The Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railway Company built through to Ayrshire in October, 1882. P.O'Grady was the foreman of the construction gang from Tara to Ruthven and January 1, 1883, dropped off at Ayrshire as station agent, and held that position for 18 years. Patrick Claer had bought a relinquishment of some land in Silver Lake township in 1873 and moved there with his two boys, Tom and P.J., and one daughter, and lived there until 1882, when he sold 80 acres to the railroad company for a town site.
The depot was built in November, 1882.
P.H. Owens built the first store that fall and Schoonmaker & Hall built a general store at about the same time. The next summer Geo. Pendelburg opened a hardware store and then built the first residence on the town lots. Ed Brown started a lumber yard and Joel Campbell opened up a coal business. H. Emrich also went into the hay business and sold coal and other supplies. As Mr. O'Grady, the station agent, also bought coal and grain on the side, there was plenty of competition along this line.
History of Palo Alto County – Dwight G. McCarty ©1910. Provided Courtesy of The Reporter.