In the fall and winter of 1898-99 when the Chicago & Northwestern railroad was making their preliminary survey from Boyer to Mondamin they made their headquarters for this section at what is now known as "Old Kiron" where there was a group of business places, residences and the Mission church. The intention was to make the station there and the railroad yards were laid out north and east of the four corners where site for the station was decided on.

However, the railroad officers and the property owners could not agree on the price of the land for the townsite, so they went a mile west and purchased the east 100 acres of the north-east quarter of section 12, Otter Creek township, from Nels Peter Swanson for $8500.00 and established the location here.

The townsite was platted during the summer of 1899 under the name of the Western Town Lot Co. And on August 24, 1899, a public sale of the lots was held by Peter Whitney of Omaha.

All who were in business in the old town at that time were privileged to select their lots at the established prices. The terms of sale was discount of 10% for cash or one fourth cash and the balance in three yearly installments of one fourth each.

The lots did not sell so readily at the sale as only $1939.00 was realized.

Those buying lots at the sale were Peter August Peterson, John Arthur and Edward E. Lawrence, H. G. Kratz for the Bank, Dr. Francis A. Burrows, Francis and George Albert Norelius, Swan N. Sandstrom, Peter Buller, Norelius and Nordell, C. A. Burnquist, C. J. Chinberg, William J. Sandberg and Victor E. Michaelson.

The writer, George Albert Norelius, was appointed local agent and subsequently sold the balance of the lots. The last sale was the 4 lots east of the Kiron Auto Co. to Leslie Arnold Larson on March 20, 1930, making the aggregate sales $23793.75.
 

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