Garrett, Missouri facts for kids

Garrett was once a small town in eastern Callaway County, Missouri, in the United States. Today, it is known as an extinct town, meaning it no longer exists as a populated place. The area where Garrett used to be, along with the Garrett Cemetery, can be found on Missouri Route K. It's about half a mile west of the border between Callaway and Montgomery counties.

Nearby communities include Readsville, which is about 3.5 miles to the west, and Americus, about 4.5 miles to the east, both along Route K.

What Was Garrett?

Garrett was a small community that had a short life. It was named after the Garrett family, who owned a local mill. A mill is a building where grain is ground into flour, often powered by water.

When Did Garrett Exist?

The town of Garrett had a post office that opened in 1898. A post office is where people send and receive mail. This post office stayed open for only a few years before it closed in 1905. After the post office closed, the community slowly faded away.

Why Do Towns Become Extinct?

Towns can become extinct for many reasons. Sometimes, the main industry that supported the town, like a mill or a mine, closes down. People then move away to find work elsewhere. Changes in transportation, like new roads or railroads bypassing a town, can also cause it to shrink and disappear.

For Garrett, the closing of its post office suggests that fewer people were living there, or that their needs were met by nearby towns.