According to the New South Wales Government Gazette, on this day, March 20 in 1885, Crookwell was declared a town by British diplomat and governor Lord Augustus Loftus and registered with the Department of Lands to appear on all parish maps.

We can also wish a very happy birthday to Collector, Dalton, Grabben Gullen, Tuena, Taralga, Boorowa and Cowra, which were proclaimed as towns and Binda, Breadalbane (then spelt Bredalbane), Gunning and Tarlo, which were proclaimed as villages on the same day.

This year also marks 200 years of European settlement in the area and to celebrate, Crookwell Historical Society released its second edition of Crookwell The Way We Were by Monica Croke on proclamation day.

The 2006 edition that covered the area's history from the 1820s to 1950 has since been revised and updated to extend to 2020. Information on the early settlers, as well as education, the hospital and even crime, are included.

According to historian Martin Smith, Crookwell got its name from Robert Dixon who surveyed the Burragorang Valley and Wollondilly River from 1825. It was the birthplace of his mother in County Durham, England.

The earliest map bearing the name Crookwell was surveyor Dixon's trace of the dividing range between the eastern and western waters, dated 1828.

There were, of course, many early settlers here well before the towns and villages were proclaimed. Our ancestors bred sheep, caught wild brumbies, milked cows and sewed wheat and potatoes.

Some of the earliest families who came to the area were Naughton, Butt, Howard, Gilby, Plumb, Willis, Bingham, Gilmartin, Arnold, Tierney, Lewis, Short and Bensley.

They bought land under the 1861 Free Selection Act. Although it was named free, early settlers had to pay ten pounds to register and one pound per acre, quite a large sum in those days.

Once they had chosen their land, they had to build a shelter and live there to secure it.

It was thought at that time that Laggan would become the major town in the area and a mill was established. However, Crookwell would flourish and take over as a larger business centre.

Businesses began to flourish on Goulburn Street by 1869. There were a blacksmith, the Bank of New South Wales, a cordial and butter factory, flour mill and butcher shop.

Soon there would be two chemists and a dentist.

Two years later, Edward Stephenson would build The Commercial Hotel where the court house is today and another in 1874, which is now the Horse and Hound.

Crookwell The Way We Are is available from Crookwell Historical Society Archives inside the Crookwell Memorial Hall building and Arcadia.

Thanks goes to Crookwell Historical Society and Monica Croke for allowing the Gazette to include information from the book in this article.