Extinct Towns in Douglas County, Kansas - History and Information

Extinct Towns of Douglas County, Kansas - Page 2

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Franklin - Located just four miles southeast of Lawrence when it was founded in October, 1853, Franklin was a pro-slavery stronghold situated between the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. It was one of the oldest settlements and Indian trading posts in Douglas County and the first stage stop west of Westport (now part of Kansas City, Missouri.) When Kansas was opened to settlement in 1854, a number of Missourians moved to Franklin, further strengthening its pro-slavery stance. In 1855, Franklin received a post office. Situated so closely to Lawrence, the "unofficial" Free-State capital, the settlers were constantly in conflict. Two battles were fought near here in 1856, the Battle of Franklin in June and the Battle of Fort Saunders in August. A number of small skirmishes continued through the fall, but pro-slaver forces began to leave.

An old sidewalk and farm in what was once Franklin, Kansas, Kathy Weiser, March, 2009.

In 1857, the town was officially incorporated, a ferry was established on the Kansas River north of town and a general store was opened by Dr. R.L. Williams. During the Lawrence Massacre of August, 1863, there was such a demand for houses, that many of the dwellings in Franklin were moved to Lawrence and after the Civil War, Franklin dramatically declined. The post office closed its doors in 1867 and the entire townsite eventually was owned by Dr. R.L. Williams, who farmed the area for several years. Franklin is today, but a suburb of Lawrence. However, it must have had some development in later years, as the one street in town is lined with old sidewalks.

This old homestead appears to be utilized today for construction

purposes, Kathy Weiser, March, 2009.

Globe, aka: Marion - When first established, this settlement was called Marion when the Marion Town Company laid off a town site of 320 acres in 1857-58. It was named it "Marion," in honor of General Francis Marion, of Revolutionary fame. It was located in the extreme southwestern portion in the valley of Eight Mile creek, about 12 miles west of Baldwin City. A post office was established in 1858 and the Town Company dug a well and built a blacksmith shop. That same year, a store was opened by D. Hubbard and a few houses were built built. The post office lasted until 1867, at which time it closed for two years, reopening in 1870. In August, 1881, the name of the town was changed to Globe and the post office shut down for the last time in 1900. In 1910, it had a population of 47 people.

Stull - First called Deer Creek, the area was settled by people of German ancestry, mainly Pennsylvania Dutch. By 1857, six families were living in the area and two years later, the settlers organized the Evangelical Emmanuel Church. In 1867, they built a stone church on land donated by Jacob Hildenbrand. Sermons at the church were preached in German until 1908. Sadly, the church was torn down in March, 2002.

The small village received a post office in April, 1899, and the town took the name of Stull for its first and only postmaster Sylvester Stull. It was only open for four years and closed in 1903. In 1910 its population was just about 31. The Stull Church of Christ was built in 1913 and somewhere along the line, a bank was established. Like other small farming communities, Stull declined over the years and today is called home to just a few residents, some of whom are descendants of the original founders, and an old cemetery. Still located on maps of today, Stull is located about seven miles west of Lawrence on Highway 40.

