A few of the earliest settlers came in over the Union Pacific as far as Sidney and then traveled overland following the Sidney trail, and took up homesteads in the southwestern part of the county. On the completion of the Northwestern railroad to Chadron in 1885, the railroad company advertised the rich lands tributary to it throughout the east, and there was a great inrush of settlers, most of whom came over the railroad to Hay Springs, which was the nearest railroad point.

The first filing made in Box Butte countv was in 1881 by A. H. McLaughlin, who filed

on a preemption and tree claim on tin: Niobrara river about four miles west of Marsland. Mr. McLaughlin has the distinction of being the oldest living settler of this county. During the time of his residence on this place, which he still owns, he was a resident of Sioux county, unorganized, which comprised the north half of the Panhandle of Nebraska, and Mr. McLaughlin transacted his official business at Sidney, the county seat of Cheyenne county, to which Sioux county was attached for administrative and judicial purposes. The line between Sioux and Cheyenne counties running

Oscar O'Bannon and S. Avery, (right) was one of the Old Time Trappers in Northwestern Nebraska

east and west is the south line of the present Box Butte county. Later, Sioux county was divided into three equal portions -- the western part named Sioux, the central part Dawes, and the eastern third Sheridan county. Sheridan and Sioux still retain their original boundaries. Mr. McLaughlin, without changing his residence, then became a citizen of Dawes county and served as one of its county commissioners. Chadron was the county seat. Upon the division of Dawes county into Dawes and Box Butte county, he then became a resident of Box Butte county, without changing his residence.