Silver Lake, an incorporated city of the third class in Silver Lake township, Shawnee county, is located on the Kansas river and the Union Pacific R. R., 11 miles west of Topeka, the county seat. It has a number of retail establishments, two telephone exchanges, telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population in 1910 was 260. The town was founded in 1868 by a Mr. Huntoon of Topeka. C. S. Palmer and M. B. Beaubien opened the first store in July. Palmer opened the first hotel in the spring of 1869. About this time the first postoffice was established, with J. B. Oliver as the first postmaster. Flour mills were built and churches and schools established early in the '70s. The site of Silver Lake was settled in 1847. In 1852-53 three ferries were located there and it was known as the "Great Crossing."