https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/424/Post_Offices_and_General_Stores.pdf 9ccb8a0da9da24d82816c883b7a4eb9e PDF Text Text were children. Many of us made our first purchases at these stores. Most items were staples such as coffee, flour, sugar, bread, lard, and other sundry items. Most of us will never forget the glass candy jars and the containers holding crackers, one of which is now my bread box with the words "National Biscuit Co" on the front above the glass POST OFFICES AND GENERAL STORES T98 Many of us can remember the little "Pa and Ma" grocery stores in our towns when we K IT I -r-r-----]--T; I I I tLCnt: o talley CARSOIi COUIJTY N o ioCarey I i-:. 9Cnapin i i oTu i: lel €.lAVea6a re oYa le G =#t - Lrvsial ofoyt r - 5 ia. 1r I can feel the excitement of going and Ct.''r i )l ll o 3:a. i2l 3e io i l I c c',a.': Poin I I o ,o.o o pest . preSent insert. These same stores were found on the prairie to provide the "necessities" for the growing rural population in a community. We must remember that transportation was by walking, riding a horse or taking the buggy to get the mail and make a purchase or two. I I inch = 10.6 mil-es The Colorado Prospeetor l;Xl:r tl c't \t!,t possibly meeting a neighbor and hearing "the news" filling the social needs of people who were rather isolated on their farms. Today finds us deep in the search for these small etores and post offices tucked away in the corner of someone's home or maybe in it's own building with a hitching post out front. From several maps and written sources we have been able to gather biLs and pieces of this puzzle and hope that you will find a new name to add to our amazing history of Kit Carson County. We know that some of these Post Offices and General Stores are missing from the material that we have including "Valley" and Eastonville southwest of Seibert which was a Post Office and Store. The map is incomplete but it is included so that you may have an idea where these places were located to help serve the people living in Kit Carson County at the time. Name, County, Established, Discontinued. Ashland, Kit Carson, Jan 14, 1890, May 15, 1909. Baltzer, Kit Carson, June 4, 190?, Dec 14,L907. Beaverton, Kit Carson, Oct 17, 1910, Nov 28, 1915. Berry, Kit Carson, Apr 13, 1911, Apr L5,tglz. Bethune, Kit Carson, Jan 19, 1889, May 15, 1.905. Bonny, Kit Carson, Jun 3, 1915, Feb 29, L924. Burlington, Kit Carson (Elbert), Apr 29, 1887. Cary, Kit Carson, Dec 12, 1910, Dec 30, 1916. Carlisle, Kit Carson (Elbert), Jul 21, 1887, Jun 9, 1890. Chapin, Kit Carson, Feb 15, 1890, Nov 10, 1894. Claremont (Stratton), Kit Carson (Elbert), Sep 11, 1888, Apr 24,L906. Cole, Kit Carson, Mar 7, 1907, Dec 31, 1919. Dodgeville, Kit Carson, Sep 14, 1907, Dec 14, 1907. Elphis, Kit Carson, Dec 8, 1916, Dec 14, 1923. Farley, Kit Carson, Mar 8, 1908, Oct 15, 1908. Flagler (Bowser), Kit Carson (Elbert), Oct 12, 1888. Goff, Kit Carson (Elbert), Apr 23, 1888, Jun 15, 1910. Hanover, Kit Carson, Jul 7, 1908, Jul 7, 1908. Hermes, Kit Carson (Yuma), Sep 11, 1908, Nov 15, 1919. Kukkuk, Kit Carson, Lpr 24, 1907, Apr 15, 1908. Landsman, Elbert-Arapahoe-Kit Carson, ".".r'':'1 ...1 ; I {1. r iL "..rrq.i Piolo co[rtcry Denvcr Publle Ubriry, WcJtcr! lllrtory. Old County Mep Nell's l8t9- mep of Colgrado show towns In Klt Cerson County that have long slnee faded from the scene. requent relerenees !o these pleces ln eerly newspapers lead one to belleve that al on€ tlme they served ite a populatlon. Mar 27,1883, May 31, 1908. Lansing, Yuma, Sep 17, 1886, Feb 28, 1910. Loco, Kit Carson, Mar 11, 1903, May 3L, 1922. Morris, Kit Carson, Mar 18, 190?, Mar 15, 1914. Oriska, Kit Carson, Dec 22, 1910, Dec 31, 1917. Seibert, Kit Carson (Elbert), Oct 17, 1888. Stratton, Kit Carson, Mar 24, 1906. Tuttle, Kit Carson (Elbert), Mar 27,1883, Mar 31, 1918. Valley, Kit Carson, Jun 2, 1898, Aug 15, �1901. Vona, Kit Carson (Elbert), Jan 19, 1889. Wallet, Kit Carson, Apr 8, 1890, May 15, 1907. Yale, Kit Carson, Sep 10, 1891, Nov 30, 1905. by Marlyn Hasart Beaverton (rural post office) was located about 12 miles southwest of Bethune or 12 miles south and 3 east of Stratton, and was in operation from about 1906 to 1920. It was on the correction line east of Paul Lowe and the Werner places. It was on the south side of the road and a windmill is still there. In 1906 Jim McPheters bought and ran the store ASIILAND T99 Ashland (rural post office) was located about twenty miles northeast of Burlington, and the Ashland post office was in operation from 1890 to 1909. AVENDALE T100 Avendale (rural post office) was located about ten miles northeast of Seibert. The Avendale post office was in operation from 1889 to 1890. at what was later known as the Dave Megel place. In 1916, John and Libby Higgons were the next operators. They sold groceries and notions. Then, they built a new sod building and moved the store to the corner just west of the Megel place, which is known as the Art Lowe place. About 1919, Mr. and Mrs. George Church bought out the Higgons goods, built a frame house for a store with living quarters in the back, just about a block east of the First Central School in Sec. 3-2-46. Mr. Church had to haul all supplie5 from Stratton about 15 miles, and at first by wagon. Later, he bought a truck with solid rubber tires. They kept a general store with a nice supply of items and I think they bought eggs and creom. When people got more cars, the business got unprofitable and they closed the store. After there was no longer a Beaverton, (sometime in the 20's) this building was used by some of the teachers at First Central for BEAVERTON Tlol housing. When the acreage was lost, someone moved the building and so closes another chapter of one of our pioneer towns. Sally (Church) Bauder (whose parents were once the owners of the Beaverton Post office) was one of Burlington's teachers for a number of years. by Isaphene Dunlap Lesher and Mrs. Gertrude (Sally) Church Bauder BELOIT Tl02 The Beloit Post Office was located about nine miles southwest of Bethune and was in Beaverton Poet Office and Store dated 1911, note cream cans and adobe brick or sod brick construc- tion. operation from 1888 to 1894. Mail was originally brought from Cheyenne Wells. When the route for the new railroad was first surveyed in 1886, it was announced that it would go west from Colby to Colorado Springs. Acting on this information and the information that the B & M railroad was going to build between St. Francis and