The Name Stories
Some of you may wonder how Hardin got it's name. With 2007 being Hardin's 100 year anniversary we thought it would be interesting to find the answer to this question as well. As we searched we ran across two stories on this particular subject. One is pure fiction, the other is the truth.
The first story starts with a gentleman by the name of Clarence Reckmeyer. Back in May of 1951, the City of Hardin received a letter from Mr. Reckmeyer passing along some information that he had received twenty years prior from a man by the name of George C. Hardin, who at the time was operating a garage in Bridger, Montana. He thought the information was interesting and thrilling.
May 9, 1951
City Clerk or Mayor
Hardin, Montana
Dear Sir:
When I was in Bridger, Montana sometime over twenty years ago, the enclosed story of the naming of Hardin was given to me by George C. Hardin, a one sixteenth Comanche Indian, who at that time was operating a garage in Bridger. While it rather appears, from correspondence enclosed that there is some doubt as to the truthfulness of the story. The story is rather interesting and thrilling, and I am presenting it to the City of Hardin for such use as they may see fit. Perhaps your local newspaper editor may wish to print it, together with the letters commenting on it.
With very kind personal regards, I am
Very Truly Yours,
Clarence Reckmeyer
The second story is certainly not as dramatic nor heroic as the first. Which if you have already read the letters you might have already guessed. It's quite simple really. It says that Hardin was named after Samuel H. Hardin, a Wyoming cattleman and a very good friend of Mr. C. H. Morrill, who at the time was President of the Lincoln Land Co. At the time, Mr. Morrill was trying to come up with a name for a new town to be located between Billings, Montana and Sheridan, Wyoming. And that's how Hardin got it's name...