St. Louis Region
Moscow Mills keeps a mill story in its name and old stone house
Moscow Mills has a National Register-listed Old Rock House and a SHSMO place-name record that ties the town name to an older mill setting.
Moscow Mills is a good example of how Lincoln County place names and listed buildings can point to older land-use stories. Missouri State Parks lists the Old Rock House, also called the Shapley Ross House, at Second and Mill streets in Moscow Mills.
The State Historical Society of Missouri’s place-name file adds the mill context without needing folklore. It records Martin’s Mill as a water mill at Moscow in western Monroe Township, formerly known as Geiger’s Mill.
For a resident or local-history reader, the point is not to turn the town into a roadside myth. It is to know where to check. The National Register listing anchors the building, and SHSMO anchors the place-name story.
Where to see it
- Missouri National Register listings
Use Missouri State Parks' listings page for the Old Rock House source trail.
- SHSMO Lincoln County place names
Use SHSMO for the Moscow Mills place-name record.
References
More from Lincoln County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: July 16, 2026.