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. The first store was opened by Edward Willis and Charles Billings. The next year, the post office was opened by Edward Willis who assumed the role of the first post master. Soon after in 1884, the black smith shop and the Pickell Hotel were established and two years later, the first saloon opened. In 1892, the farming community had its first grain bins that came along with the Great Northern Railway Company tracks running down the middle of town. Within the next two years, the town grew as the railroad continued construction on its railways. Then the Hotel Harrington opened. The main street was established and made the city come more alive, and there was a two- room school house built, along with a drug store, stables, meat market, barber shop, two hotels, four general merchandise stores, drug store, bank, and furniture stores. By the year of 1890, the town was booming!
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