Ralston started life as a railroad siding. It was named after the owner of a saloon.
Ralston serves as a collection point for barley and sugar beets grown in the area.
Ripley's Believe It or Not once featured a pair of Ralston bridges. The original highway bridge crossed Alkali creek at the same point the railroad bridge crossed. When Highway 14A was rebuilt, it took a different route over the creek. The lower bridge, without the road, is all that is left of the original route.
The Ralston Reservoir has a wildlife viewing facility for the numerous waterfowl which can be seen at the reservoir.
