The first pioneers were Charles O'Dell, a merchant, and Marion Crider, a homesteader from eastern Kentucky.

When O'Dell opened his general store, his first customer was Crider, who bought a pound of coffee.

The townsite was purchased by a railroad executive, Benjamin F. Abbott, who wished to change the name of the town to Abbottsville; however, sensibility prevailed and the evocative name of Eagle Bend was retained.

[6] In June 1933, Clarence Olson, alias Tuffy, a Prohibition era bootlegger and gangster based in Eagle Bend who, according to The Long Prairie Leader, "has long had a reputation as a liquor runner and hijacker and who has been claimed by many to be the toughest man between Minneapolis and Duluth", met his destiny in a Holdingford area gunfight.

Then, however, Tuffy Olson and his enforcer Harley Buchan drew their sidearms and announced that they intended to take to 85 gallons of moonshine for free.

Following an investigation by the Stearns and Todd County Sheriff's Departments, Tuffy's two surviving enforcers and the Dzierweczynski brothers were both arrested pending criminal charges.

[7] According to the Long Prairie Leader, "Tuffy Olson has for years had a reputation of being a booze runner who has had many conflicts with the law.

At the time of his death, a Federal charge of illegal possession of liquor was hanging over his head, the trial being scheduled for later in the year.

"[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.35 square miles (3.50 km2), all land.