Bayard - 1881
Excerpts from History of Guthrie & Adair Counties, 1884
A plat of the town of Bayard was filed by the Milwaukee Land Company in February, 1882. The town had previously been laid out for the railroad that would soon be coming to the area. In January of that same year, however, M.M. Allen had laid out part of the town, which he called Allenville. This was later accepted as an addition to the original plat. Bayard was incorporated as a city in May, 1883, and Michael McDonald was elected as the first mayor.
Bayard “firsts”
• The first building erected was the residence of Hon. Michael McDonald, upon lots 11 and 12, in block 12, of the original plat in October 1881. Mr. McDonald was also the first settler in Bayard proper.
• In the fall of 1881, the second family to move to Bayard was that of George W. Mount and his wife, Melinda Kunkle Mount. Melinda was the first white child to be born in Guthrie county to Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Kunkle.
• The first to erect a building for a business was J. H. Jackson, who came to the area before the town was laid out. His building was 20x50, two stories high, and carried a large stock of groceries.
• J. H. Jackson was also the first postmaster of Bayard. The post office was kept in his store.
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