The Village of McDonald was named after Thomas G. McDonald, who was the Super-intendent of the Youngstown District for the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Company. The mills were constructed in 1916 and the first steel was rolled on January 12, 1916.

The Village of McDonald was incorporated on December 12, 1918. James A. Freed was elected as the first mayor and the first council meeting was held on March 2, 1919.

The Volunteer Fire Department was established in November 1920. The first fire station was located at the corner of Fourth Street and Ohio Avenue in an old garage that was purchased off of a citizen of the Village and had to be moved to the location. This re-mained the fire station until the early twenties when the present municipal building was built.

In 1918 the first 122 homes were completed on Grant, Hayes, Garfield, and McKinley Avenues. The first completed home sat at the corner of Grant Avenue and Fifth Street