From the collections at the Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum. Reprinted with permission from The Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum and the Leavenworth Times. Donated by Debra Graden.

The following local events occurred on New Year's Day, in the years given: Chief Justice Samuel D. LeCompte arrived in Leavenworth January 1, 1855 and organized the first Unites States district court in Kansas territory.

On New Year's Day, 1864, the temperature was 23 below zero and guards froze to death at Fort Leavenworth.

January 1, 1856, the First Presbyterian church of Leavenworth, the first white church of this denomination in Kansas was organized.

On January 1, 1857, Almond, Paxton and Co., sold their mercantile business at Platte City to H. B. Callahan, who moved the stock to Leavenworth.

Judge Samuel Latta, distinguished pioneer Leavenworth jurist, was born January 1, 1820.

The Rev. Thomas W. Barry, B. D., became pastor of St. Paul's church in Leavenworth, January 1, 1878.

January 1, 1859, the young ladies of the Female Academy at Platte City, issued the first number of a monthly publication called, "The Lily."

Martin Smith, a prominent Leavenworth pioneer, was born January 1, 1832.

January 1, 1869, the Rev. T. P. Haley, a minister of the Christian church, bought the historic General George P. Dorriss estate, across the river from Leavenworth, at $60 per acre. Elder Haley later moved to California.

Ethbert Caulk, well-known pioneer of Kickapoo and Easton townships, arrived in Kansas on New Year's Day in 1863.

A big New Year's entertainment was given at the Platte County court house in 1875. Many went over from Leavenworth.

J. T. Collier, a pioneer of Leavenworth and Millwood, and Mary Orr, were married on New Year's Day in 1865.

On January 1, 1875, Dr. D. J. Fouts sold his small steamboat which he had been operating on the Missouri and Platte rivers in this vicinity.

A leap year party was held at Platte City on New Year's in 1876.

A post office was established at Settle's Station in Platte County with Henry Turner as postmaster, January 1, 1878.

Henry Wagle killed an otter in the Platte river, opposite to Leavenworth, on New Year's Day, 1879.

On New Year's in 1881, large quantities of apples that had been frozen the past fall were still hanging on the trees in this section.

January 1, 1883, what had hitherto been known as Kimball, in Platte County, was made a station on the Rock Island and was renamed Dearborn.

January 1, 1893, a company to establish a street car line from Platte City to the Tracy depot was formed. The county court gave the right-of-way over the public road, but nothing further was done about it.

The first issue of a new paper called the World appeared at Weston on New Year's Day in 1897, Garten Brothers publishers.

January 1, 1897, Judge W. M. Paxton, of Platte City, issued a prospectus of his forthcoming famous book, "Annals of Platte County, Missouri," and sent the manuscript to his publishers. And that was one of the best New Year's resolutions the "Sage of Platte" could possibly have made.