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Refuge Headquarters Phone: 573-876-1826 |
History of the
Overton Bottoms Unit
The Overton Bottoms Unit is named after the town of Overton, which is now located at the base of the bluff beside the railroad tracks, just before you cross into the refuge on Highway 98. The town was originally located about 1 1/2 miles north from the present location and was a thriving riverfront community with a post office, several stores, a blacksmith shop, a ferry across the river to Rocheport and was considered an important shipping point locally. However, with the decline in the steamboat trade in the 1880's and 1890's and perhaps encouraged by a devastating flood in 1903, the town relocated to its present position. The Missouri River has now shifted further south and the original town site is now under the main channel of the river.
About 3 1/2 miles upstream from Overton was the town of Elliot, which was a train stop on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. It is on the upstream tract of Overton Bottoms that is only accessible from the river. The town of Elliot was later renamed Merna and it was the site the first major Civil War battle in Missouri between the Union forces of General Lyon and the Confederate forces of General Marmaduke. General Lyon brought his troops up the Missouri River from Jefferson City on three steamboats. On July 17, 1861, they unloaded at Merna in the river bottom and attacked the Confederate troops that were dug into the bluff guarding the road that lead to Boonville. The Confederate troops were forced to retreat and the Union forces continued up the road and occupied Boonville.
