Rooks County was established with four townships: Bow Creek, Lowell, Paradise and Stockton.

[6] Bow Creek flows through Township 5, then on to Kirwin Reservoir in Phillips County.

[7] Bow Creek was one of the original four Rooks County civil townships along with Lowell, Paradise and Stockton.

The west border was the Graham County line making Bow Creek 21 miles (3-1/2 survey townships) wide.

The township was named for a unique rounded mound of flint rock that was once used as a lookout by Native Americans.