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Alton, Missouri

12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1944 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Piney Township. It lies in ZIP code area 65606. It stands on Tucker Creek. The Survey maps it on the Alton quadrangle. 707 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 781 feet above sea level.

Alton within Oregon County

On record in Alton

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Alton fell from 871 to 707 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
2010871
2020707-164 (-19%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 12 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

44 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 44 fires within 5 miles of Alton between 1992 and 2012, burning about 802 acres in total. None started naturally. 20 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism20
Debris and open burning15
Equipment and vehicle use4
Smoking3
Missing data/not specified/undetermined2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
26 August 1993Debris and open burning1.0 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
21 August 2012Arson/incendiarism4.0 acresMark Twain National ForestBRASWELL
1 August 1997Equipment and vehicle use8.0 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
28 July 1997Debris and open burning2.0 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named
7 April 1995Arson/incendiarism1.0 acresMark Twain National ForestDEAD DOG NORTH I
7 April 1995Arson/incendiarismunder an acreMark Twain National ForestAA SOUTH II
7 April 1995Arson/incendiarismunder an acreMark Twain National ForestDEAD DOG NORTH II
28 April 1993Debris and open burning1.0 acresMissouri Department of Conservationnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Oregon County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 20 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 20 workings within 5 miles of Alton: 11 past producers, 7 prospects, 2 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Iron, Iron, Zinc. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
C.S.&R Zinc MineIron, ZincPast Producer
Hess Zinc MineIron, ZincPast Producer
Carson Iron MineIronPast Producer
Dewey Minich PropertyIronOccurrenceSurface
Doan-Ives Iron MineIronPast Producer
Drew Whitten MineIronProspect1945
Erman Mcgibney PropertyIronOccurrenceSurface
Fanny Norman ProspectIronProspect1911
Freeman ProspectIronProspect
L.O. HuddlestonIronProspectSurface

Every working recorded in Oregon County

Storms near this place

60 of 68 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Alton in 68 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 27 hail, 26 thunderstorm wind, 11 flash flood, 3 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2017Flash FloodAlton$4,000,000Numerous county roads and bridges were damaged by flash floods. Several campgrounds and river access areas were severely damaged across the county. This report will contain the total dollar estimate for flood damage to infrastructure, businesses, and homes across Oregon County. $3M in damages were reported to roads alone in the county.
April 2025Flash FloodAlton$20,000Several city streets were flooded causing vehicles to become stranded.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindAlton$10,000A large tree fell on to a truck in Alton. This report was from social media.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindAlton$10,000Several power lines and trees were blown down. Several main roads were blocked by trees and power lines down.
June 2014HailAlton$10,000no account filed
June 2002Thunderstorm WindAlton$10,000no account filed
February 2001Thunderstorm WindAlton$10,000no account filed
April 1999Thunderstorm WindAlton$6,000no account filed
September 2012Thunderstorm WindAlton$5,000A mobile home was blown off its foundation.
April 2009Thunderstorm WindAlton$5,000Thunderstorm wind gusts damaged the roof of a church and knocked over a few trees.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindAlton$5,000Severe thunderstorm wind gusts knocked over a large tree and landed on a car.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindAlton$5,000Thunderstorm wind gusts downed a few power lines.
June 1994HailAlton$5,000Reported by the county sheriff and Missouri Highway Patrol (Troop G). A local newspaper also reported numerous power poles and trees snapped off with approximately 3,000 people without power across the county.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindAlton$5,000Reported by the county sheriff and Missouri Highway Patrol (Troop G). A local newspaper also reported numerous power poles and trees snapped off with approximately 3,000 people without power across the county.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindAlton$2,000Thunderstorm winds downed two trees in Alton.
January 2008Tornado (EF0)Alton$1,000A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that a weak EF-0 tornado damaged a few outbuildings south of Alton. A motorcycle shop sustained the most damage as a barn that sheltered several new motorcycles was destroyed.
April 1999Thunderstorm WindAlton$1,000no account filed
June 1994HailAlton$500Reported by the county sheriff and Missouri Highway Patrol (Troop G). A local newspaper also reported numerous power poles and trees snapped off with approximately 3,000 people without power across the county.
April 1994HailAlton$500no account filed
April 2025Flash FloodAlton-The Piney Creek at Highways 160 and 19 flooded several structures.
April 2025Flash FloodAlton-Several city streets were flooded with a few structures reporting water coming into the building.
April 2025Flash FloodAlton-Excessive rainfall caused high water to occur around town which caused flooding in the Harps Store.
April 2025Flash FloodAlton-The Piney Creek at Highways 160 and 19 flooded several structures.
April 2025Flash FloodAlton-Tucker Creek was flowing out of its banks into fields and some roads.
April 2025HailAlton-Hen egg sized hail was reported in a mainly rural portion northeast of Alton, Mo.
August 2022Thunderstorm WindAlton-Several trees were reported down causing power outages on Old Cane Bluff Road near Highway 19.
November 2022Thunderstorm WindAlton-Multiple trees and large limbs were reported down.
April 2020HailAlton-Half dollar sized hail was reported.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindAlton-Numerous trees were blown down around Alton and Winona.
August 2016Flash FloodAlton-Several low water crossings were flooded across the county.
July 2015FloodAlton-Highway P west of Alton was flooded and impassable.
December 2015Thunderstorm WindAlton-A large tree was blown down in the town of Alton.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindAlton-A tree was blown down.
May 2007Flash FloodAlton-Heavy rain caused flooding over several low water crossings east of Alton.
April 2006Tornado (F0)Alton-A small tornado tracked eight miles across rural central Oregon County. Only damage that occurred from this feature was minor damage to trees.
May 2006Tornado (F0)Alton-A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that a weak tornado tracked through a highly remote and wooded area of eastern Oregon County. The tornado initially touched down three miles east of Riverton near County Road 152 just north of Highway 160, and moved two miles east. Intermitten minor tree damage was found along the 20 yard wide path.
May 2006Flash FloodAlton-Several low water crossings near the community of Alton became inundated with flash flooding from heavy thunderstorms.
September 2006Thunderstorm WindAlton-Thunderstorm wind gusts downed trees in Alton.
September 2006Flash FloodAlton-Flooding was reported over several county roads.
September 2006Thunderstorm WindAlton-Thunderstorm wind gusts downed trees in the Alton area.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindAlton-A line of severe thunderstorms downed numerous trees across the county.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindAlton-Several trees were downed from east of Alton northward to along the Shannon and Oregon county line from severe thunderstorm wind gusts.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindAlton-Downburst winds downed several trees in a wooded area east of Alton.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindAlton-Severe thunderstorm wind gusts downed a few trees along Highway 160 west of Alton.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindAlton-Thunderstorm winds downed trees along Highway P.
July 2015HailAlton-no account filed
July 2015HailAlton-no account filed
October 2014HailAlton-no account filed
October 2014HailAlton-no account filed
April 2011HailAlton-no account filed
May 2011HailAlton-no account filed
June 2011HailAlton-no account filed
July 2009HailAlton-no account filed
November 2007HailAlton-no account filed
April 2006HailAlton-no account filed
April 2006HailAlton-no account filed
April 2006HailAlton-no account filed
April 2006HailAlton-no account filed
May 2006HailAlton-no account filed
May 2003HailAlton-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Oregon County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Huddleston2.7 miles12
Simpson2.7 miles13
Woodside3.3 miles12
Royal Oak4.7 miles12
Braswell4.9 miles13
Lulu5.0 miles13
Hollis5.0 miles13
Greer5.7 miles14

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on AltonAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q775500The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 713252. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.