In 1875, T.A. Andrews and J.M. Matheny went to Rawlins County. They started a town site about two miles east of the current city. The city of Attwood (with two t's) was named after Attwood Matheny. He was the 14-year-old son who went with his father on the trip. In 1882, the U.S. Post Office requested permission to drop one "t" thus becoming Atwood. In 1881, Atwood became the county seat of Rawlins County.