Pueblo, the founders thought that their town would become the biggest town in the eastern part of the state. The men interested in the townsite were: the Roberts Brothers, J.T. Marion, D.H.Lem, Frank Durland, Shelby W. Betzer, M.F.L. Bezinge and Clement L.V. Sampson. Posters in red and white, 4 ft. long and 2 ft. high were put up all over central Nebraska. These posters invited settlers to come to Beloit, the future site ofthe county seat ofeastern Elbert County. Beloit was the voting precinct 12 and the elections were held there and at the Hoskins ranch until 1894. This did not come about because the railroad went west from Goodland and the B & M stopped in St. Francis. They were a full 8 miles off. Some of the organizers had been at the birth of Seward, Nebr., and they felt that they could duplicate the success of the city in eastern Colo. Beloit was laid out with this in mind. The townsite was in a tract of 44 acres at the points of Sec.'s 7, 8, 17, and 18, in township 10, range 45. 11 and onefourth acres were taken from each section in such a way that the section lines ran through the townsite center. A well, 200 ft. deep, was dug at the intersection and the buildings were placed in a square about 300'back and facing the well. This well furnished water for the entire countryside for a number of years. W.M. Hollowell of Columbia surveyed the Beloit-Cheyenne Wells stage road, Feb. 11, 1888. Parts of this road can still be seen running as straight as the crow flies across country. Where it crossed the Imoky, a barrel for water was sunk for wa5rfarers. Following excerpts were from the Cheyenne Wells Gazette: Feb. 11, 1888 "Already a store is in operation; a printing office is being built and two young men from Nebraska will publish a paper; a blacksmith is preparing to open a shop and a butcher shop will follow soon." April 28, 1888: "A mail stage will be put on between Beloit and Wells next week", May 5, 1888 "Beloit mail is now being carried between that office and this three times a week. The route will be extended to Floyd". The J.T. Roberts General Store and the Townsite Office were located southwest of the well. To the southeast was the sod residence of Marton Roberts which was afterwards used as the office of the Beloit Weekly Bugle. The Editor was named Betzer, then later Frank Gregoire (who died of typhoid fever). To the southeast was the Ed Hoskins blacksmith shop and the sod residence of C.L.V. Sampeon, which was also used as a school house. The Matthies Bro. Hardware store building and stock of the J.T. Roberts were later moved to Claremont. The Ed Hogkins blacksmith shop was moved to his ranch, two mileg east of Beloit. The Beloit Weekly Bugle outfit was sold to one of the Burlington papers and a special Beloit edition was printed for a few weeks and then ceased. Cattle rubbed down the sod buildings, the windmill and pump were sold and the well Beaverton P.O. and General Store dated 1914. filled up. In 1894, the county commissioners established a public road where Main Street should have been, but the dry years of 1893 and 1894 were too much for the community. The settlers moved away until there were �only one or two families left, and in 1894, Beloit ceased to exist. CAREY by Editors BOWSER (BOWSERVTLLE) CLAREMONT Tl06 Carey post office was established 16 miles north and 3 % east of Vona in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carey, in 1910. Postmaster Carey was a farmer and ran the general store in one of the two rooms of his house. Mr. N.D. Guley Tl03 The town of Bowser, better known as Bowserville, was named for the dog of a settler in the area. It was a promising town until the coming of the railroad. At that time, Flagler developed at the site of the siding. For the next several months, Bowser provided was appointed mail carrier from Carey to Tuttle, located nine miles east of his home. He made the trip by buggy, three times weekly by using his faithful team, Sampson and Dolly. About 1915, the Vona mail route was extended into that community and the route from Carey to Tuttle discontinued, so the Carey post office ceased to exist. T109 Claremont was laid out by R.S. Newell from Frankfort, Kansas and G.P. Wilson of Topeka, Ks. In May 1888, the Chicago Rock Island Railway Co. had completed construction of their tracks to a point 3 miles east of present day Stratton on the Sand Creek. Claremont consisted of a railroad depot; store, owned by Mr. Bell; blacksmith shop, operated by N.H. Fuller; a saloon; hotel, operated by Miss Smith; printing shop; the Claremont State Bank, Mr. Root, President; drug store; hardware store, owned by Hobart Bros., with the post office located in part of their store; and Dr. Tripp, M.D. was Claremont's first physician. J.T. Roberts store (moved from Beloit) was the only store on Main Street, at first. A Mr. mail service for Flagler until Flagler was able to obtain a post office. Bowser was eventually absorbed by the developing of Flagler. CARLISLE TroT Fuller sold his blacksmith shop and he BONNY Carlisle (railroad post office) was located about eight miles northeast of Burlington. It was originally Lansing but was changed to Claremont. About 1904. the Rock Island Tlo4 Bonny (rural post office) was located about eighteen miles north of Burlington, and the Bonny post office was in operation from 1915 to L924. THE BROWNWOOD STORE TroS In the spring of 1916, the cement building that became known as the Brownwood Store was erected by Nick Brownwood and Charlie Davis. It was built on Brownwood'g property, 15 miles north and 1 west of Vona. The Brownwood Store carried groceries, as well as a line of general merchandise. It served quite a large area and customers came from quite a distance to bring in their eggs and milk and to do their trading. The store building also contained the Elphis Post Office. Elphis was the official name for the community but, most just called it the Brownwood Store. In about l922,the Brownwoods sold out to 'Mr. and Mrs. Dick Roorda and family. After Mrs. Roorda's death, Mr. Roorda's sister, Mrs. Rena Loopstra, came to help in the store. She was later joined by her husband, Fred. It was at this time that the Loopstras took over the store. During the early 30's, the store was a popular gathering place on Saturday afternoons. The people of the community enjoyed Carlisle so they could secure a post office box. This post office, in 188?, provided most of the mail for eastern Kit Carson County. There is no record of the