Snagtown ~ New Corner

The Barlett, Bryant, Vannata, and Veach families were the first settlers from 1837 to 1839, and from 1840 to 1850 the McCreery, Woodring, Maynard, Rowlett, and Thompson families became property owners. Snagtown ~ New Corner was platted by David L. Jones on February 27, 1855, and Gaston was also platted as a townsite by David L. Jones on February 27, 1855. With 35 residents, Snagtown was a trading center with a sawmill, general store, two churches, school, post office, and doctor. Rich ground that had once been swamp drew nearby settlement, and as the small town grew, roads were built for easier travel by cutting trees off knee-high, using the logs to make corduroy roads, and routing the roads around the remaining stumps. Written histories agree that Nathan McCreery, Sr., named Snagtown after snagging his jeans on a stump while on his way to the general store and remarking that the place was nothing but a "Snagtown." As the community grew and prospered, modern roads were eventually built, and the name was changed to New Corner when a new corner of business buildings was built. On November 11, 1892, the U.S. Post Office changed the name of the New Corner Post Office to Gaston, on December 9, 1892, residents petitioned the Delaware County Commissioners to change the town's name to Gaston, and on October 25, 1904, an election was held for the incorporation of Gaston during the gas boom.

Gaston, Indiana · United States