The county of Edmunds was created in 1873 and organized in 1883. Edmunds County was named after Dakota Territories second governor, Newton Edmunds. There are 1,158 square miles in Edmunds County. On Oct. 16, 1882, the first settlers in Edmunds County were Ezra Drew and Ira Dribble. Other early settlers in Edmunds County were: George Phillips, John and George Jameson, William Bold, A.B. Allen, S.B. Basford and J.W. Parmley.
The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad was built into the county from Aberdeen. The railroad was built to the center of a triangle formed by the towns of Freeport, Edmunds and Georgetown. A new town was formed in the center of the triangle called Ipswich. The town of Edmunds was the first county seat. The county seat was changed to Ipswich after the town was formed. Ipswich is still the county seat.
Some towns that have come and gone in Edmunds County are: Beebe, Craven, Gretna, Loyalton, Powell Settlement and Vermont City.
Towns today in Edmunds County are: Bowdle, Hosmer, Ipswich, Mina and Roscoe. Edmunds County also has three Hutterite Colonies. They are Plaimiiew in Rosette. Township, Deerfield in Belle Township and Pembrook in Harmony Township.
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