ALBERTA

By Kelly Warman-Stallings
The Ghost Towns of Central Missouri

In the eastern section of the county, near the Maries County line, the small community Alberta came into existence in the 1870s or perhaps even earlier. The small settlement of farmers, located north of Sudheimer and south of Claxby, was more of a community than a settlement as there were never any known businesses there. Alberta was situated in Osage township, 18 miles from Dixon, Pulaski County, its shipping point. Shipments from this small hamlet consisted mainly of farm produce. Other than the post office, there were three churches in the vicinity and possibly a school. The post office was likely in the private residence of M.E. Lawson who was the postmaster as well as a local farmer. The post office was established in 1880 and mail was delivered three times weekly. The office was discontinued in 1883. The three different churches close to the community were the Baptist, Christian and Methodist. Possibly two of the three churches were Smyrna Methodist (today church of Christ) and the Big Richwoods Baptist Church, a one room log church located on land today owned by Mason and Wilma Lawson Link.

In the late 1800s, the small farming community known as Alberta became Blyze. I have no idea why the change occurred for this was certainly a different kind of name. The settlement was called Blyze on a 1904 county map. Many times theses small settlements were named for families who resided in the area.

The Blyze post office was in existence from 1900-1904. The White School, District #56, was located a few miles northwest of the Alberta/Blyze borough. I'm quite sure the children of the community frequented this country school in the early 20th century. The teacher at White School in 1930/31 was Mrs. Paul Healey who resided in Sundheimer and the clerk, who also resided in Sundheimer, was George Grosvenor. Today, nothing remains of the small community once called Alberta and later known as Blyze.

Ancestral Names of the Region: Blomberg, Brandon, Buechter, Crismon, Dake, Dubbert, Duncan, Healey, Hickey, Lawson, McKee, Robertson, Rowden, Schaffer, Shelton, Wilson

NOTE: This settlement may also have been known as Caenby. If anyone has additional information, we would like to hear from you.