Plum Valley, Missouri facts for kids

Plum Valley was once a small community located in the west-central part of Texas County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. Today, it is considered an extinct town or a ghost town. This means that most or all of its residents have left, and the buildings are often abandoned or gone.

What Was Plum Valley?

Plum Valley was a real place where people lived and worked many years ago. The U.S. government's GNIS still lists it as a "populated place," even though it's no longer active. The community got its name from a group of wild plum trees that grew near where the town first started. Imagine a valley filled with these beautiful trees!

Where Was Plum Valley Located?

This former town was situated close to the East Fork of Roubidoux Creek. You can find its approximate location about one mile west of Missouri Route 17. It was also about 3.5 miles west of another town called Bucyrus. These details help us picture exactly where Plum Valley once stood on the map of Missouri.

The Plum Valley Post Office

A very important part of any community in the past was its post office. The Plum Valley post office first opened its doors in 1858. This was a central spot where people could send and receive letters, which was how they communicated with the outside world. The post office served the community for many years, but it eventually closed down in 1910. The closing of a post office often signals that a town is shrinking or that people are moving away.

Why Did Plum Valley Become a Ghost Town?

Many small towns like Plum Valley became ghost towns for different reasons. Often, changes in transportation, like the building of new roads or railroads that bypassed the town, could lead to its decline. Economic changes, such as the closing of local businesses or farms, also played a big role. As people moved to larger cities for work or better opportunities, smaller communities like Plum Valley slowly faded away.