Sherman County Communities
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Ashton: Ashton received its name from John P. Taylor, a settler in the area. He named it after his old home, Ashton, Illinois.
Austin: A post office was established here in 1877 and discontinued in 1919. The town was named after pioneer settler Austin Butts and was located in Clay precinct.
Balsora: The post office at this location was only in service for 9 years. It was established in September of 1879 and discontinued in April of 1888.
Bentora: The post office was established here on October 2, 1882. It is assumed that the name came from the Bent family, as the first postmistriss was Mary Bent. The name was later changed to Hazard.
Bluffton: As with the town of Balsora, this post office was only in existence for a 9 year period. It was established in 1879 and discontinued in 1888.
Bunnell: This was the name originally chosen for the town of Hazard. It was found that this name was preempted and another name had to be selected.
Cedarville: This post office was established 14 January 1884 and was later changed to Litchfield. It is probable that the town was named after the many cedar trees in the area.
Cleoria: This post office office was established on the same day as the Cedarville post office. It was a very short lived office, being discontinued only eleven months later on November, 3. The name was chosen in honor of resident, Cleoria Woods.
Denniston: Dewitt C. Denniston was the first postmaster of the this office and was most likely the source of the name. It opened in February of 1885 and lasted only five months, closing in July.
Divide: This town was named after the summit of a railroad grade. Twenty years of service were provided by the post office here, from 1886 to 1906.
Elting: Named after Elting Johnson, the first postmaster. Established on 01 June 1883 and was discontinued after four years, on 09 February 1887.
Fern: Post office was established her on 03 August 1882 and provided service until 17 February 1887, when it was discontinued.
Fitzalon: On 04 January 1880 the Fitzalon post office was established. The origin of the name is unknown and was changed to Furay in 1882.
Furay: Previously named Fitzalon, the post office was renamed in April of 1882. The name was chosen in honor of postal inspecter, Major Furay.
Hayestown: President Rutherford B. Hayes was in office when this town was established and it was named in his honor. The post office began its service on 19 January 1877 and discontinued service on 25 January 1899 after twenty-two years.
Hazard: Originally this town was named Bentora and the name Bunnell was considered for a time. The residents had a rough time selecting a name and one local stated that they "would hazard some name." Another replied that a "hazard" it would be, and so Hazard was chosen. Hazard is also the name of the precinct in which it lies.
Jericho: A post office was in service here for five years, from 1883 to 1888. It would seem most likely that the name was chosen after the Old Testament city of Jericho.
Litchfield: This town was located in Harrison precinct and was probably named for Litchfield, Connecticut. The town was originally established in 1884 and was named Cedarville. In 1886 it was changed to its current name.
Lonelm: Located in the eastern part of the county, this town received its name from a lone elm tree that had survived a prairie fire. It was in service for only two years, from 1882 to 1884.
Loup City: Loup City was established on 26 August 1873 and was named county seat in that same year. The town lies a valley that was once occupied by the Skidi tribe of the Pawnee. This is how the valley and town received their names, for "Loup" is a french translation of the word "Skidi". Skidi is the Pawnee word for wolf. The precinct in which this town lies is also named Loup City.
McAlpine: This was a former Burlington Railroad station and may be named for railroad official, Thomas Alpine.
Noah: This post office was established in 1881 and was named after the first postmaster, Noah D. Vanscoy.
Paradise: This post office was in service for a five month period, from September, 1883 to February, 1884.
Paris: This location started out as Fitzalon in 1880, and in 1882 was changed to Furay. After only one month, the name was again changed, this time to Paris. No one knows for sure how the office got the name Paris, but there at least two stories. One states that the name came from Paris, Wisconsin, home town of the postmasters wife. The other story says that the town was named after Miss Lydia French who was called Miss Paris.
Poplin: Area with a store, located five miles northwest of Ashton.
Rockville: Rock Creek was the inpiration for the town name. It runs along the west side of town and was given its name because of the many lime rocks in its bed. The precinct in which the town is located is also named Rockville.
Schaupps: The townsite was located on land owned by the Schaupp brothers. They owned a great deal of land in the Loup City precinct, where Schaupps was located.
Souleville: Originally this town was named Noah and was changed to Souleville in 1882. Six years later the post office was discontinued. Named in honor of the Soule family.
Verdurette: This was a stage stop and the post office was established on 9 January 1880. Rev. Joshua M. Snyder was the first postmaster here and provided the town with its name. The area abounded with vegetation and thus was his inspiration for the name. This post office served the area for seventeen years.
Walhelms: Former location named either for a local settler or a place in Germany.
Wilhelmshohe: Post office established September 4, 1879. Name was changed to Zeven in November of 1882.
Zeven: Originally named Wilhelmshohe and later changed to Ashton. The name came from a town in Hanover Province in Germany.
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