General Joseph P. Hooker

In 1884, the first permanent settlers moved into the area. They were Josiah Downing, Webster E. Bowers, and Chauncey Tucker and families. Other homesteaders began to follow. And in 1887, the Grand Island and Wyoming line of the Burlington Northern Railroad began laying rails across the Sandhills. A depot was set up about a mile east of Trefren's Trading Post and was given the name of Mullen after one of the railroad's contractors. Mullen would become the county seat when Hooker County became organized in 1889.

The county was named for the Civil War Union General Joseph P. Hooker (1814- 1879). Joseph Hooker was born in Hadley Massachusetts and graduated from the United States Military Academy. During the Civil War he received the nickname "Fighting Joe Hooker" due to a newspaper article entitled "Fighting -Joe Hooker". Newspapers across the country began running the story, dropping the hyphen. Much to Hooker's disgust, the name would forever be connected to him! Mullen remains the county seat and is the only surviving town in the county.