interest. There was the post office:

What I liked best about the post office was their sign. It was hand painted. I loved it.

I mean really, when was the last time the US Government did something in the least expensive, most practical manner?

Here is New Boston’s Fire Department:

I’m impressed that a town this small can maintain a fire dept. I’m sure the firemen are all volunteer, like they are in most of the small towns I know of. My hat is off to them.

Here’s the bar.

Sorry, I didn’t get a shot of the entire front of the bar. Use your imagination for the rest.  Anyway, what’s that in the window?

Um…well….I….dunno.  Come up with your own thoughts on why this was painted on the front window of the bar.

Here’s the other window on the bar.

Drink Responsibly?   Oh well.     It is cute though.

Then there’s this business. At least I think it’s a business.

We couldn’t find any business hours listed, and were puzzled as to what type of business it may be.  It says “The Shed” up above, but then there’s this sign down below:

I’m sure all of New Boston knows what goes on in this building, and that’s good enough for me.

At the end of town was an old white clapboard church.  There were a lot of cars in the parking lot, and the mystery as to why it was so quiet in town was solved. Seems most of the inhabitants of New Boston were in church. All in the same church. 

I have to say we liked New Boston. It was small yes, and it was quirky. It was very quiet. Not much variety as to shopping. But the surrounding countryside of rolling hills and pastures was nice. Everyone probably knows everyone, and there are probably no secrets. But everyone probably pulls together when needed, and looks out for each other. And you can’t put a price on that.

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

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29 Responses

  1. Teresa says:

    I love traveling through small towns because of the unique personalities. I think you’ve done a good job of showing the character of this one. I had to laugh at the windows in the bar.

    • Suzanne says:

      Hi Teresa,
      Isn’t that something that each small town has a personality all its own? I loved the bar windows too. Cute.
      Thanks and have a good weekend!

  2. Glenda says:

    To your summation I say, “Amen”. To the shop and the bar, you can only wonder. Loved the side trip!

    • Suzanne says:

      Hello Glenda,
      Glad you enjoyed this. We took another side trip today, this time to Oskaloosa, KS. Post to follow sometime in next couple days.
      Have a blessed Sunday tomorrow.

  3. Peggy says:

    Too funny! That town isn’t to far from where I grew up. Small world. I just love the area. Sometimes I get real homesick. Beautiful pictures. The pic of the train on my header is about 30 miles from there

    • Suzanne says:

      Hi Peggy,
      Well if that’s not too far from where you grew up, than it really is a small world because I grew up down 10 miles south of New Cambria in MO, so we lived not too far from each other.

  4. Robyn says:

    New Boston was where I grew up. Thanks for the great photos.

  5. Teena says:

    I have to laugh at this. I grew up here. Population 310? More like 20, if that. Yes everyone knows everyone. “The Shed” is not a store these days, it is as the signs states…a shed. My family uses it for storage, of what, I don’t even want to guess. My mother lives in the little house next to it. There is a lot of history to the small town. Thanks for the laughs and pics. Be safe on your travels.

  6. Chris says:

    I live just down the road from New Boston. It was pretty neat to see this little blurb about my neighboring town. 🙂 Thank you for noticing the beauty of small towns.

  7. Cindy says:

    I grew up in Bucklin. Just a few miles south of New Boston. I have family that lives in New Boston and of course, Bucklin. The bar served some wonderful food back when I was growing up. And, yes, the fire department is a volunteer department. But, we small town folk stick together and take care of each other.

  8. John says:

    The business that is shown was a grocery and hardware store that my parents operated from 1943
    thru 1980. I grew up in that environment and I think the building is now used mostly for a
    community building.

  9. Freda says:

    love the small towns, I live in Bucklin, Mo, not far away….

