Places - Republic KSGenWeb

2011 Kansas Dept. of Transportation

Populated Places

Agenda, a village of Republic county, is located in the northern part of Elk Creek township, and is a station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., 17 miles southeast of Belleville, the county seat. The first house in Agenda was erected by Joseph Cox in 1887, soon after the town was laid out. It has a money order postoffice with one rural delivery route, express and telegraph offices, several general stores and other business establishments, a bank, a grain elevator, and in 1910 reported a population of 200. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 32.

Belleville, the county seat of Republic county, is located a little east of the center of the county and is an important railroad center and shipping point, having three lines of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific system and one line of the Union Pacific system. The population in 1910 was 2,224. All business activities and professions are represented in the business directory. There are banks, flour mills, grain elevators, creameries, mercantile houses and newspapers. It has good graded and high schools, all denominations of churches, telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice from which eminate five rural routes. The county buildings include a $25,000 court-house and an $11,000 jail.
Belleville is beautifully situated on a gently rolling upland in the midst of a rich and prosperous farming country. The main articles of export are grain, live-stock and creamery products. The town was established on Sept. 25, 1869, with the following charter members of the company, James E. VanNatta, A. B. Tutton, W. A. Means, J. H. Frint, T. C. Reily, W. H. H. Reily, W. A. Dugger, John McFarlane, John Harris, G. H. Jackson and N. T. VanNatta. A "town house" was built by the company on the northwest quarter of section 2, town 3 south, range 3 west, in which a general store was kept. The upper floor was used as a public hall. The place was named Belleville after Arabelle Tutton, the wife of A. B. Tutton. It was incorporated as a city of the third class in 1878, and the first election, held on Jan. 26 of that year, resulted as follows: Mayor, W. H. Woodward; police judge, William Haskett; councilmen, Chauncy Perry, Edwin Knowles, Daniel Miller, Ed. E. Chapman and F. N. Munger. The officers appointed were, city marshal, Willis C. Allen; city attorney, A. B. Taylor; city clerk, Charles H. Smith; city treasurer, Columbus Taylor; street commissioner, W. C. Allen.
By 1873 Belleville had become quite an important business center. The main stage thoroughfare from Hanover, Mo., connecting with St. Joseph, Mo., and Denver, Col., and with the Central branch from Waterville, passed through Belleville, and stages ran daily. A number of substantial business structures had been built and the improvements included city waterworks. As early as 1888 the enterprising citizens of the town convinced the state authorities that Belleville was of sufficient size to be a city of the second class and it was made such. For many years this little city was a gateway to the homestead country, to the settlement of which it owes much of its present growth and prosperity.
Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, pages 170-171.

Courtland, one of the principal towns in the western part of Republic county, is located in the township of the same name, at the junction of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads, which makes it one of the best shipping points for that section of the county. Courtland was settled in 1885 and was incorporated in 1892. The population in 1910 was 454. It is provided with an international money order postoffice with three rural routes, express and telegraph offices, 2 weekly newspapers the Comet and the Register—an opera house, good banking facilities, hotels, churches of various denominations, and in the summer of 1910 a $10,000 school building was erected. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 461.

Cuba, an incorporated town of Republic county, with a population of 466 according to the U. S. census of 1910, is located about 10 miles east of Belleville, the county seat, at the junction of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railways. It is an important shipping point for the surrounding agricultural district, has a number of good mercantile houses, a money order postoffice from which emanate three rural delivery routes, telegraph and express offices, good schools, churches of different denominations, etc. The town was first laid out near the line between Farmington and Richland townships, but when the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad was built in 1884 it was removed to its present location in order to be on the railroad. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume I, page 486.

Ida The now non-existent town of Ida was located in Rose Creek Township, section 23-24-25 according to the Republic County Atlas of 1884. Part of the village was on the farm of William Lugenbeel. One street was even named "William Street." The town was laid out in the early 1870’s. W.F. Bobenhouse, a carpenter and builder, put up many buildings in Ida as late as 1881. The Mattison Brothers had a mercantile store in Ida in 1879. Schools, churches, lodges and many homes made up the town. In 1880, the Grant House of Ida, kept by P.F. Grant was fast advancing in public favor as a first-class hotel. The Stage stopped in front of the mercantile store. From The Republic County History published in 1964 by the Republic County Historical Society.

Kackley, a village in Beaver township, Republic county, is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. about 15 miles southwest of Belleville, the county seat. It is the principal grain market for that section of the county, has a money order postoffice, express and telegraph offices, a bank, several business establishments, good schools, and churches of several different denominations. The population in 1910 was 250. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 46.

Munden, an incorporated town of Republic county, is located on the north line of Fairview township, 8 miles northwest of Belleville on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. It was established in Sept., 1887, and was named after the owner of the town site, John Munden. The first general store was built by John Washichek and the first postmaster was A. M. Canfield. Munden now has a dozen business establishments among which are a bank, a newspaper (the Munden Progress), several stores, telegraph, telephone and express offices, and a money order postoffice with three rural routes. The population in 1910 was 275. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 332.