platting of the town of Carlisle in the Burlington Platt Book. But apparently it was platted somewhere else because it was supposed to have had a total Mr. Bell was the first post master in decided to change the town name to Machias, due to the fact that so much freight was being sent to Claremont, California. The post office retained the name of Claremont. This was found unsatisfactory, and after much discussion the railroad and the Post Office Dept., agreed upon the name of Stratton, Colo. of 43 or 45 blocks. The town was established long before the coming of the railroad and was the point to which supplies were freighted from the B&M and the Kansas Pacific Railroad. It was located I % miles east of Peconic or in the S.E. %, sec.29-8-42 and was for 3 or 4 years a busy trading post that included several storeg, newspaper and even a school. It was later absorbed by the development of Kanarado and Burlington. The store was foreclosed in favor of the Wholesale Company. Frances E. Chaney, Elbert L. Callinger, William Hoyt and Armond Winn were associated with the early town. One person from Wallet neighborhood would go to Carlise on Tuesdays, pick up the mail, leave it at his home and the people would come get it. Mr. Elmer Fasse has farmed the Southeast l/t sec. of 29-8-42 for 30 years and in the center of this quarter is where the town of Carlisle was. Mr. Dara Hines told me he and his uncle used to deliver produce to Carlisle coming from Almena, Kansas using oxen to deliver potatoes, flour, beans and other groceries. When Elmer started farming this quarter there was a spot where the store stood and a deep dug pit no doubt what was left of the cellar where we found lots of pieces of stone crock ware and broken pieces of dishes. A person can still find the spot but due to farming over the area there is just a little depression there now. visiting and ball games. It was during one of these ball games, that Ralph Flageolle was killed and Burt Smit seriously injured when they collided while running after a ball. The Loopstras ran the store throughout the 1930's. In the early 1940's they moved to Englewood and sold the store to the Bill Weisshaars. The Weisshaars operated the store for only a short time before moving the contents to Idalia. The building, which is still standing, has about six miles northwest of Avendale, and the Chapin post office was in operation from been used as a granary since then. 1890 to 1894. by Ilorace Boger bought the Roberts store, then a few years later sold it to Fred Matthies. CHAPIN COLE T110 Cole (rural post office) and town was located about fifteen miles south of Burlington, in the residence of the family living east of the school about a half mile, on the Cole and Thompansen ranches. But was later moved to a location 13 miles south of the east side of Burlington. The family also kept some groceries for the convenience of the people that were always stormed in during the winters. Lee Moore said during the winter of 1918 (a WWI year) the snow was very deep. George Movis was one of the early postmasters in the town. The Cole post office was in operation from 1907 to 1919. COLUMBIA Tlll Columbia was platted next to the Rock Island and the platwas filed on May 28, 1888; however, Columbia never obtained a post office by the name Columbia and was little more than a plat. July 21, 1888, according to the Cheyenne Wells Gazette: "a post office has been established at Columbia under the name of Oranola. The old name was not permitted by the department owing to there being a Columbia in California" In the late 1930's. a Mrs. A.H. Fuller writes: TtoS "We came to Old Columbia and it was not Chapin (rural post office) was located known then where the depot would be built. When it was built, it was four miles west of where we were, and the nnme changed to by Janice Salmans Claremont, then Machias, and then later Stratton." Claremont vied with Burlington for the sit€ of the county seat, Burlington received 451 votes and Claremont 170 votes. �i1..li{ia August 18, 1888, "The contractfor carrying the mail from Cheyenne Wells to Tuttle has been awarded to Latham A. Smith of Columbia, at eight hundred and sixty seven dollars a year. It was a cheap bid." ullrEs. I lr9 uwv Duvry uuuuruE, wdD uquL uJ W.A. Richards. The first story had rock walls which housed the post office, creamery and store. William Richards carried mail with team and buggy every third day up and down the river. The supplies for the store were ordered and came by train to Burlington. Mr. E.E. Harrison distributed them to the small CRYSTAL SPRINGS Ttt2 On July 3 and 4, 1888, Lloyd Gross first surveyed the town. Crystal Springs was laid out on the NW %, of Sec. 9, south of range 50, and consisting of a tract of 1,902 ft. from east to west and 1,930 ft. north to south, in the SE corner of quarter section. Presumably the railroad was to pass through the center of the section, but to get a better river crossing and grade, it swung half a mile further south. Carilla M. Strode proved up on this piece of land and sold it to Stephen S. Strode, who laid out the townsite. The town had twenty blocks, part of them being 300 by 400 feet and the remainder 300 by 410 feet. Main street was 100 feet wide and the others 80 feet wide. Rather a unique plan for naming the streets was adopted. The first four streets running north and south were called: Chicago, Rock Island, Colorado and Railway. The other streets were named Spring, First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth. In 1889. Mr. Strode filed in the office of the county clerk an affidavit to the effect that none ofthe lots in the townsite had been sold and vacated the survey, by Janice Salmans ELPHIS TrrS Elphis (rural post office) was located near the site of Carey; the Elphis post office operated from 1916 to 1923. by Janice Salmans FLOYD T114 December 31, 1887, "Mr. Lewis Dyer of Floyd, a new town just located fifteen miles west of Burlington on the Rock Island survey, was in Cheyenne Wells today." Mr. Dyer was a member of the Floyd Town Company. May 19, 1888, The Beloit hack made regular trips to Columbia, Floyd and Tuttle. by Cheyenne WeIIs Gazette Today, Goff Store on the Spring Valley Ranch, 1988, formerly the McCriIIis Ranch. a post office located at the Lee Yount Ranch on the Republican River, then on to Hermes post office at W.A. Richards, then on to Yale post office located at the Sam Schaal Sr. Ranch and then back to Burlington a distance of 45 miles. He