Called "the most beautiful town site along the Northern Pacific Railroad between Brainerd and Fargo," Verndale's founders situated the village one mile east of the Wing River, on the edge of a beautiful prairie which was sheltered on the north and west by groves of small pines. To the south and east of the town was open prairie interspersed with small groves, bounded in the distance by the dark line of the Big Woods. In the vicinity of town there were three good water powers on the Wing River. To the north of town were extensive pineries. Verndale quickly became the commercial center of the Wing River valley, a fertile agricultural valley 20 miles long by five to six miles wide.

The honorable Lucas W. Smith settled on a homestead claim near the town site and is credited with building the first house at Verndale and engaged in mercantile business. His business and home were located on the north side of the railroad tracks. He was born in Caledonia County, VT., September 15, 1816, and came to the Verndale area from Charles City, Pleasant Grove Township, Floyd County, IA. The town site was first settled in 1876 and was platted in 1877 in section 30 by Judge Smith, with an addition in 1879 in section 19. Judge Smith named the village in honor of his granddaughter Helen Vernette "Vernie" Smith. Judge Smith was the first postmaster when the post office was established in 1878. In 1879, Judge Smith laid out his addition to Verndale, north of the railroad tracks, in Section 19 of Aldrich Township.

The first settlement in the vicinity of Verndale was commenced by Capt. John E. Butler, Charles W. Brown, John B. Kelly, and Charles C. Kelly of Rock Falls, IA, in July of 1877. This group was followed in September by Capt. C. C. Parker, Joseph Sombs and others from the southern part of the state.

The Verndale Journal, July 19, 1880, credits W. H. Raymond with erecting the first building at Verndale. He built a general supply store on the south side of the railroad tracks. The store was ready for business in January 1878 and was opened by a grand New Year's Ball. The Verndale Journal article adds that Mr. Raymond's store was "followed by Judge L. W. Smith's dwelling and store on the north side in a short time." The Park Rapids Enterprise, in 1882, mentions that Zeb. Bodway helped erect the first building in Verndale; perhaps he worked with Mr. Raymond.

Soon a host of others followed Mr. Raymond and Mr. Smith to Verndale. In the spring came Mr. L. W. Farwell, Col. C. E. Bullard, A. Amidon–and M. M. Crandall and G. H. Clark, who each erected a hotel to supply the horde of land hunters, who were constantly coming and going.

The first hotel, the Crandall House, was rushed to completion in June of 1878. It opened July 3, 1878, as soon as the roof was enclosed, to service the swarm of land hunters. The Clark House hotel opened in September of 1878 by G. H. Clark. The Commercial Hotel was also constructed in 1878 by Henry Thompson.

In March of 1878, L. W. Farwell built a family residence and established a lumber yard. By 1880, the Farwell residence had been sold to Dr. H. J. Harding as a drug store. Col. C. E. Bullard, of Eau Claire, WI, soon erected a good and substantial building near Farwell's and established himself in the sale of agricultural implements and farm machinery. In May, A. A. Amidon, of Farmington, MN, erected a handsome building for a store and dwelling, opposite Mr. Raymond's site. In June, E. L. Ingalls built the first blacksmith shop, which he sold to John E. Butler in the summer of 1880, at which time the business became "Bullard and Butler." A blacksmith shop was also established in 1878.

In only two years Verndale mushroomed into the largest community in Wadena County and quickly became a commercial center. It was believed by people far and wide that Verndale would become the largest community on the Northern Pacific route between Brainerd and Fargo.

By 1880, Verndale had three general stores, one flour and feed store, one drug store, two blacksmith shops, one saddle and harness shop, one shoe shop, one butcher shop, one cabinet shop, two lumber yards, and one first-class newspaper and job office.

In 1878 and 1879, the Todd County Argus frequently comments on the number of covered wagons passing through Long Prairie on the way to Wadena County in the vicinity of Verndale.

Many of Verndale's early settlers were Civil War veterans. At one time, 100 Verndale families had one member who was a Civil War veteran. And most of the early settlers came from Iowa, principally from the Charles City and Osage areas.

An important Verndale pioneer was Capt. C. C. Parker. Parker came from Iowa in 1877. Parker operated C. C. Parker and Co. Pioneer Store and was postmaster from August 26, 1878 until February 26, 1884. He was one of the group of Verndale residents who built the Verndale Road to the Shell Prairies. This group was the first to recognize that there would be considerable economic advantage for Verndale to provide a route for settlers heading to the fertile Shell Prairies of Hubbard County. Their efforts paid off, making the railhead of Verndale and it's merchants the unquestionable center of commerce, supplying the settlers with the goods they needed to establish their homesteads and providing a convenient place for them to ship their produce to market. Capt. Parker also was among a group of Verndale business men who attempted to get a railroad built between Verndale and Shell City. While a representative to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1883, Parker was instrumental in introducing legislation for the establishment of Hubbard County and making Park Rapids the county seat.

Verndale Correspondence of Wadena Farmer.
HUBBARD COUNTY
"The child is born." After some months of discussion, agitation and work, by action of the state legislature, the boundaries of Hubbard County have been defined and the bill setting apart this territory with a distinct and definite county organization, has been signed by the Governor. What has been a probability to us is now a fact. The commissioners appointed by the Governor for the new county are Smith Boorom, of First Prairie and J. W. Jay and Dr. C. W. Cutler of Second Prairie. The commissioners will proceed to organize, locate place of meeting, and appoint county officers to hold until the first regular election, and attend to the other numerous details involved in organizing new counties. Though quietly brought about, the result has not been attained without much work and steady representation of our needs and rights here, by those who are interested in the growth and development of the Shell Prairies. Much credit is due our representative, Capt. C. C. Parker. Throughout the session he has been diligent in presenting our claims before the legislature.