Narka, a village of Republic county, is located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. 14 miles northeast of Belleville in Albion township. It was established in 1887 by M. A. Low and C. J. Gilson, president and secretary of the town company, and was incorporated as a city of the third class in 1894. According to the census of 1910 it had 278 inhabitants. It has 2 churches, a bank, a weekly newspaper (the Narka News), a money order postoffice with three rural mail routes, telegraph, telephone and express facilities, and is a trading and shipping point for a rich agricultural district. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 334.

Norway, located on the Republican river and on the Missouri Pacific R. R. in Norway township of Republic county, is 16 miles southwest of Belleville, the county seat, and 7 miles from Scandis. It has a money order postoffice, express and telegraph offices, and a local retail trade. The population in 1910 was 150. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 377.

Republic, an incorporated town of Republic county, is located in Big Bend township on the Republican river and the Missouri Pacific R. R., 16 miles northwest of Belleville, the county seat. It was founded in March, 1878, by a town company composed of A. B. Young, H. S. Stone, Milton Grim, J. B. Pollard, Fred and William Elliott, and T. F. Marlett. The first building erected in the town was a blacksmith shop, which was put up in Oct., 1878, by E. B. Duncan. About the same time the Gomeria postoffice was removed to Republic, and in May, 1879, a man named Capers erected a business building, the town company donating him two lots for a site. In June, 1879, the town was surveyed and the first lots offered for sale. The following spring the railroad was completed and Republic began to assume a position of some importance. In 1910 it had 2 banks, a money order postoffice with three rural routes, a weekly newspaper (the News), express and telegraph offices, several good mercantile establishments, good schools and churches and a population of 450. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 574.

Rydal, a small village on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. in Belleville township, Republic county, is 5 miles west of Belleville, the county seat. There are telegraph, telephone, postoffice and express facilities, a grain and coal establishment and a nursery. The population in 1910 was 31. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 617.

Scandia, an incorporated town of Republic county, is located on the Republican river 10 miles west of Belleville, the county seat. It was settled by Scandinavians in 1869, the following being the first to arrive: M. Johnson, Charles Lesom, P. Walin, Mr. Lundin, John Strom, F. Granstadt, A. Bergen, A. Erickson, J. R. Sandel, John Holstrom and Peter Johnson. The first store was built in 1869 by J. R. Sandel. The building was 8 feet square and the goods invoiced $125. This was also the first store in Republic county. The first American flag to be raised in Kansas was raised by Capt. Pike near the site of Scandia in 1806. (See Pike's Expedition.)
Scandia was an important trading point in the early days, being in the line of the shortest route to the homestead country from Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. It had the only ferry on the upper Republican and stage lines daily from Hanover, tri-weekly from Waterville, Junction City and Jewell, and weekly from White Rock and Solomon. Some of the early business men were L. C. Hanson, hotel; Wilson Bros., general store; Amos Coyle, drugs and groceries; A. T. Miller, groceries and provisions. The first railroad was the Missouri Pacific running north and south, which reached Scandia in 1878. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific runs through Scandia east and west. The census of 1910 gave Scandia 579 inhabitants. It has five churches, 2 banks, a weekly newspaper (the Journal), telegraph, telephone and express offices, and a money order postoffice with three rural routes. The Kansas Gazetteer for 1909 lists 80 business and professional men in Scandia. It is a shipping point for grain, live stock and other farm products.
Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 653.

Sherdahl, a village in Union township, Republic county, is located 11 miles northwest of Bellville, the county seat, and about 5 miles north of Scandia. The population in 1910 was 24. Mail is received by rural delivery from Scandia. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 689.

Talmo, a station on the Union Pacific railroad, is 9 miles south of Belleville, Republic county. It has about a dozen business establishments, a postoffice, telegraph, telephone and express offices, etc. Belleville, the county seat, is the nearest banking point. The number of inhabitants in 1910 was 150. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, pages 795-796.

Wayne, a village in Grant township, Republic county, is a station on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. 11 miles southeast of Belleville, the county seat. It was laid out in 1884, immediately after the railroad was built through the southeastern part of the county. The site was located on the homestead of Isaac Walton and the first building was a general store erected by William Hill in Aug., 1884. It has a money order postoffice with one rural route, telegraph and express offices, churches, schools, a weekly newspaper and banking facilities. All the leading professions and lines of business activity are represented. The population according to the census of 1910 was 200. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 897.

White Rock, a village of Republic county, is located on the west side of the Republican river in White Rock township about 14 miles northwest of Belleville, the county seat. It was the first settlement west of the Republican river and was settled in 1866 by Thomas Lovewell. The town was laid out in 1871. Indian outrages were common and before 1870 some 25 people were either killed or carried away from this settlement. At one time White Rock was an important point. It was in the path of the leading emigrant route from Nebraska to the homestead territory. In 1873 there were 3 general stores, a sawmill, a corn mill and a hotel. At present there are no business houses, only about 30 people, and the mail comes by rural route from Courtland. Extracted 2002 by Carolyn Ward from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, volume II, page 907.