Hillsdale, one of the largest villages of Miami county, is located on the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R. 7 miles north of Paola, the county seat. It was surveyed and laid out as Columbia in 1869. Late in the year, when the railroad was completed to this point, the name Columbia was changed to Hillsdale. In 1871 a postoffice was located in the town, and the same year the first public school was opened. It grew rapidly until the middle of the '70s, since which time the population has been about the same; there was an estimated population of 300 late in 1879 and the population for 1910 was 270. There are several general stores, a drug store, harness shop, blacksmith and wagon shop, hotel, grain elevator, two churches, and a good school building. It is the supply town for a rich agricultural district, has a money order postoffice with one rural route, express and telegraph offices, telephone connections, etc.