Places

1878 Morris County

1887 Morris County

1895 Rand McNally Atlas

2012 KS Dept. of Transportation

Populated Places

Alburtis, a small settlement in Morris county, is about 2 miles from the Wabaunsee county line and 7 miles from Council Grove, the county seat, from which place the inhabitants received mail by rural free delivery. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 56.

Beman, a little hamlet on one of the tributaries of the Neosho river in the northeast corner of Morris county, is about 13 miles from Council Grove, from which place the inhabitants receive mail by rural free delivery. Alta Vista is the most convenient railroad station. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 172.

Burdick, a town of Diamond Valley township, Morris county, is a station on the Strong City & Superior division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 23 miles from Strong City and about 20 miles southwest of Council Grove, the county seat. It has a bank, a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, telephone connections, Protestant churches, a good retail trade, important shipping interests, and in 1910 reported a population of 225. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 253.

Council Grove, the county seat of Morris county and one of the historic towns of Kansas, is pleasantly situated in the eastern part of the county, on the Neosho river at an altitude of 1,234 feet, and at the junction of the Missouri Pacific and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroads. It has 1 national and 1 state bank, an international money order postoffice with five rural routes, express and telegraph offices, a telephone exchange, an electric lighting plant and waterworks, both of which are owned by the city, grain elevators, three newspapers (the Republican, the Guard, and the Morris County Advance), an opera-house, good hotels, a public library, an excellent public school system, churches of the leading denominations, marble and granite works, and a number of well appointed mercantile establishments. The population in 1910 was 2,545.

The first settler at Council Grove was Seth M. Hays, who established a trading post there in 1847, in a log cabin a few rods west of the Neosho river on the north side of the old Santa Fe trail. The next year a man named Mitchell came to Council Grove as a government blacksmith, bringing with him his wife, who was the first white woman in Morris county. The Kaw mission was established in 1850, and in May, 1851, T. S. Huffaker opened a school, which was one of the first schools attended by white children in Kansas. Other early settlers were the Chouteau brothers, the Columbia brothers and C. H. Withington, who came as traders, and during the early '50s their establishments formed "the last chance for supplies" for travelers bound for the Great West. In Oct., 1854, Gov. Reeder visited Council Grove, with a view to making it the territorial capital, but the land was at that time an Indian possession. A man named Gilkey opened the first hotel in 1856, and in 1858 the town was incorporated, the incorporators being T. S. Huffaker, Seth M. Hays, Hiram Northrup and Christopher Columbia.

The place where Council Grove now stands was mentioned by travelers as early as 1820, and in 1825 the treaty was here negotiated with the Osage Indians for the right of way for the government road known as the Santa Fe trail, a portion of which now forms the main street of the city. There has been considerable speculation, and various reports have been circulated, as to how the place received the name of Council Grove. Cutler's History of Kansas says it originated from the fact that emigrant trains were accustomed to assemble there, and the leaders of those trains would hold a "council" to determine means of safety while passing through the Indian country farther west. Gregg, in his Commerce of the Prairies, says

"Frequent attempts have been made by travelers to invest Council Grove with a romantic sort of interest, of which the following fabulous vagary, which I find in a letter that went the rounds of our journals is an amusing example: 'Here the Pawnee, Arapahoe, Comanche, Loup and Eutaw Indians, all of whom were at war with each other, meet and smoke the pipe once a year.' Now it is more than probable that not a soul of most of the tribes mentioned above ever saw the Council Grove. . . . The facts connected with the designation of this spot are simply these. Messrs. Reeves, Sibley and Mathers, having been commissioned by the United States in 1825, to mark a road from the confines: of Missouri to Santa Fe, met on this spot with some bands of Osages, with whom they concluded a treaty. The commissioners on this occasion gave to the place the name of "Council Grove.'"

Under the tree known as the "Council Oak" stands a granite marker, five feet in height, on one side of which is the inscription: "On this spot, Aug. 10, 1825, the treaty was made with the Osage Indians for the right of way for the Santa Fe trail." The inscription on the other side reads: "Santa Fe Trail, 1822-1872. Marked by the D. A. R. and the State of Kansas, 1906."

There are a number of places and objects of historic interest about Council Grove. The most important of these are the Council Oak, the Custer Elm, Fremont Park, Belfry Hill, Sunrise Rock, the Hermit's Cave and the Padilla Monument. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, pages 459-461.

