The Town of Archie was founded in 1880, being platted in July of that year, the town owes its existence to the railroad that was being constructed through the middle of Cass County. The Archie Town Company and R.T. Railey, the agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, sold lots through their trustee, William H. Barrett. The railroad superintendent, H.C. Talmage, named the depot and town for his youngest son, Archie Talmage. The railroad reached the new town in August 1880, and the town boomed with new construction and new businesses. H. T. Carr had the first store open and was the postmaster. In August there was a grocery store, drug store, lumber yard and 2 saloons. The lumber yard sold a large quantity of lumber for, by September, a restaurant, livery stable, drug store, harness shop, grain elevator blacksmith shop 2 dry goods stores and 2 grocery stores. Two towns, Austin and Everett, had previously served the farming community of the south central Cass County. A few of the merchants and townsmen of these two towns moved to Archie, but Austin maintained a viable economy for a number of years. The population of the town grew amid a boom in the mid 1880s but by the 1890 census had fallen to 278 and remained in that range for decades. The population in the1960 census shows moderate growth to 348. Steady growth since that time has led to the population of 799. The early Postmasters combined their government jobs with ownership of a store where the post office was located. The post office moved about depending on which merchant was awarded the political plum. The churches of Archie have played an important role in the history of the community. Four Churches have a long histories in the town. Archie began as a trade point, connecting by means of the railroad, the outside world with the local farmers in south Cass County. The town did not grow substantially beyond this initial purpose. In the early 1800s two businesses existed in town that gave some hope for more substantial growth: a steam powered flour mill and a coal mine. The town did see economic and demographic growth in the mid 1880s, but the two businesses ceased to exist later in the decade and the boom died. There have been very few manufacturing businesses in Archie that could have led to more complex and viable economy. As transportation technology allowed easier travel, the number and profitability of local businesses declined, and the town became a bedroom community. As the business community declined in importance, the school had become the focus of the community. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie%2C_Missouri