Celeste Pingenot, the first settler in this area, came in 1870 and built the first house on the south bank of Turkey Creek in 1871. He established a stagecoach stand, store, and inn and named the place Wallace, and he became the first postmaster when commissioned in 1878. The community was protected from Indians by a small detachment of soldiers billeted nearby at "The Spring." August Cline was employed by Pingenot to operate the store and stagecoach stand. When the railroad came in 1883, Cline built a rock house and post office on the north bank, became postmaster, and the community was renamed Cline.