Piedmont Celebrates its 125th Anniversary
This is a great write-up by the Meade County Tribune about our 125th Anniversary 4th of July Celebration. Great photos too!
Some Piedmont History
The City of Piedmont was founded in 1890 and remained unincorporated for nearly 117 years. It officially became a city on August 16, 2007, and elected its first town board in November 2007.
On April 11, 1890, Herbert S. Hall deeded to T.J. Grier, director of the Homestake Mining Company, all of that land in the west half of section ten, except "that five acres, more or less, where the ranch buildings are located". This was the home of C.V. "Cap" Gardner and his large family. Evidently, the town had been surveyed and staked out prior to the above transaction. The platted townsite was completed and signed on April 10, 1890. Richard B. Blackstone, superintendent of the B.H.& Ft. P. railroad, was the surveyor, and Thomas J. Grier, trustee, signed the document. Because of the French influence in the area, the name "Piedmont," meaning "at the foot of the mountain," was chosen for the new town. Nine 300x300 foot blocks were laid out parallel to the Elkhorn tracks. The streets were platted with an 80 foot right-of-way, with alleys 20 feet wide. A strip of land 275 feet wide, between First Street and the Elkhorn right-of-way, was "reserved exclusively for railroad use." About a month later, Blackstone surveyed and added seven more blocks to the town -- four on the west and three on the north. This made a total of sixteen blocks.
(**Honerkamp, John. At the Foot of the Mountain- page 79)
So although Piedmont was not officially incorporated until 2007, we have been here a long time.