would make the trip three times a week, using horses and a spring wagon and sometimes a top buggy. by llarry & Ruth Richards WARNER STORE the Spring Valley Ranch 18 miles north of Burlington. Mr. E.E. Harrison, an uncle of Ruth Bauder's mother, carried the mail for several years. He would leave Burlington and go to Bonny post office located at the Harvey Runge Ranch, then to Goff, then to Lansing, Earlv 1900's. Art and Sarah Warner built the Warner Store in the early 1920's. It was located 16 miles northwest of Burlington. This store was built along the road on their farmstead by Art and Cecil Warner. It had a tall square "store front" with a gas pump in front. The merchandise that was carried consisted of groceries and other general store items along with overalls and men's work shirts. The people who traded there came from quite a distance along with the close neighbors. Sunday afternoons were special as the community gathered and had ball games each week and of course the store was always open with all the family helping to run it. The Warner's son, Warden died at the age of29 in 1933 and their father, Art died in 1934 leaving Sarah and Leila to care for the store. Leila married Ray Plummer and they moved to Burlington when he was elected sheriff. Sarah remained on the farm and ran the store until 1946 when she sold the place to Ed Knodel. Sarah died in 1968 and Ray Plummer died in L974. Leila now makes her home in Burlington. Leila's sister Elma burned to death at the age of 7 years. GOFF POST OFFICE The post office known as Goff, from 18971905 was located at the McCrillis Ranch; it's the big square house on the hill, which is now Richards, WiIIiam Richards, Edna Morrisey, May'rne Richards and man with gun unknown. T116 by Leila Plummer TllS Hermes Post Office, L. to R.; Unknown, John HERMES POST OFFICE TllT About 1908 Mr. Richards started a general store known as the Ranch Supply Company and a creamery and post office known as Hermes. On Section 35 Range 5 South 45, west and south of Old ldalia. Colorado 10 Hermes Post Office, now a barn on the Homm Ranch 1988. post offices and stores around the country going first to Bonny, Goff, Lansing, Hermes and Yale by team and buggy. Dances were held at Hermes for several years. On one occasion, December 25, tgl4, a group of young men, cheerfully celebrating Christmas, dared one of the men to ride his horse up the outside stairway which led into the dance hall. He did just that! How the horse got down I do not know. William Richards had some seven or eight of the young men arrested and brought into John Gerber's Justice of the Peace Court on December 26. Each one pleaded guilty as charged. All were charged with disturbing the peace, using boisterous and profane language and all had to pay fines and court costs. The post office and store were discontinued about 1917 or 1918. Mr. Richards sold the place in 1919 to Elmer Scherrer in Denver. Part of the building is still being used on the Homm Hereford Ranch as a barn. by llarry and Ruth Richards �YALE The paper was later sold to Mr. Robert Henry TllS Yale Post office was established in 1891 about 18 miles northwest of Burlington on what is now the Martha Schaal place. Sherman Yale was the first mail carrier and his wife was the postmastcr having the post office in their home. He carried the mail for 12 years and made the trip on his long route from Burlington to Goff to Landsman and then Yale three times a week with horse and brggy, some feat for the roads of that day. Mrs. yale was the postmaster until 1908. In the later years they had a little store in the home for the neighborhood's convenience. After he quit carrying mail, Mr. Yale was a county commissioner. In 1909 the first daily mail came into this area served by Yale post office out of Bethune and Yale ceased. Sam Schaal bought the Yale property. IIOYT T1r9 $ x Patterson. Later he moved the paper to Seibert and called itthe Seibert Freee Press. This plant was then later moved to Burlington and run as the Kit Carson County Record, by Frank D. Mann. When the railroad came through in 1888, it was located five miles to the south, so it missed the town of Hoyt and it folded up. The last business to move to Seibert was the restaurEmt. LANDSMAN Tl20 Landsman (rural post office) was Iocated near Landsman Creek and about twentv miles northwest of Burlington. There was always quite an argument over just how the Landsman Creek got its name, but as to the words of one old-timer: "A trapper named Dutch Jake had a camp on the creek where he shot buffalo for their hides and trapped the smaller fur animals. When a few packs of fur were ready he would trail down the creek to Indianola, Nebraska, and trade his hides for supplies. He usually stopped at ranches along the way, and his invariable greeting was, 'Wie Gehts Landsman'." The last word ceme to be applied to the creek on which he had his camp. The creek has been known by the name of Launchman, Landsman, Lostmans, and Lonemans Creek, but the United States Geographic Board officially named it Landsman Creek on October 3, 1928, and so answer was received: "On October 3, 1928, the United States Geographic Board rendered this decision regarding the name of the creek about which you inquire: "Landsman, a creek rising in south west corner of Kit Carson county, tributary to the was built. Hoyt (rural post office) was located about 5 miles north of the present day Seibert, about on the farm formerly occupied by Flory Jones. This was the stopping place between McCook, Nebr. and Hugo, Colo. for emigrant and supply trains. All mail was addressed to "Hoyt, via Hugo, Colorado, El Paso Co." Hoyt was also a few miles east of Station #22, at the meeting place of the South Fork and Sandy Creeks. The town of Hoyt had been nn-ed for Dr. J.S. Hoyt, a very early settler and first Doctor in that area and on whose land the town was situated. When the town reached its peak, it had several places of business including a saloon started by Jnmes H. Priest in 1887. Jim Priest filed on a homestead south of Hoyt in April 1887. A man by the name of Schieb had the first store in Hoyt. It was a two story frame building and apparently he used it for a drug store. Bert Hendricks also started a drug store. