Places - Lyon KSGenWeb

2007 Kansas Dept. of Transportation

Populated Places

Admire, a town in Ivy township, Lyon county, is a station on the Missouri Pacific R. R., about 20 miles northeast of Emporia, the county seat. It has a bank, a money order postoffice with two rural routes, a feed mill, telephone connections with the surrounding towns, churches of several denominations, a good school building, a good retail trade, and does considerable shipping. The population was 300 according to the U. S. census of 1910. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 26.

Allen, one of the principal towns of Lyon county, is a station on the Missouri Pacific R. R., about 18 miles north of Emporia, the county seat, and 19 miles west of Osage City. Allen was incorporated in 1909 and in 1910 reported a population of 286. It has telegraph and express service, a money order postoffice with two rural routes, a bank, several good mercantile houses, a graded public school, churches of various denominations, and does considerable shipping of live stock and farm products. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 59.

Americus, an incorporated city of the third class in Lyon county, is a station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R., 9 miles northwest of Emporia, the county seat. It has a bank, a weekly newspaper, churches of various denominations, good public schools, etc. Its location in the rich valley of the Neosho river gives it a good local trade and makes it an important shipping point. The population in 1910 was 451. Two delivery routes emanates from its money order postoffice and supply mail to the surrounding rural districts, and the town is provided with express and telegraph offices and has telephone connection with Emporia and other cities. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 68.

Bushong, a town of Lyon county, is located in the northwestern part of the county, about 20 miles from Emporia, and is a station on the Missouri Pacific R. R. 24 miles west of Osage City. It has a bank, a money order postoffice with one rural route, a number of general stores, hotel, public school, telegraph, telephone and express service, and does considerable shipping. The population in 1910 was 250. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 260.

Emporia, the county seat of Lyon county and one of the principal cities of the state, is located near the center of the county and is 61 miles southwest of Topeka. It is an important railroad center, being at the junction of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and is the terminus of three branches of the latter system, one of which runs to Holliday, one to Chanute, and the other to Moline. It has waterworks, electricity for lighting and power purposes, police and fire departments, well paved streets, and a public library. A street railway is soon to begin operating its cars. Among the industries of the city are woolen and flour mills, foundries, machine shops, carriage and wagon works, ice plant, broom factories, a planing mill, creamery, brick and tile works, a corrugated culvert factory and a marble works. Emporia has 3 banks, 1 daily and 2 weekly newspapers, an international money order postoffice with ten rural routes, an opera house, telegraph and express service, and is an important mercantile center. The population in 1910 was 9,058. Emporia was founded in 1857, Preston B. Plumb (q. v.) being the principal promoter. Interested with him were George W. Deitzler. G. W. Brown, Lyman Allen and Columbus Hornsby. The first building was a boarding house erected by John Hammond; the second was the store of Hornsby & Fick, and the third was the Emporia House, the town company's hotel. In the fall the postoffice was moved from Columbia to Emporia and Mr. Fick became postmaster. The first number of the "Kansas News," later the Emporia News, was printed on June 6, 1857, in an up-stairs room of the Emporia House while the printing office was being built. No gambling and no selling of intoxicating liquor was allowed, the penalty being the forfeiture of the property on which the misdemeanor took place. The growth of the town was brisk from the first. During the year 1857 and subsequent years before the war, a steady stream of settlers located in the town and in the surrounding country, new business enterprises were established, churches and schools were built. The town company encouraged improvement by setting aside a number of lots to be given to those who would put up buildings on them. A special act was secured in 1862 allowing Emporia to issue bonds to the extent of $6,000 to build a school house. When finished it was the finest in the state except one at Leavenworth. Seeing how successfully the plan worked this special act was made the basis of a general school law for the whole state. Emporia has always figured prominently in the educational matters of the state. It is the seat of the state normal school and the College of Emporia; and is the home of the well known Kansas author, William Allen White. Emporia was one of the towns listed in Price's itinerary of destruction and would have been sacked and burned but for the prompt response all through eastern Kansas to check the invasion. This was a stopping place for the soldiers on their various campaigns against the bushwhackers and Indians during and after the war. At the time of the operations of the Nineteenth Kansas Emporia had about 800 inhabitants. The town was incorporated as a village in 1865, the following being chosen trustees, R. M. Ruggles, chairman; J. C. Fraker, John L. Catterson, William Clapp, and John Hammond. In 1870 it was made a city of the second class. The first election resulted in the choice of, H. C. Cross, mayor; F. W. Cunningham, police judge; H. W. McCune, clerk; S. B. Riggs, treasurer; a Mr. Wilson, engineer; P. B. Plumb, attorney; W. A. Randolph, marshal; E. Borton, L. N. Robinson, W. W. Williams, C. V. Eskridge, R. D. Thomas, C. Wheelock, F. Hirth, George W. Fredericks, councilmen. In common with the other river towns of Kansas, Emporia suffered severely in the flood of 1933, and on account of a cloud burst, suffered almost as severely in 1908. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, pages 588-589.