More Extinct Towns

Town	Post Office Dates	*Additional Information from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, 1912, and the Kansas State Historical Society*
Aeolia	None
Akron	1870	Post office only open for a month, moved from and to Willow Springs.
Aladdin	1875-1881
Alexander	None
Alfred	1875-1878, 1882-1902
Alladin	None
Appanoose	1857-1860, 1870-1902	First established in Franklin County before moving to Douglas County. In 1910 was described as a small hamlet situated in the extreme southwestern corner, 8 miles southeast of Overbrook, the nearest railroad station. At that time, it had a population of less than 20.
Baden	1883-1886, 1888-1891
Bald Eagle	None
Barbers Station	None
Belevue	None
Belmont	None
Benicia	None
Black Jack	1858-1895
Black Jack Point	None
Blackfau, aka: Blackfaw	None
Blanton	1855-1856
Bloomington	1855-1858
Blue Jackets Crossing, aka: Blue Jackets Ford	None
Blue Mound	None
Brooklyn, aka: Brooklin, Brookline	None
Calcutta	1875-1881
Camp Sackett	None
Chandler	None
Chester	None
Clearfield	1885-1900	A small hamlet in the southeastern part of Douglas County, it was located on a branch of the Wakarusa River, four miles east of Vinland. In 1910, it had a population of less than 20 inhabitants.
Collinwood Farm	None
Coon Point	None
Douglas, aka: Douglas City	1855	Moved to Lecompton.
East	None
Echo	1874-1875, 1878-1900,
Elysian Plains	None
Excelsior	None
Fall Leaf	None
Gideon	1883-1902
Glasgow City	1875
Glen Burn	1856-1857
Glendale	1881-1894
Grover	1886-1895, 1897-1899	Located in the extreme northwestern part of the county it was situated on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad about 15 miles northwest of Lawrence.
Hesper	1868-1900	A hamlet located in the eastern portion of the county, five miles southeast of Eudora. In 1910, it had a population of 36 and the Friends had an academy there.
Hickory Point	None
Hog Back	None
Hole in the Rock	None
Holling	1869-1900
India	None
Jefferson, aka: Jefferson City.	1865-1872	First established in Jefferson County.
Kanwaka, aka: Kanawha, Kannaka, Kanwaca	1857-1870, 1898-1900
Kennedy Valley	None
Kezerville, aka: Kegerville, Kozerville	1856
Lake View, aka: Horseshoe Lake	1898-1914	A hamlet in the northern part of Douglas County located on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and and a branch of the Kansas River, five miles northwest of Lawrence. In 1910, it had a money order post office, telegraph and express facilities, and a population of 15.
Lane	1855-1856
Lapeer	1873-1902
Lone Star, aka: Bond	1875-1953	Name changed from Bond to Lone Star in October, 1899. The village was located in the central portion of the county, about eight miles southwest of Lawrence. In 1910, it had a money order post office, some local trade, and a population of 75.
Louisiana	1856-1857
Marshall	None
McKinney	1857-1868
Media	1878-1903	Moved from Prairie City.
Midland	None	A hamlet located on the Union Pacific Railroad about four miles north of Lawrence. In 1910, it had a population 50.
Miller's Springs, aka: Miller, Millerburg	None
Mission Camp	None
Mount Aeolia	None
Mount Hope	None
Mount Oread	None
Mount Vernon	None
Neoma	None
Nevada City	1855-1857
New Boston	None
New Haven	None
North Lawrence, aka: Jefferson, Jefferson City.	1865-1885	First established in Jefferson County. Name changed from Jefferson to North Lawrence in December, 1872.
Oak Ridge	None
Orbondale, aka: Auburndale.	None
Ottawa	None
Pacific City	None
Palmyra	1857-1862	Town merged with and name changed to Baldwin City.
Pleasant Grove	1879-1900	A hamlet located in the central portion of the county, eight miles northwest of Baldwin and six miles west of Sibley. It had a population of 45 in 1910.
Prairie City	1856-1878	Moved to Media.
Red Deer	None
Redemption City	None
Saint Charles	None
Salem	None
Scottsville	None
Sebastian	None
Seigel	1900-1901
Sibley	1884-1934	A hamlet located on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, seven miles south of Lawrence. In 1910, it had a post office and express facilities and a population of 25. The railroad name was Sibleyville.
Sigel	1862-1874, 1875-1888, 1891-1896
Stanton	None
Stewart	None
Titus/Fort Titus	None	Part of Lecompton.
Tokeska	None
Twin Mound	1858-1903
Tyler Place	None
Wakansa	None
Wakarusa	1857-1866
Wakefield	None
Walker City	None
Washington	None
Washington Creek	1873-1882
Weaver	1891-1903	A hamlet situated in the extreme northeastern portion of the county on the south bank of the Kansas River, about three miles northeast of Eudora.
Wheatland	1856
Willow Springs, aka: Davis	1855-1900	Name changed from Davis May, 1870
Wilson's Springs	None
Winchester	None
Worden, aka: Warden	1884-1904	A hamlet located in the south central part of the county about seven miles west of Baldwin City. In 1910 the population was 26.
Yankee Town	None
Yellow Springs	None

Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of Kansas, updated April, 2010.

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