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hutchens kept a general merchandise store in Hoyt. They kept the Post Office also. T.G. Oles moved a Bond printing press here in 1887, and put outthe Hoyt Free Press. Tt22 Jim Short and four sons, Oscar, Marion, However, to eettle all arguments on the matter, a letter of inquiry was sent to the Federal Board of Geographic n'mes, this buildings were moved to Seibert when the railroad LOCO POST OFFICE AND STORE Millard and Sam, came out to Flagler, Colorado in a covered wagon. His wife it remains. Hoyt 4t/z miles North of Seibert. The original 4 Carson county, to a J.C. Markle, who held it until his death. Republican river from the southwest. (Not Lastmans, Lostmans, Launchmans, nor Lonemans.)" This would make the neme of the creek on the highest authority: Landsman Creek." by Janice Salmans LARSEN Tl21 Larsen was originally platted on land homesteaded by James Stuart. The town was laid out on the southwest quarter ofSec. 298-42, a mile and a half east of Peconic by the Elbert County Townsite Company. The Company consisted of J.S. Markle, President; J.F. Keller, Vice Pres.' H.W. Clement, Sec.; L.C. Morris, Treas.; and N.L. and J.W. Clement were Burlington lawyers. Larsen was laid out on a large scale having 53 blocks and covering the entire quarter section. Among the lot owners were Lee Ramsey, County Clerk ofElbert county; Leo and Lucy Thomann, H.G. Stout, M. Doneland, W.S. Wagner and others who afterwards became prominent in Burlington history. Larsen died so rapidly that in 1890, it sold for taxes at the first tax sale held in Kit Martha and three daughters, Minnie, Pearle and Lena, came out on the Rock Island train several months later. Jim and sons left Colbv Kansas January 1, 1910. There were no roads or fences at that time. Jim and two sons. Oscar and Marion, each had a homestead south of Flagler. Marion's land was about 18 miles south and a mile east of Flagler. Marion built a house on his land and about 1911 he built on to his house and started a countrv store, which he called "Loco" after the loco weed that was so prevalent there. It affected horses and cattle, they acted crazy, stood around by themselves and would not eat much but the loco weed. Naturallv thev became very thin. There was a post office called Loco also. but I do not know where it was located. This post office was established March 11, 1902 with Charles D. Davis appointed as the first postmaster. About 1912 Marion Short moved the Loco post office into one corner of his store and he became postmaster there. Marion ordered some groceries for the store from Montgomery Ward and bought some in Flagler. Fish, pickled and smoked, came in small barrels as did crackers, pickles and other things. Candy came in bulk, he put it in glass jars. He stocked coffee beans. everyone had a coffee grinder. Then there was Prince Albert tobacco, with papers so you could roll your own. Later a cigarette roller came out and if used they looked almost as uniform as the packaged cigarettes. The cigarette holder was popular for awhile, it kept the brown stains off your fingers. Marion also sold shoe soles as people mended their own shoes at that time. Sleeve holders for men were popular, they were round elastic bands covered with colored rayon thread. He sold shoes and some clothing. I remember the ladies dress shoes. They were high topped and buttoned all the way up, you needed a button hook to fasten them. The store kept kerosene for the lamps and lanterns. In the fall everyone who raised corn bought a lot of shucking mittens. Since it was so far to Flagler, Marion often went on his saddle horse, unless he needed supplies. One thing about horses, if it came up a storm and you did not know which way was home, you just loosened the reins and the trusty horse always brought you home. They also watched for rattlesnakes. If they heard one rattle they would pivot on their hind legs and start back the way the had come. The country was quite thickly settled at this time, so there were many cowboys and farmers who traded at the store and made use of the post office. Loco was a busy place much of the time. The post office and store were really appreciated by the community. Marion married Susan Laws; they had one son, Howard. Sue enjoyed helping in the store. They began buying cream and eggs. Or �rs the farmers said, traded them for groceries, lhus the phrase, going to the store to "trade". Ihere were no flies here until settlers brought them here in their belongings. About 1918 Marion sold his farm and went ho the Army in World War I. I am not sure of the date he sold his store to Alvin B. ORISKA "jl..,1,:.', t. t:..'ltt':..,, Tt26 i!,,i:::iiliir:t::i:: :l.i.,,,, Radebaugh. Alvin lived one mile east and one mile south of Loco. He moved the Loco store and post office to his home, which was a sod house. In a year or so, Alvin built a frame building next door for the post office and store. He began selling gasoline as more people were buying cars. The two mail carriers I remember were Dick Burris and Lewis Clark. Mr. Burris lived on a farm and Mr. Clark lived in Flagler' When Marion came back from the ArmY, he and his family moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado. I believe Mr. Radebaugh was the Iast postmaster at Loco. The Loco post office was discontinued May 3L, L922. Loco (rural post office) was located about fifteen miles northeast of Wildhorse. The Loco post office was in operation from 1903 to 1922. Loco remained on the map into the 1940's. by Lena (Short) TYeatherlY LOWELL From 1910 through 191? Oriska was a thriving small community south of Stratton' T123 The Lowell Townsite Company with A.J. Senter as the president had the town of Lowell surveyed by T.P. Chamber on the S.W. % of Sec. 31-8-43. The date was April 20, 1887. On May 20, 1887, Lowell consolidated with Burlington. The agreement was as follows, Burlington came over from its original site on S.E. % Sec 34-8-44, and taking in the site of Lowell but retaining its original name of Burlington. The site of Lowell was originally an Indian Oriska (rural post office) was located about 22 miles north of Kit Carson, somewhere in the south part of Township 11, Range 47. Oriska had a store run by Ted Martin and a post office in operation from 1910 to 1917. There was a place called Mount Pearl on south of Oriska. Mail was brought to Van's The government erected a number of bins there for grain storage and later sold them off. We want to give thanks to Winifred James, TL27 A siding on the Rock Island Railroad, now September 1, 1888 "The name of the new town of Malow in Elbert County has been In 1919, right after World War I, Joe by Cheyenne WeIIs Gazette MORRIS T125 