Near a point midway between the source of the Elkhorn River and its entry into the Platte, Meadow Grove stands in the Elkhorn Valley, long an important passageway for travelers and settlers. In 1739, the Mallet brothers made the first recorded journey through this region, and in 1796 James Mackay, employed by the Spanish, came through part of the valley. These early explorers named the river Corne de Cerf, French for “Elk’s Horn.” The Elkhorn later attracted settlers of varied origins, many from settlements to the east. In 1879, the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad extended its track through this area. A gristmill was one of the first signs of permanent settlement in a region, and in 1883 P.V. Lewis, who had come to Nebraska in 1869, built a mill on nearby Buffalo Creek using millstones imported from France. Farmers brought grain from miles around, and the mill became a place for milling grain and meeting friends. Lewis later platted the town of Meadow Grove.