Mossmain, Montana facts for kids

Mossmain was once a planned city in Montana, USA. It's now known as a ghost town. This means it's a place where people used to live, but now almost no one does. Mossmain is located in Yellowstone County, near the city of Billings. It sits at an elevation of about 3,274 feet (998 meters).

The Story of Mossmain

A Dream City is Born

The original town site of Mossmain was planned near East Laurel Main Street. It was named after Preston Boyd Moss. He was an important person in the Yellowstone County area. Mr. Moss helped build many important things. He also helped the economy grow, especially in Billings.

Planning a City of the Future

Mossmain was meant to be a super modern city. It was designed to have beautiful buildings. The planners also wanted it to be a huge travel center. It would connect many big cities nearby. The idea was to create a "fresh start." They hoped to build a perfect city, better than what was done in Billings.

The town was specially planned for a massive train hub. It would also show off amazing architecture and modern culture. The design was like a target, with all parts connecting to a neat town center. Mossmain was built about 10 miles west of Billings. It was also several miles east of Laurel. The plans for Mossmain were drawn by Walter Burley Griffin. He was a very smart architect and city planner. He also designed the city plan for Canberra, Australia's capital.

Why Mossmain Disappeared

Sadly, Moss's dream for Mossmain faced big problems. The Great Depression hit, followed by World War II. This meant there wasn't enough money or building materials. Also, some of the town's experimental designs became old-fashioned quickly.

The important train link that was supposed to go through Mossmain was built somewhere else. It went through Laurel instead, completely missing Mossmain. All these problems led to the town's end. It never became the "America's First Garden City" it was meant to be. It was just a few dirt roads and scattered homes. The Mossmain post office opened in 1916. It closed its doors for good in 1935.

Today, there's almost nothing left to see of Mossmain. Only the old main street, Mossmain Lane, remains. You might also see some scattered trees. Many of the surrounding roads were changed. This happened when the Interstate Highway System was built. An overpass connecting I-90 to the old Frontage Road also changed the area. This makes the old town site hard to recognize. A few new industrial buildings are now in the area. But all the original town structures are gone. You can easily reach the site from the East Laurel exit on I-90.