French Mills, Missouri facts for kids

French Mills is a small, quiet place in the western part of Madison County, Missouri in the U.S. state of Missouri. It's not a city or a town with its own government. Instead, it's called an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and buildings that are part of the larger county, rather than having its own mayor or city council. French Mills is located right next to a small stream called Little Rock Creek, very close to where it joins the bigger St. Francis River.

A Look Back in Time at French Mills

The name "French Mills" has a cool story! Back in 1879, a post office was opened here, which was a big deal for people living in the area. This post office helped people send and receive letters and packages. It stayed open for a few years, until 1886.

The community got its name from a French person who owned a special kind of mill nearby. This was a "watermill," which used the power of flowing water from a creek or river to turn a large wheel. This wheel would then power machinery, often used for grinding grain into flour. These mills were very important long ago because they helped people prepare food and materials for daily life.