Our History

1865
- Hamilton was the first town in the area.
- Established as a rural community center.

1868
- Hamilton established a Post Office.

1874
- Hamilton was described as a typical western town, one store, a blacksmith shop, and a school house.

1883
- Northern Pacific RR 1 mile north if Hamilton
- The settlement that followed the RR was named Moreland after the man who endorsed the Moreland Irrigation Canal.
- John Potter's General store moved from the old town of Hamilton to Moreland in the winter of 1883-84
- They moved the structure with teams of bulls.

1884
- L& F Supermarket started.

1890
- Renamed Manhattan
- Population 150.
- First Public School.

1892
- Manhattan Malting Co. until prohibition act of 1916
- Capacity of 475,000 bushels
- Largest facility from St. Paul to Seattle

1904
- Blacksmith shops booming.
- Strong ranching & agricultural economy attracted blacksmith from surrounding areas.

1910
- Madison River Power Company brought electricity to the Town.

1911
- Town of Manhattan was incorporated.

1912
- Work commenced on the installation of a town water system.
- Manhattan officials enjoying their first term in office.

1916
- Sewer system installed.
- Extensive improvements to the school began operations.
- Manhattan State Bank (1905) burned down and was reconstructed on the corner of Main St and S. Broadway. The structure currently houses the Senior Citizens Center and the Community Center.

1925
- June 27, 1925 Manhattan was hit with a series of earthquakes causing damage to over half of the Town's structures.

1961
- Manhattan Medical Center was completed as a community project. The structure currently houses the Town Hall.

2014
- Major overland flooding greatly impacted the east end of Main Street and several other streets on the south side of Town.