Hammond
Two Ozark Ghost Towns
About the Book
In the rugged hills of southern Missouri, two forgotten villages shared the same name, the same kind of grist mill, and more than a century of mistaken identity by outsiders of Ozark County. Both Hammonds stood along major tributaries of the White River. Both revolved around water-powered grist mills known as Hammond Mill. Both became gathering places for isolated Ozark communities. Yet they were not the same place. One village, known officially as McCabe, rose along the Big North Fork River in eastern Ozark County before fading almost completely into the landscape. The other, along the banks of the Little North Fork River in the western part of the county, grew into a regional trade center with a bank, general store, and post office before declining after milling operations slowed in the 1940s. Together, their stories reveal a fascination chapter of Ozarks history shaped by rivers, industry, and memory.
Sample Photos
Topics Covered
Ozark County & Settlement
Schoolcraft’s Ozark Journal
Civil War & Desolation
Hammond - Western Ozark County
Hammond Milling Company
The Bank of Hammond
Hammond Mill - Eastern Ozark County
Hammond’s Mill
The Union Cooperage Company
Hammond Mill Civilian Conservation Corps Camp F-6
Listing of CCC Forestry Camps in Missouri
Publication Details
ISBN: 979-8-9943871-2-2
Publisher: Glenstrae LLC
Publication Date: September 21, 2026
Page Count: 72
Trim Size: 5.25” x 8”
Why I Wrote This Book
When I was writing The Mills And Springs Of The Ozarks, I didn’t have the full story of Hammond’s Mill on the Big North Fork, so I could not include it in the book. And I didn’t have a photo. The big break came with the revelation of the Kate Aid photo of Hammond’s Mill. It is the only photo of the mill that I know to exist. Kate’s grandson, Toney Aid, is a wealth of knowledge of local history and was gracious in allowing me to use the photo. The confusion of the two Hammond Mills has always intrigued me. They were built approximately the same time. I’ve confused them in conversation and heard others do the same. One of my goals of this project was to distinguish between the two and tell their colorful stories. The Orval Jernigan and Edwin Woolsey photographs were crucial in telling the story of Hammond, MO. Mr. Jernigan’s daughter, Chris Voliva, allowed me to use his photos to tell the story. As the pieces of the puzzle came together, the stories of these two communities came to life.