Sylvan Grove, an incorporated city of the third class in Lincoln county, is located on the Saline river and the Union Pacific R. R. 12 miles west of Lincoln, the county seat. It has a bank, 2 grain elevators, a weekly newspaper (the News), a hotel, a number of retail establishments, telegraph and express offices, an international money order postoffice with two rural routes, and the professions are well represented. The population in 1910 was 464. The town was platted in 1877 upon land belonging to William Bender and H. S. Merriam. The first store was erected by E. B. Cross and W. F. Morgan. Previous to that time a mill had been built in 1875 by Merriam & Masterson. A postoffice called Sylvan Grove had been established 2 miles south of town at the home of C. M. Heaton, the postmaster. The next year after the town was founded a stone store was built by H. S. Merriam, which still remains as an old landmark. The first settlers in the vicinity were Louis Farley and his son, Hutchinson, who were in the Beecher's Island battle, in which Louis Farley lost his life.