Hartford, an incorporated town, the second largest in Lyon county, is located in Elmendaro township on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R. and the Neosho river 13 miles southeast of Emporia, the county seat. All the leading mercantile pursuits are represented; there are good schools and churches, banking facilities, and a weekly newspaper (the Neosho Valley Times). The town is supplied with telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with five rural routes. The population, according to the 1910 census, was 589. The neighborhood about Hartford was settled in 1857 and the town was founded in 1858. The association which promoted it was composed of H. D. Rice and A. K. Hawkes of Hartford, Conn., W. H. Martin, E. Quiett and others. The first building was a log structure 14 by 16 feet in size, in which C. P. Bassett kept a store. The second was a dwelling and lodging house, a two-story frame building erected by a Mr. Longley. The postoffice was established in 1859, with A. K. Hawkes as postmaster. His wife taught the first school the next year in her home. The first newspaper was the Hartford Call, the first issue of which appeared in 1879. The first bank was incorporated with a capital of $50,000 in Nov., 1881. The Hartford water mills, an important institution in those days, were built in 1873. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, pages 812-813.

Miller, a station on the Missouri Pacific R. R. in the northeastern part of Lyon county, is located 19 miles northeast of Emporia, the county seat, and 8 miles west of Osage City, Osage county, from which place it is furnished with mail by rural route. It has express and telegraph offices, and the population according to the census of 1910 was 24. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 283.

Neosho Rapids, an incorporated town in Lyon county, is located in Jackson township on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. and on the Neosho river, just below its junction with the Cottonwood. It is 12 miles east of Emporia, the county seat. The main lines of business and mercantile interests are represented. It has telegraph and express offices and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population according to the census of 1910 was 256. In 1855 a town by the name of Italia was laid out on the site of Neosho Rapids, which name was afterwards changed to Florence. No improvements were made. In 1857 Neosho Rapids was founded by the same promoters—F. R. Page, H. S. Sleeper and G. J. Tallman. The first building was a two-story frame structure, erected by F. R. Page and Mrs. Allen, and used for a hotel. The first religious services were held in this building by a minister named Rice. A sawmill was built in 1860 by P. Harvey. In 1872 a dam costing $3,000 was put across the Neosho by the mill company. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 351.

Olpe, an incorporated town in Lyon county, is located on Eagle creek in Center township, 10 miles south of Emporia, the county seat, and is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. It has a bank, a semi-weekly newspaper (the Optimist), good schools and churches and all the leading lines of mercantile enterprise. it is a shipping center for a large farming district. It is supplied with telegraph and express offices, and has a money order postoffice with three rural routes. The population according to the census of 1910 was 215. Olpe was incorporated as a city of the third class in 1905. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 389.

Plymouth, a little town in Lyon county, is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 8 miles west of Emporia, the county seat. It has telegraph and express offices and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 100. This is one of the early settled places in the county, having been founded in 1857. The postoffice was established in 1858 with D. McMillan as postmaster. The next year C. Humphrey, the first settler, opened a store. The first school was a private one taught in 1862 by Mary Hammis. In 1864 the first religious services were held. A sawmill was built in that year and a little later a grist mill, which made Plymouth an important trading point. At present it is a shipping and receiving point for a large farming area. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 484.

Reading, an incorporated city of the third class in Lyon county, is located in Reading township 16 miles northeast of Emporia, the county seat, on the Marais des Cygnes river and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. The main lines of business enterprise are represented. It has a weekly newspaper (the Herald), a bank, good churches and schools, telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with three rural routes. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 289. Reading is a trading point for a large and prosperous farming community. The tract of land which forms the town site was originally owned by McMann & Co., of Reading, Pa. At the time the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. was built a town company was formed consisting of James Fagan, T. J. Peter and M. S. Sargent. A depot was built and the postoffice was established in 1870. A number of business enterprises were projected, among which was a store opened by Bothel & Buns, and a tin shop by a Mr. Coleman. The first carpenter was D. L. Pettinger, who built all the first buildings. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, pages 551-552.