Potosi, Missouri
21 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1906 and the latest in 1989. It stands in Breton Township. It lies in ZIP code area 63664. It stands on Bates Creek. The Survey maps it on the Potosi quadrangle. 2,538 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 879 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Potosi
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 3 records
Washington County Courthouselisted 2011
Washington State Park CCC Historic Districtlisted 1985- George Cresswell Furnacelisted 1988
Population over time
2 figuresPotosi fell from 2,660 to 2,538 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 | 2,660 | |
| 2020 | 2,538 | -122 (-5%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
14 surveys from 21 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.
- 1906 USGS Potosi quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1949 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1953 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1954 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Potosi quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Potosi quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1959 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1966 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1971 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
- 1986 USGS Farmington quadrangle1:100000
- 1987 USGS Farmington quadrangle1:100000
- 1989 USGS Rolla quadrangle1:250000
Fires near this place
153 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 153 fires within 5 miles of Potosi between 1992 and 2018, burning about 947 acres in total. None started naturally. 11 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 |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 82 |
| Debris and open burning | 55 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 11 |
| Smoking | 2 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2015 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Missouri Department of Conservation | 128791-11043-09242015-1506 |
| 24 September 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.5 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | 128792-11043-09242015-1214 |
| 22 September 2013 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 9 August 1999 | Arson/incendiarism | 15 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 31 August 1999 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 9.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 1 August 2013 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 2 July 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 7 May 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | 137652-11043-05072016-2152 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 81 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 81 workings within 5 miles of Potosi: 74 past producers, 7 producers. 7 still produce. What was taken out: Barium-Barite, Lead, Lead, Zinc, Zinc, Lead. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce and Willoughby's Diggings | Barium-Barite, Lead | Past Producer | ||
| Potosi | Lead, Barium-Barite, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Iron | Past Producer | 1763 | |
| Strawberry Diggings | Lead, Zinc, Barium-Barite | Past Producer | Residual | |
| Wolf Quarry | Dolomite, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Iron | Past Producer | ||
| Krueger Zinc Mine | Zinc, Lead | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead and Zinc | Zinc, Lead | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown -Ba and Pb | Lead, Barium-Barite | Past Producer | ||
| Bee and Scott Diggings | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Lead and Zinc | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown-Lead and Zinc | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 78 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Potosi in 78 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 50 hail, 19 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, 2 flash flood. The reports record 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2004 | Tornado (F1) | Potosi | 7 hurt | The 1st in a series of 5 small tornadoes struck just northeast of Potosi along Highway 21. The Potosi Lumberyard was severely damaged. Seven people were injured with one kept overnight at a local hospital. |
| April 1993 | Tornado (F1) | Potosi | $500,000 | A small tornado initially touched down near the intersection of Highway P and State Road 8, damaging a door and windows of a large garage. The tornado then traveled across a city park damaging several trees, sections of a chain-linked fence, and several advertisement bill boards. Before lifting numerous trees were downed, several mobile homes were flipped, and minor roof damage was caused to a service station just east of the intersection of State Roads 8 and 21. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | $300 | Large trees and power lines were blown down just south of Potosi. |
| November 2024 | Heavy Rain | Potosi | - | A Cocorahs station 3.2 W Potosi measured 8.8 inches of storm total rainfall between November 4th and 5th. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines from Potosi to Mineral Point. |
| April 2015 | Tornado (EF1) | Potosi | - | The tornado formed and caused damage on the west side of Potosi. Roof shingles were blown off several church buildings, trees were downed, and a mobile home used for storage was destroyed. The tornado moved east-southeast down High Street in Potosi causing roof damage to several businesses, downed trees, power lines and business signs. The tornado crossed Highway 21 and continued along Highway 8 causing tree damage in the Spring Town Road area. About a half mile east of the Potosi city limits the tornado destroyed a building at a saw mill along Highway 8. The tornado continued for about another half mile causing tree damage and then dissipated. |
| April 2015 | Flash Flood | Potosi | - | Up to three inches of rain fell in a short amount of time causing flash flooding in Potosi. Mine A Breton Creek overflowed its banks in town onto Jefferson Street. Several water rescues had to be made in this area. |
| June 2011 | Flash Flood | Potosi | - | Up to two inches of rain fell in a short amount of time causing flash flooding. Several roads were flooded including Highway E between Blackwell and Cadet. |
| January 2007 | Flood | Potosi | - | Several inches of rain caused flooding of small creeks and streams and low-water crossings mainly across southern Washington County. |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts knocked down some trees and power lines. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down. Several of the trees fell onto homes and businesses causing minor to moderate damage. Also, some roofs were partially blown off causing minor damage. |
| April 2005 | Hail | Potosi | - | A storm spotter reported 3/4 inch hail in Potosi. |
| April 2005 | Hail | Potosi | - | A storm spotter reported 1 inch hail in Potosi. |
| April 2005 | Hail | Potosi | - | Local law enforcement reported nickel size hail in Potosi. |
| May 2005 | Hail | Potosi | - | Storm spotters reported 1 inch hail in Potosi for several minutes. |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | The local newspaper reported some trees down in Potosi from thunderstorm winds. |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | Local law enforcement reported scattered trees down. |
| May 2004 | Hail | Potosi | - | The local fire department reported golfball size hail. |
| June 2004 | Hail | Potosi | - | Local law enforcement reported nickel size hail. |
| October 2004 | Tornado (F0) | Potosi | - | The second tornado struck 1 mile northeast of Potosi along State Route E. One mobile home and a storage building were damaged. Several trees were either snapped off at the trunk or uprooted. |
| October 2004 | Tornado (F0) | Potosi | - | The third tornado was first observed in an open field about 1.5 miles east northeast of Potosi. A few large trees were either uprooted or snapped off. |
| August 2004 | Hail | Potosi | - | A cooperative observer reported golfball size hail west of Potosi. |
| April 2003 | Hail | Potosi | - | Storm spotters reported 3/4 inch hail. |
| May 2003 | Hail | Potosi | - | Storm spotters reported golfball size hail south of Potosi. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | Local law enforcement reported power lines down and transformers damaged. |
| March 2002 | Hail | Potosi | - | The public reported a brief period of golfball size hail in Potosi. |
| May 2002 | Hail | Potosi | - | Storm spotters reported nickel size hail in Potosi. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts downed some trees and power lines in Potosi. At least 200 customers lost electric power. |
| October 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | The County Sheriff reported trees down along Highway 185. |
| April 1998 | Hail | Potosi | - | A severe storm spotter reported 3/4 inch hail. |
| May 1997 | Hail | Potosi | - | Skywarn spotters reported 3/4 inch hail. |
| May 1997 | Hail | Potosi | - | Skywarn spotters reported 1 inch hail. |
| May 1995 | Hail | Potosi | - | The county sheriff reported quarter-size hail. |
| April 1994 | Hail | Potosi | - | Reported by a county sheriff deputy. |
| March 2025 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| March 2009 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| August 2008 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| March 2008 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| April 2005 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| September 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Potosi | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Potosi | - | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springtown | 1.7 miles | 21 | |
| Bates Creek Camp | 2.7 miles | 21 | |
| Frogtown | 3.2 miles | 21 | |
| Mineral Point | 3.4 miles | 20 | |
| Summit | 4.6 miles | 20 | |
| Fountain Farm | 4.6 miles | 20 | |
| Adelbert (historical) | 4.8 miles | 20 | |
| Latty | 4.9 miles | 21 |
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 Potosi | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q955174 | 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 751729. 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.













