History
The first documented record of the Chandler area was done by the famous French scientist and explorer, Joseph Nicollet, in 1838. He describes the Chanarambie Valley, Lost Timber, and Buffalo Ridge in his writings. Buffalo Ridge was the name the Sioux called it also and is simply a translation of its Sioux Name.
Chandler had its beginnings with the coming of the railroad. The Southern Railroad Company laid tracks through the Chanarambie Valley in 1879. Later that year in October the first passenger train passed through the future Chandler area from Fulda to its destination at Edgerton.
G.W. Smith surveyed the plat for the townsite in May of 1886. The first building constructed in Chandler was the railroad water tank which was still standing in the early 1950's. Samuel B. Rockey opened the first store and was located where the Chandler Café now stands.
The early settlers of Chandler were predominantly Scandinavian, most of them coming from Fillmore County, Minnesota and the regions around Decorah and Hew Hampton, Iowa. In about 1908 the Holland people started coming, many from Iowa, but many directly from the Netherlands. The first religious services held in the village were conducted by Sabboth School Missionaries.
Chandler was incorporated in 1902 and that year was also considered a boom year for the village. The bank and a two room schoolhouse were built. Also the post office was established and construction began on a new hotel. The first meeting of the first village council was held on April 3, 1902.
Our town grew rapidly in the first decade of the 20th century and in 1906 there were 30 businesses established in our community. People came from Europe, the East, and other parts of the Midwest to better themselves and their way of life.
An Air Force Base was constructed south of Chandler in the 1950's. For an aerial view of the U.S. Air Force Radar Base outside of Chandler, the 787th AC & W Squadron, click here.
Many businesses have started and expanded over the years. Agriculture continues to be the lifeblood of the community with a mixture of grain and livestock in the surrounding area.
In June of 1992, Chandler was hit by a F5 tornado that destroyed a big part of the community. But the community rebuilt and continues to prosper with many successful businesses and farms.
Windpower has made it big in the Chandler area with several towers constructed to provide a clean, renewable source of energy to many people.