Category: Featured Stories
-
Law and Order: The Anthony King Murder
-By Greg Hoots- Chapter 1 Anthony and Marie King were a typical young married couple. Anthony King, born in 1871, was a clerk in a store when the pair wed, and as many young couples do, the Kings hoped to buy a home and raise a family in Junction City, Kansas where they resided. King…
-
The History of Wabaunsee County Newspapers
-by Greg Hoots- In April of 1867 Alma, Kansas became the county seat of Wabaunsee County, following two contested elections which found Alma and Wabaunsee vying for the placement of the county’s courthouse. The momentous event did not make its way into the newspapers. In the earliest days of Alma, growth was slow, and the county was…
-
The History of the Alma Salt Works
-by John Winkler- Editor’s note: This manuscript was written by Wabaunsee County pioneer, John Winkler shortly before his death in 1907. Winkler was scheduled to speak from the manuscript at a meeting of the Wabaunsee County Historical Society on August 6, 1907, but was taken ill and could not attend. His manuscript was read to…
-
Number Please: The History of the Telephone in Wabaunsee County
In the history of Wabaunsee County, June 25, 1898 is a date of historical significance when the McMahan Telephone Exchange opened for business in Alma, Kansas with twelve subscribers. The telephone company opened an office at 224 Missouri Street where an operator managed the switchboard which connected the callers on various lines. The lines began…
-
History of the Manhattan, Alma & Burlingame Railway
The history of Wabaunsee County, as well as the history of Kansas, cannot be told without paying tribute to the role of the American railroad industry. At the time of Wabaunsee County’s creation in the late 1850s, not only were there no railroads in Wabaunsee County, there were none in Kansas. The United States government…
-
Rock Island Railway at Volland, Kansas
Kansas’ most prominent ghost town, Volland, Kansas, had its roots in the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, which platted the town located along Mill Creek in Washington Township of Wabaunsee County, Kansas. In addition to creating a depot, which provided passenger and freight service, the railroad also created a railhead, providing a shipping point…
-
The Barns of Wabaunsee County
Wabaunsee County enjoys a rich ranching heritage which is reflected in the many expansive barns which adorned the landscape. All of late 19th century and early 20th century barns had large hay lofts to accommodate the storage of loose hay. Later, the loft provided storage for small bales of hay. Barns which had cupolas attached…
-
Volland, Then and Now
Photographer and graphic artist, Tom Parish has created a collection of Volland, Kansas “re-photographs” which merge the images from historic photos with those taken today. Parish uses early Otto Kratzer photos from the Wabaunsee County Historical Society’s collection and then photographs the exact location today, from the same angle and point of view. Then, Parish…
-
Freedom’s Frontier: Stories from the Western Border
Freedom’s Frontier: Stories from the Western Border is an exhibition of photographs, maps, and images introducing the public to the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area and how the Wabaunsee County region’s history and stories are tied to those of national importance. Designed as a large timeline, the display brings to life the local stories of…
-
Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie Park
– by Michael Stubbs – The Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie Preserve is a 50-acre hilltop prairie dedicated to Captain William Mitchell and the Connecticut Kansas Colony. Located three miles south of Wamego on highway 99 at Mitchell Prairie Lane. It is open to the public from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. William Mitchell…