Zalma, Missouri
Zalma is a small, unincorporated community and census-designated place in southern Bollinger County, Missouri, located along the Castor River and Missouri Route 51. It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson metropolitan area. The population was 73 at the 2020 census.
Zalma grew from early mills and river work. The town was once called Bollinger’s Mill, named for a local water mill. It got the name Zalma from a railroad worker named Zalma Block after the railroad arrived. Some say Zalma means “the end” in a Native American language. The town covers about 0.21 square miles, mostly land.
Historically, a log-and-brush dam and a water mill operated on the Castor River in the 1800s. The railroad reached Zalma in the late 1800s but was abandoned in the 1930s. The timber industry later brought jobs, with factories to cut veneer and box laths and other timber-related work. The Brown Cooperage Company and Bell Messler Company were among the early employers near Zalma.
The Zalma R-V School District serves southern Bollinger County and has about 250 students in grades K–12. The school’s mascot is the Bulldog, and the colors are green and gold. The district offers activities such as FCCLA, Student Council, Beta Club, FBLA, and a concert choir. The varsity teams have a history of success, including a state basketball championship in 1939–40 and a state volleyball title in 1990–91.
Today Zalma sits along Route 51, with the Castor River nearby. Marble Hill is about 11 miles to the northeast, Gipsy about 5.5 miles to the west, and Arab about 3 miles to the south. The nearest four-lane highway is I-55, roughly 40 miles east, and the closest airport is Twin City Airpark in Marble Hill. There are two churches in town: Zalma Missionary Baptist Church and Zalma General Baptist Church.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:50 (CET).