Courtland, is the only town on the extreme west side of Republic county. She came into her cityhood July 18, 1892, in time to meet the money panic of 1893. In the year 1887 the Rock Island Railway located a station in the center of Courtland township. In making the survey the engineers ate dinner at the Albert Haskett home at whcih Mr. Haskett suggested the new town be called Courtland after the township it was in. The first business man was Postmaster J. H. Johnson, who operated a post office and grocery store combination. His business was lcoated where the Marty blacksmith shop now stands. The first bank called the "Swedish-American State," was established at its present site and has never been moved. The first banker was Carl Everest who was also named the first mayor of the city. Other business places were a hardware store, hotel, general mercantile shop, furniture store, millinery shop, and a furniture and barber shop combination. Lars Larsen, for many years a prominent citizen and mayor, was the town's first barber. Dr. W. W. Stewart was the first physician. The first undertaker and at that time the only licensed undertaker in this part of the country was Albert Haskett. The first Sunday school and church organization held meetings in the waiting room of the Rock Island depot with F. M. Boyd as superintendent. They had no regular pastor. The first drugstore was operated by Charles Elliott who later conducted a hotel. The Christian church was the first to be established in Courtland but the Methodist church was built the following year. Thus, you have the history of Courtland as she started with her 60 petitioners who helped to give the town a good beginning for the thriving community it is today. (taken from the Courtland Journal, Oct. 2 1947)