Morris (rural post office) was located about sixteen miles northeast of Burlington, and the Morris post office was in operation from 1907 to 1914. Morris was also called "Cottage House." by Janice Salmans became a hog buyer for Hugh Baker. Later on in the 1930's Highway 24 was oiled PECONIC the Kyle Railroad, is six miles east of changed to Flagler." and Lowell Boger. Later Herman Dane picked up. Then the homesteaders picked up their mail at the Oriska store. Noble Bradshaw was the last mail carrier. Carl Harrison was the last teacher of the Oriska School. MALOW (FLAGLER) Tr24 grain shed. It was operated by Herman Dane and this took the traffic from Highway 40 Iocated one mile north of Peconic. The Colorado Courtesy Patrol had an office there at Peconic in 1934. lnL927 Harry Vallin managed the elevator and Roy Martin helped him. In the late 1930's and early 40's Jay Duffy ran the elevator. Rabbit drives were held around there and many bands of sheep were unloaded there. Point from Stratton and Ieft at Oriska to be Campground. by Janice Salmans A dance hall was located at Peconic for a while, the hall was not much more than a Burlington, Colorado and is six miles west of Kanorado, Kansas on Highway 24. Elmer Fasse, Glade Larsen, Roy Martin, Millie Hines and Don Teman for this information. by Chet James Swenson and A.W. Winegar were instrumen- tal in bringing a lot of land buyers to Kit Carson County and to Eastern Colorado. In 1923 there was Postal service at Peconic and it was operated by a man named Loyal Brown and his wife Lena (Young) Royer. Following a blizzard one time a nine year old Glade Larsen, son of E.J. Larsen, who lived four and one half miles north of Peconic, remembers getting on his saddle horse with a flour sack and going to Peconic for supplies. About 1924 or 25 aman, Ross Tucker, and the Swenson Land and Cattle Co., built the elevator at Peconic. It was after World War I and the price of wheat was high-the people just knew that wheat would hit $5.00 a bushel and it was over $4.00 then-but it never did-the thirties and the depression set in with prices dropping to unbelievable lows. Joe Swenson was killed while rabbit hunting. He was crossing a barbwire fence and his gun discharged. PERRY'S CORNER T128 Peny's Corner (place name) is shown about fourteen miles southeast of Seibert on a 1916 map. PIKES STORE Tt29 The old frame building that stood as a landmark for so many years was swept into a mass ofbroken boards and scattered debris as a tornado swept across the prairie Sunday evening, Oct. 17, 1971. The roof of the building was lifted off as if gentle hands had picked it up and carried it nearly a quarter �-il:,':,.]l]l 1880's. Herman Tuttle was the first postmaster and several others followed. In 1909, Alma Root became the postmistress. This was the year that my father and r,,4..:at:lr,;: ..r,tr,irr,u: mother, N.O. and Bertha Gulley, homesteaded 16 miles north and 4 east of Vona. The next year my father was appointed mail carrier. His route was from post office Carcy, Yz mile west of his home, to Tuttle. He carried the mail three times a week with a team and buggy. It was a round trip of 18 miles. He remained the carrier until Carey was discontinued when the Vona mail route was extended to our community. This little rock building remains a landmark to those who remember it as it was in 1910-1920. Going to Tuttle meant a long ride on the hot days of summer and the cold days of winter. My mother was substitute carrier and often took me along. I always looked forward to getting our mail, as there was often a post card for me from my Grandmother Gulley or some cousins in Missouri. I have those cards still, and others, badly worn and the corners bent or missing, but the addresses of Carey and Tuttle are still clear. Social gatherings were sometimes held at Tuttle. I remember well one July 4th. We went by wagon to attend a picnic there. It was very hot and there was little shade at Tuttle, but a few tents gave some shelter from the sun. There was a merry-go-round, the first I had ever seen. It was owned and operated by Pike Store after tornado in 1971. mile away and set it down in one piece, the boards unbroken and still intact. The steel windmill was bent over flat on the ground by a mighty wind. general store; they are now used for storage. Mr. Culberson carried the mail in his 1913 Ford. building when I first went there with my parents. We did not often go to Pike's Store as there were stores nearer our home. Sometimes though, my parents, N.O. and Bertha Gulley, would go there to buy groceries. We went in from the west and I still remember the hills and valleys we passed through with the horses and buggy. Pike's remained a store until sometime in the 30's. After the store closed, the building was a house, but at the time of the tornado the building had been empty for a number of years. The out buildings had fallen down and the old cottonwood tree had died but it was laid down by the wind. Though Pike's Store no longer stands, the site will be remembered by those of us who knew it in the early 1900's. Pike's seemed a lonely place, even an ugly place some would say and yet it was a source of security, for within it's walls were stored the necessities of the homestead families. and a basket dinner. Fireworks were planned for the evening, but a rain storm came in the late afternoon. It settled into a slow steady rain that lasted several hours. My mother herded my sister, Velma, my brother, Nolan and I into a canvas covered dance platform. There we waited for Memories Of Tuttle Pike's store was built 12 miles north and 6 miles east of present day Stratton a few years after World War I. It was still a new a Mr. Clair. There were races and horseshoes This is a story that my mother, Opal Boger, sent to a local paper. After the story appeared in the paper she received the Ietter that follows this from Mrs. Mettie Sisson of the rain to cease. There was music and Stratton. dancing but, I crawled under the bench where some ladies were sitting, and to the beat of the music and many moving feet, I fell asleep "Tuttle, today would hardly be recognized as a place that was once the general store and post office of the community, 17 miles north and,4Yz east of Stratton, though the main part of the post office is still standing. Tuttle post office was established in the on the cold damp floor. It was still raining lightly when we climbed into the rain drenched wagon and started on our journey