In 1882 Sam McGee and his brother came across a typical section of Stevens County. "It was the early home of the Indian, trapper and prospector, who did little towards blazing trails for the coming civilization or cultivating the land. The man who has spent his life on the plains, or in the mountains prospecting, does not know the science of farming, nor is he inclined to farm…consequently the country remained undeveloped for years." (Stevens County Historical Society Archives) Sam McGee platted the town in 1902 and there are two stories how it got the name Daisy. Some say Sam McGee chose the name saying "This is going to be a ‘daisy’ of a town’ and other say it was named after the Daisy Mine.

     The Daisy mine was owned by J.C. Flourey, but was only active for a short while after arsenic was discovered in the ore. Mr. McGee started a successful sawmill out his back door and there was also a ferry, a saloon, two stores, two churches a livery stable, a hotel, a creamery, a small butcher shop with a meat wagon that went across the river once a week, and a stage. The mail was delivered daily and there was telephone service. Most currency was Canadian money or was gold dust, worth $16 an ounce. "In the early days Daisy was a live town. There were many prospectors always coming and going and every store had gold scales." (SCHS archives) Sundays were always exciting days. The Native Americans would come across the river and trade and have horse races. There was a racetrack west of town and they say the natives would bet everything they had on a horse race. Native people crossed the river in boats of all kinds while the cattle and horses swam across.