Dayton is an unincorporated community in southeast Cass County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. Garden City is five miles north along Missouri Route F and Creighton lies 6.5 miles east along Missouri Route B. The Settles Ford Conservation Area along the South Grand River lies to the southeast. The community lies atop a ridge between Sugar Creek to the west and Lick Branch to the east.[1] It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
A post office called Dayton was established in 1856, and remained in operation until 1918.[2] The community was named after William L. Dayton, a vice-presidential candidate in the 1856 United States presidential election.[3] Dayton is currently protected by GCFPD Station 2 located in the center of town.
The town was burned to the ground by Union soldiers during the Civil War, on January 1st, 1862.