Established as a post office in 1875, its name was changed from Bend to Dermott in 1877. The name honored Dr. Charles McDermott, a Yale University graduate who settled the area in 1832. His plantation served as a stopover for travelers headed west from Gaines Landing on the Fort Towson Road. McDermott spent his fortune on designing flying machines and was granted a patent in 1872. Dermott became a thriving crossroads town when the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad arrived in 1887. It was incorporated in 1890.
