Napoleon

Mississippi's ghost towns are river ports and cotton towns, plus lumber camps that clear-cut the pine hills.

Napoleon was a river port and the county seat of Desha County, Arkansas, from 1838 to 1874. It was located at the confluence of the Arkansas and the Mississippi rivers. Napoleon was badly damaged during the Civil War and then finally abandoned after most of it had washed into the Mississippi River.

The on-the-ground condition of Napoleon is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Napoleon is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Napoleon is roughly 33.7956, -91.1072 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.