Easton, one of the important early settlements of Leavenworth county, is situated on the Stranger river and the Union Pacific R. R. in the northwestern part of the county 11 miles northwest of Leavenworth, in the autumn of 1854, Gen. L. J. Eastin, and his associates located the town of Eastin and it was named in honor of the general. The spelling was changed to Easton through the influence of Gov. Reeder, for his native town in Pennsylvania. The first settler was Andrew Dawson, who opened a store just above the bridge in 1852. In 1855 Stephen Minard bought this store, settled in the village and opened the first hotel. In Dec., 1855, a postoffice was opened and the village began to thrive. A number of free-state men settled in the town and vicinity and during the border troubles it was regarded as a headquarters for men of this political faith. (See Easton Expedition.) Several churches were built at an early day, a school was opened and great things were expected of the town. Early in the '80s it had two general stores, a blacksmith shop and grocery. Today the town is the supply and shipping point for a rich agricultural community, has several general stores, a hardware and implement house, lumber yard, money order postoffice, express and telegraph facilities, hotel, good graded school, and is one of the leading towns in the western part of the county. In 1910 the population was 310.