home with nine miles of muddy - w: &,',. by Opal Boger TUTTLE Tr30 Tuttle was located about 20 miles northeast of Stratton, adjacent to the Messenger homestead, and was in operation from 1883 to 1918. Tuttlb was one of the earliest post offices in this county. For several years it was a growing center of trade until the coming of the railroad. The early town boasted of one of the first regular church services taught by Mary Beiver. Three of the original buildings are standing, these include the post office and r.,,;,rg;t| i r *t Tuttle Store and Post Office in 1913. L. to R.: Aaron Burkart, The Root family, "Mother Flora", Alma, Doyne, Greta, Albert the father holding baby Carl, little boy Edgar, Vern, Eva, and Mr. Culberson the mail carrier. �:oads to go. We, who were small children that long ago Iuly 4th, remember Tuttle as a place where ile met and played with our friends. We :emember our parents taking time from their rork filled days to take us there. Most of all, I remember my father. That his lamily might have clothing and food, he drove rut each mail day morning, in all kinds of reather, with his open buggy and faithful, iast stepping team, Dolly and Sampson down ;hat long wagon trail to Tuttle." Mrs. Opal Boger Dear Mrs. Boger, "I enjoyed your article on the early days very much. The circumstances in our lives ilere very much the same. My father, Roy E. trones, canied the mail from Stratton to Iuttle for six months on a sub-lease, the winter of 1909-1910. He got $50.00 a month and used three beams. We lived 13 miles from Stratton on the lirect route to Tuttle. My brother and I would have a fresh team fed and harnessed, ready for him, when he arrived from Stratton rnd then again when he returned from Tuttle rbout two o'clock in the afternoon. He carried bhe mail six days a week. The snow was about two feet deep that winter. He made a little sled about 6 ft. long with a box about 2 ft. deep. With a lantern and a heavy comforter, covered with denim, he kept fairly comfortable. He often had passengers. One morning he new homesteaders. On had two ladies . this trip father stood on a ledge on the back of his sled and it happened that he had his most flighty team. The ladies were driving, a scarf fluttered and scared the team. They started to run. Father was a man who liked jokes so it was fun to see the ladies'excitement. He let them run a ways before taking the reins and bringing them to a halt. The ladies wouldn't drive anymore. One Saturday morning, father told Mr. Root he had a sick baby at home. Mr. Root said we will fix that so he held the mail in Tuttle until two o'clock. too late to take it to Stratton, so father could stay home that night and took the mail in the next day. I remember attending a Fourth of July celebration in Tuttle but don't remember any of the details. However, I remember the skating rink and dance hall in Tuttle. We went to just a few of the dances. I remember the Clark twins. They were so nice and were identical. The skating rink . . . I only remember going once. I thought I wanted to learn to skate. My brother got me the skates and put one on for me then I lost my nerve and wouldn't let him put the other one on. However he put them on, skated down the hall, came back quite speedily, and out of control. The stove was at this end of the hall and red hot. He had no control, hit the red hot stove with his hands and pushed himself back and landed in the laps of Mrs. Carl Root and another lady. They looked daggers at him. However he got to be a good skater and spent a good many Saturday nights in Tuttle. Good clean fun. A lot more crazy incidents but enough said." Sincerely, Mrs. Mettie Sisson by Joyce Miller VAN'S POINT TlSl known Missouri Freighter, Alexander Majors, also a Methodist lay preacher, and formed the R.M.W. Partnership, to fill government contracts to supply the Western Van's Point (place name) is shown about 11 miles southwest of Bethune on a 1916 map. WALLET POST OFFICE Tt32 The Cattlemen's Association of Kit Carson county asked me, Belle Winter, to recall events and history of early days, and especially the Wallet Post Office, of which my father, Alfred Wallet, was the post master during its entirety. The Post Office was opened on April 8, 1890, and discontinued on May 15, 1909. Before this date of April 8, my older brother, Fred carried mail from our community to Carlisle, south, and back twice a week on horseback. Peconic is now near where Carlisle stood; it was later absorbed by Kanarado and Burlington, after the Railroad came through. Later, the mail route was formed and another office was added, Ashland, northeast of Wallet. A Mr. Seifert carried the mail for awhile, when Mr. Teaman father of Henry and the late Charles Teaman of Burlington and Mrs. Lester Sheldon of Kanarado, carried the mail for several years with horses and buggy. All our neighbors always gathered at our home on Tuesday and Friday afternoons to visit and wait for the mail. The Ashland Post Office was later moved to the George Pratt home and I believe was discontinued at the same time as was the Wallet P.O. Fred Wallet also took care of the cemetery records for a good many years. Rev. Willis homesteaded in the Wallet vicinity and also Mike Higgins. The Huff family lived 2 miles w. of Wallet. by Janice Salmans LEAVENWORTH AND PIKES PEAK TRAIL, THE PONY EXPRESS Tr33 The earliest history we have of what is now Kit Carson county was when the great Army posts. In March 1859, they employed E.L. Boyd, to survey the Leavenworth and Pikes Peak Trail. For the lines in the Kansas Territory to the gold fields, they purchased; 52 of the famous Concord coaches, at $800 each and 800 of the finest Kentucky mules; each coach requiring 4 to 6 mules. Boyd was to survey the most direct route to Denver's gold fields, and place the stations as close as 25 miles apart or as water could be found. The freighting firm was stationed at Leavenworth, at the junction of the Republican and Soloman rivers. The stage line shortened the trip to the gold fields by keeping to the high divide between the rivers until the Republican veered northward and the route went 60 miles north to where Benkelman is now. to find Station #18. The stations were known entirely by number. Station #19, followed up the river to a point near Jacqua, Kansas, entering Colorado at that point, and the next station was #20 near the town of Hale. Station #21 was at the Arthur Pugh ranch. Station #22 was NW of Kipling, riding west out of