Originally settled in 1894, the town of Lepanto was laid out by C.B. Greenwood in 1901, and incorporated in 1909. Lepanto was named in honor of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, in which Christians ended Turkish control of the Mediterranean Sea. During the early 20th century neighboring communities referred to Lepanto as "Lamp City", due to the eccentric habits of the first electric generator operator, who turned the electricity in the city on and off at will.
