Back in 1880, Lincoln County was known only as "a howling desert". However, the Harrington, Furth, & Robinson firm saw that the soil, glacial loess and volcanic ash, was fertile and could be used for farming. So in 1882 they bought the land that would later make up the town of Harrington. It was in the same year that the Northern Pacific Railway Company looked into stretching their rail lines through the area. In honor of W.P. Harrington, this land was given the name "Harrington". One year later people first inhabited the town.