When it was discovered that the railroad was badly constructed and unreliable, Jamestown fell into economic distress and the land on which it sat was sold.

Yet again, the properties were lost, first mortgaged to Jacob Bunn, then given as a claim settlement to Parley L. Howlett, another distiller.

Jamestown was soon renamed Howlett, Shields had fallen from popularity, and a new flour mill and coal mine caused a short-lived boom.

After a state requirement was passed preventing communities from being named after people, Howlett was rechristened as Riverton in the 1870s.

In 1876, train robber Jesse James spent a night in Riverton while en route to a bank heist in Minnesota.

Riverton historically had a higher immigrant population than other small towns in the Springfield area due to the coal mining industry.