Fordland, Missouri
14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1939 and the latest in 1983. It stands in Fordland Township. It lies in ZIP code area 65652. The Survey maps it on the Fordland quadrangle. 778 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,604 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresFordland fell from 800 to 778 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 800 | |
| 2020 | 778 | -22 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 14 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1939 USGS Fordland quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1942 USGS Fordland quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1954 USGS Springfield quadrangle1:250000, 6 printings
- 1958 USGS Springfield quadrangle1:250000
- 1959 USGS Springfield quadrangle1:250000
- 1982 USGS Fordland quadrangle1:24000
- 1983 USGS Mountain Grove quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
51 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 51 fires within 5 miles of Fordland between 1992 and 2016, burning about 505 acres in total. None started naturally. 7 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 |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 36 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 7 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 7 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 1999 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 4 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Missouri Department of Conservation | 140097-11207-09042016-1319 |
| 24 September 1999 | Debris and open burning | 170 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 31 August 1999 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 25 August 1999 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 23 August 1995 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 8 July 1997 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 11 July 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 10 workings within 5 miles of Fordland: 10 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Lead, Zinc, Lead, Iron, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown - Ls | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| White Bank | Iron | Past Producer | ||
| Jackson Mine | Lead | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead | Lead | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead | Lead | Past Producer | ||
| Gates Mine | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Harper Mines | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead & Zinc | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead & Zinc | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead & Zinc | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
52 since 1995Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Fordland in 52 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 16 thunderstorm wind, 15 flash flood, 13 hail, 3 flood. The reports record 1 death and 13 injuries. 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | 1 killed, $100,000 | Mobile homes in Rogersville, Fordland, and Seymour were destroyed by macrobursts. One macroburst to the northwest of Fordland produced an estimated 90 mph wind that destroyed a tied down mobile home and killed a 45 year old man. In Rogersville, 50 structures were heavily damaged. (M45M) |
| March 2006 | Tornado (F2) | Fordland | 13 hurt, $700,000 | no account filed |
| April 2017 | Flash Flood | Fordland | $1,000,000 | Numerous homes and business sustained flood damage across Webster County. Numerous roads and bridges were severely damaged or washed away across the county. This report will contain the total dollar estimate for flood damage to infrastructure, businesses, and homes across Webster County. |
| May 2009 | Tornado (EF1) | Fordland | $50,000 | A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-1 tornado touched down near Highway 60 approximately one mile east of Fordland, and tracked northeast to near Diggins Road. The tornado damaged a delivery truck, a roof off the Memory Lane Dairy Farm, several trees, and an outbuilding on Diggins Road. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 1996 | Hail | Fordland | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | $1,500 | A car port was rolled and damaged, and large limbs up to 8 inches in diameter were reported down. |
| May 2025 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Route PP at the Dry Fork Rover was closed due to flooding. |
| June 2024 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Panther Creek Bridge was closed as water from Panther Creek was flowing over the bridge. |
| March 2023 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Route FF was closed at a low water crossing due to flooding. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Fordland | - | Nickle to quarter sized hail was reported. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | A large tree was reported down across the road. |
| March 2020 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | State Highway FF was closed due to flooding at Panther Creek. |
| May 2020 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Highway FF was closed due to flooding at the Panther Creek low water crossing. |
| February 2018 | Flood | Fordland | - | Highway FF was flooded and impassable. |
| April 2017 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Flood water up to 3 feet deep flowed over Highway FF near Panther Creek. |
| May 2015 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Highway PP was closed at Panther Creek just west of Fordland because of flooding. |
| June 2015 | Heavy Rain | Fordland | - | In western Webster County near Highway 125 and Highway AD, 8.25 inches of rainfall was reported in the last 48 hours. |
| June 2015 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Route FF was flooded and closed north of Highway 60. |
| July 2015 | Heavy Rain | Fordland | - | There was a report of 4.19 inches of rainfall measured in several hours. |
| July 2015 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Two feet of water was over the road at Panther Creek and Highway FF north of Fordland. |
| May 2015 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | County Road FF had about a foot of water over the road near Panther Creek. |
| June 2015 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Route V along the James River was flooded and closed. |
| June 2013 | Flood | Fordland | - | Highway FF was flooded along Panther Creek. |
| August 2013 | Heavy Rain | Fordland | - | Over a six and a half hour span 5.50 inches of rainfall was reported. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | Several trees were blown down. |
| February 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | An amateur radio operator estimated wind gusts up to 75 mph. |
| March 2008 | Flood | Fordland | - | A section of Highway Z southeast of Fordland was flooded and impassable to motorists for several hours. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | Several large trees were snapped or uprooted by severe thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | Severe thunderstorm wind gusts downed several trees along Highway FF. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | A cluster of heavy rain fell over southwest sections of Webster County. Panther Creek, James River, and Finley River all experienced flash flooding due to this excessive rainfall. |
| March 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | A large tree was downed and blocking a road from severe thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| May 2004 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | Highway Z near Fordland was inundated with flash flooding. |
| March 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | Nickel hail was also reported. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| November 2010 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| April 2003 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| May 1997 | Flash Flood | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Fordland | - | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zenar | 4.6 miles | 14 | |
| Panther Valley | 4.6 miles | 21 | |
| Diggins | 4.7 miles | 14 | |
| Olga | 5.1 miles | 14 | |
| All | 5.3 miles | 21 | |
| Finley Falls | 5.5 miles | 14 | |
| Henderson | 6.4 miles | 21 | |
| Sarvis Point | 6.5 miles | 14 |
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 Fordland | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q958350 | The 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 718069. 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.






