A Brief History of Orchard City
Orchard City’s incorporation in 1912 grew out of farmers’ efforts to obtain clean domestic water. Local orchards supplied fruit to Austin, a railroad shipping center, while residents relied on irrigation ditches for drinking water. Financing a pipeline required a larger tax base: Austin joined Orchard City in 1915, and a $50,000 bond helped fund the line completed in 1916. Water service subsequently drew Eckert and Cory into the town. Their annexations needed legal correction in the 1980s. Today, Austin, Eckert and Cory retain their community names within the incorporated town of Orchard City.
Historical Sources
Town of Orchard City: How Three Communities Became Orchard City