History :

In the fall of 1882 a railroad line was completed from Fort Dodge to Mallard. The depot was the first building on the land plotted as the town of Mallard, although George Inman had a small house on his property, but the exact location is not known and Joe Milread had a small shack in the neighborhood. Ed Kress lived five miles east and worked on laying the tracks to Mallard. He received $1 per day for his labor and use of his team of oxen. John Graff also worked for the railroad. The station was named "Mallard" by Charles E. Whitehead, president of the railroad, because of the great many "Mallard Ducks" in the area.

As soon as the railroad was completed to town, business places and homes were established. In the winter of 1882-1883 Wm. Hackenberg built the first general store and was the first postmaster. In 1883 Wm. Stafford also built a store, C.H. Sands opened a lumber yard, grain and coal business, Orrie (O.B.) Kendall built a hotel, and Chas. Zeigler built the first hardware store. Many other businesses soon followed on either side of Main Street (Inman Avenue) and along the railroad side-tracks. The sidewalks and crosswalks were constructed of heavy planks, but as they wore out they were replaced with brick or concrete materials. Some church services and public meetings were held in the depot and country schools until in 1888 and 1889 a Catholic Church was built, the next year a Lutheran Church was built, followed by a Reorganized Latter Day Saints church in 1899 [the orginal building still stands in good condition though no services are held]. The Methodist Church was built in 1900. In 1893 the Mallard Butter & Cheese Ass'n (The Mallard Creamery) was organized.