From "Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881 - 1981 p. 12 GRAND RIVER HISTORY Grand River is located about a half mile from the west bank of Grand River, in section 33, in Richland Township, on the Burlington Railroad which was formerly known as the Humeston & Shenandoah Railroad. It is in the heart of a fine agricultural district, inhabited by the most substantial and progresive farmers of Southern Iowa. The soil in this district is very rich. Also, as a trading point, Grand River is of considerable importance. This town was laid out in 1881 by E. C. Perkins for a corporation then known as the Town Lot Company, a company organized for the purpose of laying out towns along the route of the Humeston & Shenandoah Railroad. The first business house was constructed by the firm of Bosworth & Milligan and was known at the Blue Front. It was used continuously as a general sotre until the building was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1905. G.W.Bradshaw started the first store, according to account, and later entered partnership with Mr. Lamb. S. C. Jennings started a general store in 1886. A school building was constructed in the town in 1876 and a union church building in 1881. Other businesses were: Brothers and Fear - general merchandise; Samuel Landis - barber shop; Grand River Lumber Co. - lumber yard; Bay Brothers - grocery store and livery stable; Wm. B. Howard - agricultural implements; A. C. Turner - wagon and blacksmith shop; C. Smith harness shop and coal; Dr. Bone and Cole - drug store; C. W. Stanley - general merchandise; Taylor and Overholtzer - meat market; Kirkendall and Day - wagon and blacksmith shop; Treanor Sisters - millinery shop; Noah Farnstaff - clothing store; Patrick Griffin - postmaster; J. D. Harrow - Valley House Hotel; and Charles Chapman - Chapman Hotel. Some of the first residents of the town were Schuyler Jennings, C. H. Chapman, A. R. Taylor, John Burham, Dr. H. C. Bone, Dr. Landes, W. J. Beck, H. C. Jennings. Several of the above assisted in selecting a name for the new town in its early days. At a public meeting held in 1881, Beulah, Westerville and other names were proposed and rejected in turn. A motion made by C. H. Chapman, later proprietor of the Chapman House, to call the town Grand River prevailed and so the town was named. To Be Continued