“Highmore”

Highmore, so named as the highest point on Northwestern between Chicago and Missouri River, was called Siding No. 5, until Peter O. Swalen was appointed postmaster 7 June 1882, soon after the first surveyors found him and 31 other squatters holding down claims in the vicinity. Hyde County, created in 1873, was named for James Hyde, a legislator from Vermillion. Eight townships long E and W it was only four high and lay south of Hand County, both in same joint area as of today. The 1879 legislature took the East 5/8th of Hyde and added it to Hand but forgot to give Hyde the West 5/8th of Hand and so until February 1883 it was just half a county high with its present north half in no county.

Governor Ordway appointed John Falde and A.E. Van Camp to organize Hyde County. They did so on October 1, 1883. He also appointed L.E. Whitcher and George W. Dunham for a like purpose and on November 5, 1883 they met and functioned but the question was as to who could issue the legal tax receipt. This went on until September 1, 1884 when, as a compromise, Falde resigned and that Board “wound up its earthy career by final adjournment and dissolution.” The next day Van Camp and Whitcher met, re-organized and started a 100 percent legal county with new officers. Hyde County’s highest population was in 1925 when it had an even 4,000.

Highmore’s in 1950 with 1,158. Outstanding citizens were Congressmen Royal C. Johnson (1882-1939) and Lt. Gov. Howard C. Shober (1859-1957). In 1951 a fine auditorium seating 1,200 was completed.

Hyde County, north edge of Highmore on Hwy 14, 100 yards west of Hwy 47 (2006)