West York, the first settlement in the area, began in 1850 along the Plymouth-LaPorte trail, which was used as a stagecoach line beginning in the 1840s. C.W.N. Stephens was appointed postmaster at West York in 1852. West York was platted in 1854 by Elias D. Jones with 35 on both sides of the Cincinnati, Peru and Chicago Railroad.

Walkerton was named for James H. Walker, a LaPorte banker who in 1856 built the Cincinnati, Peru, and Chicago Railroad. The town was laid out by the railroad surveyors and the first lot was taken by C.W.N. Stephens, who moved his general store from nearby West York. His business thrived and grew with the new town.