unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
Athol was originally named Myrtle City for Myrtle Taylor, the child of a first settler. The community was renamed in 1881 when the
Chicago and North Western Railroad
The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...
came through the area. The town was named for
Athol, Massachusetts
Athol is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,945 at the 2020 census.
History
Originally called Pequoiag when settled by Native Americans, the area was subsequently settled by five families in Sept ...
, which was named for James Murray, second
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, named for Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of ...
, Scotland. Athol received a US Post Office on September 28, 1881. R. G. Bestor published the ''Athol Star'' newspaper for a time beginning in the 1880s.
On February 23, 1903, one man was killed and thirteen people injured in a Chicago and North Western Railroad accident near town.