Cruise Mill, Missouri facts for kids

Cruise Mill is a small, quiet place in the northeast part of Washington County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. It's not a big city or town, but rather what's called an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and buildings that aren't officially part of a city or town government.

Cruise Mill is located right by Old Mines Creek. You can find it just north of Missouri Route 21 and a little east of where Route 21 crosses Route 47. If you travel about a mile east on Route 21, you'll reach the beautiful Washington State Park.

A Look Back: The History of Cruise Mill

This community has a cool history! A long time ago, in 1882, a post office was opened here and was simply called "Cruise." It stayed open for many years, finally closing its doors in 1941.

The name "Cruise Mill" comes from a person named Cruise Higginbotham. He owned a very important business in the area: a local gristmill. A gristmill was a special kind of mill that used large stones to grind grain, like corn or wheat, into flour. This was a super important service for farmers and families in the past, as it helped them turn their crops into food. So, the community was named after this important mill and its owner!