Seibert and North to the Republican river, near "Rose" school. Station #23 was near the KP Ranch headquarters on the edge of Lincoln Co. At Station #22,Horace Greeley was known to have written dispatches and sent them east to the Neru York Tribune, , on the next stage. " . . stayed overnight at #21, and next day reached #22 about 5% miles northwest of Seibert . . traveled 35 miles since seeing water. At #22, therc was water bubbling up in the bed of the river." Here they, (Horace and companion; Albert D. Richardson, whom Greeley referred to as "My companion", in his book An Ouerland Journey, in 1859.), were met by the Butterfield stage, which had left the early Smokey Hill trail at Big Springs, located three miles east and 20 miles south of Seibert). Coaches traveled in pairs some distance apart but close enough to give protection or help if needed. All the way the L. and P. Trail was on the south of the Republican River until Southwest of Flagler, where there is a curve in the river. It crossed and went to the springs at the "KP Ranch" then on to Limon, and on into Denver on 13th Street. They traveled from Station #21 to #22 on June 3, 1859. They arrived in Denver the night of June 6, where Greeley and Richardson met Villars, who had to take the coach over the Northern route via Julesburg, then down to Denver. freighting firm of Russell, Majors and Wad- The partnership suffered important losses dell decided to have as direct a route as could be found from Junction City, to the Denver gold fields where there was sufficient water to supply the stations. when the freight trains were attacked by the Mormon's in the Mormon War of 1857-58. On April 3, 1860, Russell persuaded his partners The "silent partner" William Bradford Waddell, was a prosperous Lexington, Mo. merchant. He was a descendent of Gov. William Bradford of Plymouth Colony. His thriving wholesale and retail businesses led him into a host of other enterprises. In 1853, he and William Hepburn Russell contracted to send several freight trains of military supplies to Fort Riley. This venture making a profit that led them, in 1854, to send another freight train to California. In 1855, Waddell and Russell got together with a well- to launch the colorful, romantic, but financially unsuccessful Pony Express. The Pony Express maintained some 190 way stations along nearly 2,000 miles between St. Joseph, Mo. and Sacramento Calif. Eight lightweight, strong 14-15 year old riders, using 200 tough horses (to start), changing mounts every 10-12 miles. The riders covered about 100 miles before being relieved. Messages were written on half ounce tissue for $5.00 each dispatch, with elapsed time 10 days to lines end. As events proved, the price in money, horses, and men was too high and �Janice Salmans ale, cofo. Stalion 2 0 Vona, colo. 1885-1887 JAMES E. KNAPP, McCrilLis Horse Ranch Stations were on Lhe Leavenworlh and Pr.kes Feak Line in 1859. This line had the first Bar T Ranch mail contracl. year he-ce and moved north to Julesburg, rlc -^rLdgtrr ..)vpr nrnrprtrnn f lrei Station 2 0.Id Tuttle Ranch Burlhgton, Colo. R&!gc, 8&nd Cr€ek. The ]ine ran l 1 nlintihd ri'L!LY p1ed (Lovu.Lu '-l-hr" P!uJJ ^racc fOute rn nrirc Uent NUTEEAFOR,D BBOS. Boruntlont Colo. fnr Lhe Rrrnle. cil S;nok?. +h^ +h.! LrLdL PL ^r;-l^4 firsL rssue of the Rocky Mountain Nens, ApriI 22, 1859 rn Denver, Colorado. Selbert. Colo. goitls, left slde, r&nre. bottveaD RoDub hora€s loft slroulder. llcai rlvcr& Hell ofeet.. t- A'&-J. C, BR*DFEAW.', A Where Doc Hoyl shot Lhe lasl Buffalo in the summer of 1887. olerenoirt. Cclo. RrDge, lear Clarorboqt, AT JOIINl IIEDDINCI-A: co'I, Colo. ronge. ncal eofi. tz, HoyL, Colo slation 22 IJRA}I}TEIEII, BROF. Burllngtou. C.clo. T rouLbwert of BurllrgtoD. C. IY. FULIJMER,. F BuruDston' coro' EI d, c w nortltwert Bowser Col,orado u, *(o o 0ld K-P Ranch or Bu{:nston. rengo. StaLion 23 7 F Fl I I u 3 T|EIi,DBAMESBERGER, iurllngtoo.Colo. range, LortEa,q'r cieek. D. H, JONES, JTB old rtoct 01 BullDaton, Colo. rsuso,6outh or younl rtock. Wi.Llow Springs YVr|r. L'LAUSSEI{i Station at Iugo Co-1o. the Pony Express ended in financial failure after only 18 months of existence in 1861. As told by Eatinger, an early resident of Kit Carson County, "There was no trail up the North Smokey and mail was carried from Cheyenne Wells via Tuttle to Wray. Tom Reed who took a spring wagon and 3 men, traveling by camps, made a trail (by throwing up sod with a spade at short intervals) to Cheyenne Wells. The price for hauling was 25 cents per hundred. The Kit Carson Trail was another very early trail, extending from Bent's Fort, south near the Arkansas River, and north past the west side of Seibert to Cope Via Fort Morgan and on to Ft. Laramie near Cheyenne, Wyo. Addison W. Rogers'homestead was 11 miles North of Seibert (on the west side of Highway #59) known as Kit Carson Trail. A. W. Rogers'youngest daughter was the first white child born on the Kit Carson Trail. by Janice Salmans I Nowton, (lolo. ronge, soutb o! &sDublicau rlver. GEORGE &OSE: S6r.bert, Colo. Ranse. R€Dubllea,n nhd Dutll creel:, or left, sldo a&r nratE. crdD leftI undsrbl', ilsht Jc J. OAIIIP, tsurllngtonr eolo. r&pg€i Dortb of RurUDCiop. .r I 1 | F. J. HACHENBEIiCIER. uurlhgtolr, Colo. rriltc. 6 rnlles nortltgost of Burllurton u'"1eJ,T''"o,.,. 'oon [$hi:i r&nge, l.oEtmens creek. :f __ . R. 0. npsrEAD B3lbprt, colo. faDiae,.{Z rllllgs portheasl ol SeiP€rt. q, v - J. w. YA',rE8, St. Josepu, Mo. RaDge. Dear Fla.cl€r. Colp. C. W. gtDlttr, atent. Fl,rtler, Colo, rIFE E. T. EiEkrro, old dpttls, on ellilcr srde l oalves, on lrorEec, oD h:p shoulder Vona, Coip, IreDge sorrtb ol Yone' ! I � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of Kit Carson County Description An account of the resource Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Post Offices and General Stores Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1988 Subject The topic of the resource history Description An account of the resource A record of the Post Offices and General Stores in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County Type The nature or genre of the resource text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salmons, Janice Hasart, Marlyn Smith, Dorothy Language A language of the resource English Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. History of Kit Carson County Volume 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Curtis Media Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>