It was just 43 years ago this week that the city of Coldwater had its beginning. The story of the laying out of the town and of its successive forward steps through the years has been told in the columns of the Star during the past few years, and only brief reference thereto will be made here. It is well, however, to make some mention of the leading facts relating to the beginning and the progress which our city had made during these 43 years of its history.Early in the spring of 1884, Chas. D. Bickford moved out from Coldwater, Mich., and settled on a claim on Calvary Creek, about three miles southeast of the present site of Coldwater. Soon after he arrived in this county, Mr. Bickford enlisted a few other newcomers in starting a town on his claim, to which it was decided to give the name, "Coldwater," after his old home town in Michigan. A few tents were put up - enough, at least, to make a start in the way of a new town.
But toward the last week in June that year, something happened which changed the location of the new town. A bunch of wide-awake citizens who then lived in Harper-co., this state, became interested in the new county of Comanche, and decided to locate in this county with the purpose of starting a new county seat town. So the permanent location and organization of this city were brought about by Harper-co. people.
Composing the company from Harper were Tim Shields, S. S. Sisson, G. W. Vickers, H. S. Bennett, Capt. Thos. Doak,
C. M. Cade and J. Paul Grove. Later they were joined by C. C. Tincher, Wm. Hungerford, H. Chapman, Chas. D. Bickford, G. M. Morris, G. H. Lockwood and Dr. J. E. Sombart. Tim Shields was elected president; G. M. Norris vice president; H. Chapman treasurer andC. M. Cade secretary of the new Town Company.The new Town Company took active charge of the task of surveying and laying out the new town site. Four quarter sections, or 640 acres in all, were included in the original plans for the town site. Building began near the intersection of the two principal streets - Main-st. and Central-ave. Every inducement possible was given for people to settle in the new town. A deed to the lot was given free to every person who would put up a new building at least 14 X 16 feet in size thereon. The usual advertising methods were used, and within a few weeks people began to come in by the hundreds.
It was a busy scene in and around the new city of Coldwater during the latter half of 1884, and all of the following year. Building material had to be hauled from Larned and Kinsley, the two nearest railroad points at that time. The demand for carpenters, freighters and other workmen was greater than the supply for several months after the town was started. As is usually the case, frame buildings only were at first put up. It is stated that the first building to be erected in the new town was built on the lot just east of the present corner on which the Independent Oil Co.'s filling station now stands. The building was occupied by Dr. Palmer C. Jay as an office and for storing a small stock of drugs. Dr. J. S. Halliday bought the building a few months later and used it as an office.
About the second building to be put up was the building now occupied by the Murray Studio, and which was built by Ben Howarth and used by him and his associates as a home for the Comanche County bank. Other buildings were put up rapidly, and by the end of the year 1884, the town contained probably one hundred houses and had a population of between four and five hundred.
Not many of the original buildings put up in Coldwater remain. Among those which were built soon after the town was started and which are still used are: The building now owned and occupied by Dr. F. L. Holcomb, a few of the wooden buildings on the north side of Main street, between the City bakery and Martin Zerby's corner, the Murray Studio, the White Front Cafe, the buildings between Earl Dale's plumbing shop and Dr. Korff's dental office, the old city hall and a few residences - those of Mrs. Parker Wright, E. E. Pounds, Dick H. Rich, J. E. McMoran, Joe Darroch, C. M. Pennington, Wm. Marley, Peter Schneider, J. P. Bashell, Ed Fleming, W. C. Duncan, M. M. Cosby, and some others. Of course some of those mentioned have been built over and greatly improved.
The original town builders in Coldwater gave due attention to public buildings - churches, school houses, etc. Before the town was one year old a new Methodist Episcopal church had been erected, and not long afterwards a U. B. and Presbyterian church building was put up. The old M. E. church building was superseded in 1902 by the present building. The Presbyterian finally became the owners of the U. B. church building. The tornado of May 9, 1899, destroyed the building, after which a building was moved from Greensburg to this city and used until about 15 years ago, when the present Presbyterian church building was erected.
