06/19/2009

Associated Press

Like other Midwestern towns before it — Pattonsburg and Rhineland in Missouri, Valmeyer in Illinois — much of Silex is about to move to higher ground.

The town of 200 residents in northeast Missouri sits in a low area along the North Fork of the Cuivre River. In September, remnants of Hurricane Ike brought heavy rain that caused the river to pour over its banks. Nearly every home, business and church was damaged.

On Tuesday, the Missouri Department of Economic Development approved a $1.9 million grant that will be used to buy out about one-third of the homes and relocate part of Silex on a hill.

Mayor Janet Baker says the project could be a fresh start for the community.

Pattonsburg, Rhineland and Valmeyer relocated after the 1993 flood.