Highmore

Highmore, so named as 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 ⅝th of Hyde and added it to Hand but forgot to give Hyde the west ⅜th 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 organized and set up a 2nd county organization. Both groups met and functioned but the question was as to who could issue a legal tax receipt. This went on until September 1, 1884 when, as a compromise, Falde resigned and that Board "wound up its earthly career by final adjournment and dissolution." The next day Van Camp and Whitcher met, re-organized and started a 100 per cent legal county with new officers. Hyde County's highest population was in 1925 when it had an even 4000, Highmore's in 1950 with 1158. Outstanding citizens were Congressman Royal C. Johnson (1882-1939) and Lt. Gov. Howard C. Shober (1859-1957). In 1951 a fine auditorium seating 1200 was completed.