Delavan, a village of Grand View township, Morris county, is 19 miles west of Council Grove, the county seat. It is the trading center and shipping point for a rich agricultural neighborhood, has a bank, a money order postoffice with one rural route, express and telegraph offices, telephone connections, Christian and Methodist churches, a good public school building, and is one of the most progressive villages of its size in the state. The population in 1910 was 58. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 506.

Diamond Springs, a village of Morris county, is a station on the Strong City & Superior division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., about 20 miles southwest of Council Grove, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, telephone connections, an express office, a good local trade, and is a shipping point for the surrounding agricultural district. The population was reported as 27 in 1910.

The spring for which the village was named was originally known as "The Diamond of the Plain." It is one of the largest springs in the state and was a well known station on the old Santa Fe trail. This station was robbed by the guerrilla, Dick Yeager, on the night of May 4, 1863, and in the raid Augustus Howell was killed and Mrs. Howell severely wounded. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 517.

Dunlap, an incorporated city of the third class in Valley township, Morris county, is a station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R. 9 miles southeast of Council Grove, the county seat. The town was founded by and named for Joseph Dunlap, the first white settler in Valley township, who located there in 1870. At the time of the "Negro Exodus" (q. v.) a number of colored people settled in and around Dunlap. The population in 1910 was 333. Dunlap has a bank, a money order postoffice with two rural routes, telegraph, express and telephone service, several general stores, drug and hardware houses, Baptist, Congregational and Methodist churches, a hotel, etc. Its location on the Neosho river, in the midst of a rich agricultural section, makes it an important shipping point for portions of Morris, Chase and Lyon counties. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 553.

Dwight, an incorporated city of the third class in Ohio township, Morris county, is a station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. some 15 miles north of Council Grove, the county seat. It was settled about the time the railroad was built, and on March 4, 1903, Gov. Bailey approved an act authorizing the town to incorporate and organize as a city of the third class. The incorporation was not effected, however, until in 1905. In 1910 the population was 298. Dwight has a bank, a money order postoffice with two rural routes, express, telegraph and telephone service, Christian, Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches, good public schools, and is the principal trading and shipping point in the northeastern part of the county. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 556.

Helmick, a hamlet of Morris county, is a station on the Missouri Pacific R. R., 7 miles west of Council Grove, the county seat, whence mail is delivered by rural carrier. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 838.

Kelso, a village in Morris county, is located in Neosho township on the river of the same name, and is a station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R., 6 miles northwest of Council Grove, the county seat. It has about a dozen business houses, and a money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 76. Downing is the railroad name. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 67.

Latimer, a hamlet in Morris county, is located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. about 22 miles northwest of Council Grove, the county seat. It has telegraph and express offices and a money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 14. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 107.

Parkerville, an incorporated city of the third class in Morris county, is located in Parker township on the Neosho river and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R., 12 miles northwest of Council Grove, 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 157. Parkerville was incorporated in 1871 and began a spirited contest to become the county seat. The first trustees were, C. G. Parker, J. A. Rodgers, G. W. Clark, H. Daniels and W. M. Thomas, the incorporators of the town. The next spring an election was held for town officers and J. A. Wallace was chosen the first mayor. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 444.

Skiddy, a hamlet in Morris county, is located in Rolling Prairie township on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R. 24 miles northwest of Council Grove, the county seat. It has a hotel, general stores, express and telegraph offices, and a money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 90. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 698.

White City, an incorporated city of the third class in Morris county, is located in Rolling Prairie township on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroads 17 miles northwest of Council Grove, the county seat. It has 2 banks, a weekly newspaper (the Register), a number of retail establishments, telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with four rural routes. Grain produce and live stock are extensively shipped. The population in 1910 was 506. The town was founded in 1871 by a colony numbering about 40 families organized in Chicago. The first house was built by Thomas Eldridge and the first store by James Thornley and W. N. Dunbar. A good school house was erected in 1873 and Adam Dixon was the first teacher. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 905.

Wilsey, a town in Morris county, is located in Elm Creek township on the Missouri Pacific R. R. 12 miles west of Council Grove, the county seat. It has a bank, a weekly newspaper (the Warbler), a flour mill, a grain elevator, a hotel, telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population in 1910 was 350. It is the shipping and receiving point for a large agricultural area, and large quantities of grain, live stock and produce are handled every year. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 921.

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