Mower, California facts for kids
Mower was once a small community, or "settlement," located in Humboldt County, California. This area is in the northern part of California, about 28 miles (45 kilometers) northeast of a town called Arcata. Today, Mower is no longer an active community.
What Was Mower?
Mower was a small place that existed for a short time in the late 1800s. It was known for having a post office, which is where people sent and received mail. Many small settlements like Mower grew up around important services like post offices or general stores.
The Mower Post Office
The post office in Mower was open for a few years, from 1884 to 1888. This means it operated for only four years. Post offices were very important back then because they were the main way for people to communicate over long distances. They also helped connect remote communities to the rest of the world.
Who Was Lloyd W. Mower?
The settlement of Mower was named after a person named Lloyd W. Mower. He was the very first postmaster for the Mower post office. A postmaster is the person in charge of a post office. Naming a place after its first postmaster was a common way to honor important people in new communities.
Why Did Mower Disappear?
Many small settlements like Mower did not last very long. They might have been created for a specific reason, like a logging camp or a mining site. Once the main reason for their existence was gone, people would move away, and the settlement would become a "former settlement." Mower's post office only lasted a few years, which suggests the community itself was very small or temporary.
