[2] Waconda was once a station on the Oregon Electric Railway and it formerly had a post office by the same name.

[3][4] The station was named when the railroad was built through the area in 1907, and the post office was established in 1912.

[3] There was previously a community called Waconda about a mile south of Gervais established in 1870 on the former line of the Oregon & California Railroad (now owned by Union Pacific).

[3] The name may come from the Great Plains Native American word "Wakonda" (something consecrated).

[1][5] An American Foursquare house near the ruins of the OE station once served as the post office and is still standing.