Powell, Cass County, Missouri facts for kids

Powell was once a small town located in Cass County, Missouri, in the United States. Today, it is known as an extinct town or a ghost town. This means it no longer exists as a populated community.

The Story of Powell, Missouri

The town of Powell was named after a person named J. M. Powell. He was the original owner of the land where the town was built. It was very common for early American towns to be named after the people who founded them or owned the land.

A post office was opened in Powell in 1892. It was called "Powell Siding." Having a post office was important for a small community. It helped people send and receive mail. This connected them to the outside world. However, the post office only stayed open for eight years. It closed down in 1900.

Why Did Powell Disappear?

Many small towns in the past became ghost towns. This often happened for several reasons. Sometimes, a town might have been built around a specific industry. If that industry failed, the town might disappear. Other times, new roads or railroads might bypass a town. This would cause people and businesses to move away.

For Powell, the closure of its post office in 1900 suggests that the community was not growing. It might have been shrinking instead. Without a strong reason for people to stay, small settlements can fade away. The land might then return to farms or open spaces.