Altamont, one of the incorporated towns of Labette county, is located in Mt. Pleasant township, on the St. Lotus & San Francisco R. R., 10 miles northwest of Oswego, the county seat and very near the geographical center of the county. It has banking facilities, a weekly newspaper, express and telegraph offices, and an international money order postoffice with three rural routes. The town was laid out the year the railroad was built (1879), by a company of which I. N. Hamilton was president. The first house was built by Scott Noble, in the fall of that year. A hotel was built the following summer and a general store opened by Jones, Burns & Wright. A number of business enterprises were launched in the next two years. The first church was erected in 1880. A postoffice called Elston was established in this vicinity in 1870. When Altamont was founded the name was changed. The town was incorporated in 1884 and the following officers chosen: Mayor, H. C. Blanchard; police judge, L. W. Cram; councilmen, R. B. Gregg, W. M. McCoid, D. Reid, C. S. Newlon, and A. J. Garst; city clerk, W. F. Hamman.