In the late 1800s, the present day Box Elder was only a fertile valley. Lone Tree, a few miles east of Box Elder, was a stop for the covered wagons and horsemen who were going from Fort Pierre to the Black Hills Stage and Wagon Road. In 1907, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad built its track from Wasta to Rapid City. This was the beginning of the present day Box Elder. Box Elder got its name from the large number of boxelder trees (a.k.a. Ashleaf Maple - Acer Negundo) along Box Elder Creek which flows through the valley.