Paw Paw is a community in south central Sullivan County, in the U.S. state of Missouri, which the GNIS classifies as a populated place.[1]
The community is located approximately one third mile north of Paw Paw Creek, approximately 7.5 miles (12.1 km) south-southeast of Milan and six miles (9.7 km) northeast of Browning.[2]
The name was sometimes spelled "Pawpaw".[1] A post office called Pawpaw was established in 1899 and remained in operation until 1905.[3] The community most likely was so named because of the paw paw thickets near the original town site.[4]