  10. Judy suhr says:

    This is awsome! I grew up here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  11. Jessica says:

    I grew up there and I have to say it was and is the best place to live..Thanks for posting these pics…btw I helped paint that post office and the building with the dirt cheap dozing sign is my father’s. My grandmother lives next to that building and uses it for storage. My family still lives there and I enjoy coming home to my small town.

  12. Judy Taylor says:

    Know a lot of folks in the New Boston area and we are proud to call them our friends and relatives…ever run out of gas or have car troubles…they will be there to help.

  13. I grew up on a fsrm 3 miles nort of New Boston Mo. And I think that population of 310 is a sretch . Lots of good times had there.

  14. Betty says:

    This is where my sister lives. The bar is now closed…it used to be called Jim Bob’s after my sisters husband James & his partner Robert. During deer season Robert will open up for breakfast & every now & then they will have a cook-up/out for the surrounding community. Good memories…my brother-in-law has since passed, but he left behind many fond memories for all who remain in the area. This little town is absolutely from “The Good Old Days”!!!

  15. Mike says:

    I learned my grandfather was born here in 1895, he moved to Hardin Iowa and was drafted into the army during World War I. He got married in Deuel South Dakota and then moved to Waterloo Iowa where he died in 1939. You might say he was really a rolling stone.

  16. Jo Lynn Neely says:

    I also live in a small town Green City, Mo. and yes I had several relativies from around the New Boston area. Got to love all the support we have in our small towns.

  17. Dennis says:

    I grew up I Green City and had a girlfriend in New Boston, can’t remember her name, too many years! LOL!!

  18. Nadine says:

    We just left the small town of Ethel (62 population), We went to that church and we have friends living in New Boston. That was a nice memory a good reminder of god simple living

  19. Richard says:

    I grew up in Winigan, the next town north of New Boston (Winigan has a population of 44 but we have a gas station, feed store, bank and post office). The dozing company building in New Boston used to be the feed store/grocery store back in the 1960-70’s when I was a boy. I never spent much time in New Boston. Never was much to do there except drink. I live in Kirksville now, a county northeast of New Boston. It is always interesting to me to read the perspectives of someone from outside the area when they discover our Missouri small towns. Different perspectives appreciate different things. I was driving across Kansas one time and stopped in a little town for lunch in a little cafe with a bunch of cowboys. I was amazed you could order up a steak for $5.

  20. Bobbi Carlin says:

    I grew up 3 1/2 miles from New Boston. My great grandparents lived in town and I went to the New Boston Christian Church. We used all of the business that were in town. When we moved back there when I was 6 there were 2 general stores,a gas station, a bar, dance hall, the Church, and a small telephone exchange.This was in the late 50s. Many memories.

  21. Randall says:

    Well very interesting…I was trying to learn a little history about this town when I came across this site. I work in the Post Office that is pictured. It hasn’t changed much and it still has that sign on it although the paint has chipped away quite a bit and there are plans to replace it. I think the population has decreased by about 100 people also.

  22. Becky Amen says:

    I grew up just outside of New Boston on a farm. My parents were married in that little white church and still live on the family farm. When I was a child, the population of New Boston was about 60. The only way it could be 310 is if you count all of the cows. We thought it was a treat to go to the little grocery store/gas station and get a Red Pop or a popsicle from the freezer. Nothing would be open on a Sunday…ever. On Sunday you went to church and spent the day with your family. I miss those days.

  23. Darlene Wright says:

    My grandfather was born in New Boston in 1883. The Riedl family.

  24. Bridget Gudgell says:

    Hi there! I stumbled upon this page today while searching for a history book for my brother for Christmas. I am a life-long native of New Boston, MO and if you ever want any of your questions answered I am happy to help…including the bar toiled painting and the mystery “business” lol

  25. Linda McCarty says:

    This is great. Thank you for appreciating New Boston and the surrounding area. I was looking for some New Boston history this evening and stumbled across this. I’m from Bucklin, originally. I have relatives (Bell family) who were founding members of the church in New Boston.
    Linda McCarty

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