The Christian church here was organized about 18 years ago, and the present building erected in 1910. The first school house was a two room brick structure, which still stands. It is located one block south of the Santa Fe depot. In 1889 a new 8 room building was put up, and during the year 1925 the present modern school building was erected.
The material growth of Coldwater was quite rapid during the latter 80's, but the opening of the Oklahoma country in 1889 and again in 1893, together with several bad crop years during the 90s, gave the town a setback, as they did every other town in this part of the state.
About 22 years ago a general improvement campaign was begun, and since that time the town has made steady progress along all lines. Among the most important improvements have been a complete water and light system, also a splendid sewer system, all owned and controlled by the city. A new court house, new business and residence properties and other improvements are now in progress, and it looks as though our city is firmly established as a live, progressive town.
Among the business men who lived in Coldwater during the first two years of the town existence were the following:
The Comanche County Bank, first bank to be established in the county; Benj. Howart, president; C. D. Pouley, cashier.
A second bank, the Coldwater bank, was established in June, 1886, by Blair, Ewart & Co. of Medicine Lodge, Mr. Blair was president, O. C. Ewart vice president and H. H. Hurlbut cashier.
Real estate and loan brokers - Sisson & McClure, Jackson, Thorton & Co., V. J. Miller, W. T. Willis, Winton & Deming, Doak & Crooks,
C. M. Cade , J. A. Pennington, W. Lanman, Moffet Bros., Church Bros.Attorneys - Lobaugh & Blake, Geo. W. Vickers, A. K. Cook, S. W. Miles, W. A. Taylor, Thos. G. Chambers and R. C. Palmer.
Physicians and surgeons - Dr. J. S. Halliday, Dr. J. E. Sombart.
Dentist - E. O. Unger.
Druggists - E. N. Billings, Geo. H. Lockwood, W. A. Carpenter and Dr. D. C. Morgan.
Hardware merchants - Kern & Boyer, J. P. Cole and J. W. Harding.
General Stores - Youmans & Barcley, G. M. Norris, J. M. Nicholas, Wright & Land, H. Chapman and Shultise & Allerdice.
Furniture store - Jackman & Gladden, A. D. Lee and J. L. Chandler.
Merchant tailor - John Kern.
City bakery - Chas. Beymer.
Photographer - W. T. Snider.
Livery Stables - Frank A. Holmes and Goddard & Gentry.
Hotels - The Eastern House, F. A. Whiteneck, propr.; Merchants, Ben Eaton, propr.; St. Nicholas, R. A. Callaway, propr.; the Hungerford House, Wm. Hungerford, propr.
Lumbermen - The Chicago Lumber Co.; A. L. Merryman (first mayor); D. P. Donk.
Barber - Curley Hatcher.
County officers - A. Darroch, treasurer; L. N. Wallis, county superintendent; E. Bowers, sheriff; T. P. Overman, county clerk; Frank Meyer, clerk district court; J. M. McClain, register of deeds; J. D. F. Jennings, probate judge; H. A. Smith, county attorney.
Justices of the peace - R. Degarme and D. E. Hutchins. First postmaster - D. L. Cline; R. C. Cameron, deputy.
Newspapers - The Western Star, Coldwater Echo, Advocate, Enterprise and Review. The Star was started on August 16, 1884, thus becoming the first newspaper in the county.
We believe that the Western Star can justly lay claim to having been established for a longer period of time than any other firm or business in our city. The Allderdice Store, the Coldwater National Bank and the Kimple livery barn has each been in business here continuously for almost the entire time of the town's history, although each has had one or more changes in ownership and in name.
It is probable that in compiling the above list of early day business men in Coldwater a few names have been overlooked. Very few of the parties named live here now. Many have died, and others have moved to other states.
Also see:
Coldwater Diamond Jubilee Committee. Diamond Jubilee, Coldwater, Kansas, Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 1959. Historical Souvenir Program. Coldwater, KS: The Western Star, 1959.
Coldwater Centennial Notebook, 1884 - 1984 by Evelyn Reed, published serially in The Western Star, 1984.
Coldwater, Kansas:
SOME OF ITS BUSINESS HOUSES WRITTEN UP IN GRAPHIC STYLE.
A Good Showing for a Six Months Old Town.
The Western Star, 22 November 1884.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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