The Dutch settlement of Oostburg, founded in the 1840s and named for a town in the Netherlands, was once located two miles to the southeast. In 1873, to attract the railroad to this location, local businessman Peter Daane constructed and donated a depot to the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad Company. Oostburg moved here and in just three years became a thriving railroad town with a mill, grain elevator, lumber yard, post office, church, hotel, telegraph office and various shops including two general stores.