Take in river views in the hilltop town of Napoleon, Mo.
Looking north across the Missouri River from St. Paul Church and Cemetery in Napoleon, Mo.
This quiet community provides blufftop vistas of the Missouri River Valley.
Napoleon, Mo., is a blufftop river town along the Missouri that begin in the 1830s. It was likely named for that famous French guy who kept stirring up trouble across Europe a few years before this town began. Although the sign says there are 222 people in Napoleon, that seems optimistic. There are a few original old town buildings left. The main draw is the hilltop cemetery at St. Paul Church. The church, it’s cemetery and a viewing deck offer scenic view of the river valley about 150 feet below. Bluffs to the north are visible in the distant horizon. If you take Route 224 to the bottom of the hill, there’s a small Corps of Engineers park with benches and access to the Missouri River shoreline. There is no place to eat or gas up in Napoleon, although there is a bank and post office. If you like quiet, scenic vistas and the Missouri River, Napoleon is for you.
