Wyandotte County History
History of the "Western Corridor" of Wyandotte County
Wirtten and Contributed by Diane Treff
In my spare time for a number of years I have pursued the hobby of genealogy. While doing so, I have run across many stories about not only family but, the western corridor of Wyandotte County, Kansas and the mid eastern section of Leavenworth County, Kansas.
At one time, there were a number of bergs/small communities in this particular area of Kansas. To name a few, we had Edwardsville, Bonner Springs (which at one time was Tiblow), Maywood, Piper, Wolcott (which at one time was Conner Creek), Menegar Junction, Horanif, Pleasant Ridge, Wallula, Victory Junction & Stone Station. Of course, east of the aforementioned we had White Church, Bethel, & Pomeroy.
I hope you enjoy this compilation.
MENANGER JUNCTION
was a small hamlet northwest of what we refer today as �old down town Piper�. To the best of my knowledge the Railroad Depot & Post Office at Menager Junction sat at about 131st Street between Leavenworth Road and Donahue Road. The Menager Post Office was established January 19, 1888 and dissolved January 15, 1901. The Menager community got their mail from Piper after their post office closed.
I am not sure when the railroad depot closed, but I do know that it remained open after the post office closed.
There were actually some events worth mentioning that took place at Menager Junction.
It was reported in the Kansas City Star on June 24, 1903, that A. Nelson, a brakeman on the Chicago Great Western Road was nearly killed at Menager Junction when he was run into while flagging a train. He was removed to a hospital in Kansas City.
On June 6, 1917, the KCStar told of three Menager Junction residents, John Hastings, his wife (Anna) and a farm hand Harold Rainey who were all carried some 65 yards and injured with nonlife threatening injuries as they tried to run to a storm cave on their property after spotting a corkscrew cloud in the field. Their house, garage and barn were all turned to kindling.
Mrs. Anna Menager lacked six (6) weeks of being 101 years old.
She died at her granddaughter Anna (Davis) Hastings home on US Highway 73 near
Victory Junction. Emporia Gazette Sept. 24, 1937 (see also Victory Junction)
Prominent names, to name a few, of the Menager Junction area were Menager, Treff, Brauer, Coffey, Voigt, Eberth, Waldron & Meade.
PIPER, KANSAS Tidbits
The Piper Post Office opened January 28, 1888 and closed on August 12, 1971.
Feb. 1902: �Little Roy Scott� 2 yr. 11mos & 16days died of tuberculosis meningitis. He was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Scott. Floyd Ellis, Howard Gale & Albert Meade were his pall bearers. Funeral was at the Baptist Church in Piper, Ks.
Jan 13, 1916: David Schutman, a 65 year old, man was found frozen to death. He had been living in a shack on land owned by H.A. Parker. Parker found him half way between the shack and the Parker home a mile distant. It is believed that he fell and was overcome by the cold. (Kansas City Star Jan. 13, 1916)
January 1920: Piper School district was granted permission by the State Fund Commission to vote for bonds in the amount of $12,000. This being the amount over the $20,000 the district was permitted under law to issue. They planned to build a �modern� brick High School. They expected it to cost $32,000.
THE PIPER SCHOOL REOPENS-After a Contagious Disease Scare- Work Will Be Resumed School was closed for a week in February, 1922. The death of a high school student from meningitis and the death of a Piper resident of pneumonia prompted the closing. (KCStar 2-18-1922)
PIPER HIGH GYM IN USE
The News Press February 1, 1951: Work on the new $80,000.00, Piper high school gymnasium has now been completed following a delay due to the steel shortage last summer. The new addition is the first structural change in the building since construction in 1902. It has a high beamed ceiling, with direct lighting. Permanent bleachers are located along one wall of the building. Previously the gymnasium was a well-like affair, located in the basement of the 3 story building. Harry Falgren is the high school coach. **I make note that this article was in err when it reported the building originally being constructed in 1902, in fact it was 1920.
MAYWOOD, KANSAS
The Maywood, Kansas Post Office opened on March 20, 1872 and dissolved on May 25, 1888. However, it reopened again on January 18, 1907 only to close two years later on January 15, 1909.
WALLULA, KANSAS
The Post Office at Wallula, Kansas opened on July 16, 1889 and closed on July 15, 1918. It reopened February 1925 and remained open for about twenty more years. It closed on August 31, 1942. Wallula school district served both Wyandotte County & Leavenworth County students. Well known artist, Walter Alexander Bailey attended school at Wallula. He studied with Thomas Hart Benton at the Kansas City Art Institute.
HORANIF, KANSAS
Most likely named after the Horan family.
In 1891, the post office was robbed of stamps and postcards valued at 100.00.-KCStar
The Post Office at Horanif opened on May 29, 1888 and closed Feb. 28, 1901.
VICTORY JUNCTION
On Saturday night, November 21, 1925, Harry Jons opened his dance hall at Victory Junction. Advertised in the KCSTAR: Music by Billy Lynch, Red Hot Orchestra from Kansas City. Prices for the best Charleston couple were given. According to the advertisement in the KCStar �Best of Order Assured�.
EMPORIA GAZETTE: Sept. 24, 1937 Mrs. Ann Menager lacked 6 weeks of being aged 101. She died at her granddaughter Anna (Davis) Hastings� home on US Highway 73 near Victory Junction.
In 1947 the Victory Lunch was a great place to eat. This establishment was owned by Emma & Wilbert Crum. Original the Victory Lunch was a restaurant, grocery store and gas station. The couple discontinued selling the gas. They owned the restaurant until 1972. Their daughter Mary Ann (Mrs.Bill Theno) still resides in the area. Wilbert died in 1989 & Emma in 1994.
Dec. 1, 1955: Tonganoxie Mirror reported of the death of Earnest H. Treff the previous Thursday. Mr. Treff was credited with the naming of Victory Junction a small town south of Leavenworth. His father had purchased the land from the Indians.
Summer of 1962, Mrs. (Jack) Mildred Marie Elliott (42) was brutally murdered at the Victory Junction Caf�. Suspect believed to be in the Tonganoxie area.
Chester Klinkenberg owned Klinkenberg�s Garage at Victory Junction from 1952-
1966.
Here ends my compilation. Any conversation or additional information requests may be directed to me at [email protected]
Contents of this page � Diane Treff, June 2012
Return to
Wyandotte Co. KHHP
|
� 2011-2012 Kansas History and Heritage Project
|