Toward the opening of the new century, land agents, including V.S. Peet, the immigration agent for the Union Pacific Railroad Company, went east to induce more people to settle in the Bear River Valley. As a result, a number of families from Nebraska came to the area and bought farms during the years following 1898. Fred Nihart came from Cairo, Nebraska, in the spring of 1899, settling on the northeast quarter of the present townsite. According to his own statement, he came because of a desire to farm irrigated land.

After the Bear River had been tapped and the local canal system built, water began to flow over the thirsty soil. In 1892 possibilities for Bear River Valley began to look promising for many new settlers. Fred Nihart reported that others came from Nebraska and also from Tremont, Illinois, in 1899.