River Junction

Iowa's ghost towns are coal camps and railroad towns in a state that farmed too well to need many of them.

River Junction is an unincorporated community in Houston County in the U.S. state of Minnesota, located immediately north of the city of La Crescent on the west bank of the Mississippi River. River Junction takes its name from a railroad station of the Milwaukee Road (now Canadian Pacific) railroad. That station was located at the junction of two railway lines; the main line from Chicago and Milwaukee to La Crosse and thence across the Mississippi River to River Junction and north along the west bank of the river to St.

River Junction was a railroad name through and through — the kind of place that existed because the timetable said so.

The on-the-ground condition of River Junction 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 River Junction 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 River Junction is roughly 43.8461, -91.2972 — 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.