Ava, Missouri
Ava is a city of 3,045 people in Douglas County, Missouri, founded in 1871.
Why visit Ava
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 8 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Ava Ranger Station Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Ava
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ava
Ava is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Missouri, United States, that is the only incorporated city in the county. The population was 2,894 at the 2020 census. The city was founded in 1871. It was renamed Ava in 1881, the town's original name having been Militia Springs.
From the Wikipedia article Ava, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Ava Ranger Station Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes8
Where to stay1
History
The area was settled during the 1830s and Douglas County was incorporated in 1857, with Vera Cruz as county seat. In 1864, the town of Militia Springs was founded and became the new county seat in 1870. The town was platted in 1871 and renamed Ava in 1881, although not incorporated until 1908. Militia Springs was the location of an encampment of Union soldiers or Missouri Militia during the American Civil War.
During and after the Civil War, a dispute was ongoing regarding the county seat between Vera Cruz to the east and Arno to the west. In 1871, the citizens of Militia Springs built a court house building and moved the records there as a compromise. However, the building was burned and then rebuilt of hand hewn timbers rather than logs and re-opened in January 1873. The court house was burned again in 1886 and replaced in 1888. The current court house on the southeast corner of the town square was constructed in 1937.
In 1910 the Kansas City, Ozark and Southern Railroad was extended from Mansfield south to Ava to serve the growing agricultural and lumbering industries of Douglas County. The railroad remained in operation until 1935.
A city park, Militia Springs Park, was established in 2004 along Prairie Creek on North Spring Street. The location is the approximate site of the Civil War era military encampment. It has a play area and pavilion.
From the History section of Ava, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Map of Ava
27 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 20°F | 3.1 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 22°F | 2.8 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 32°F | 4.3 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 41°F | 5.2 in |
| May | 76°F | 52°F | 5.6 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 60°F | 4.5 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 65°F | 4.3 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 63°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 54°F | 4.1 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 42°F | 3.7 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 31°F | 4.0 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 24°F | 3.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ava 6Nw (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Douglas County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-07-22: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-01-01: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-07-09: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (PLK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 39 miles away.
- Ozark 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Nixa 35 mi west, about 57 min by car
- Springfield 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Branson 42 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Republic 44 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Mountain Home 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- West Plains 47 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Gassville 47 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Flippin 47 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Lebanon 49 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ava High School 2, Vsmith, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Militia Springs 02, Vsmith, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mark Twain Forest tractor3, Vsmith, CC BY-SA 3.0
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