A walk, drive or bicycle ride through Lakin is a journey through our past. Old buildings that housed some of our earliest businesses and former homes of pioneering residents can be found throughout town, and even street names are a link to those who came before. While some of our streets may have been named for presidents or early Kansas dignitaries, several were named for locals and people with Lakin connections.
Waterman Avenue was once the main thoroughfare through Lakin and runs from Cemetery Road on the east edge of Lakin to Bopp Boulevard on the west side. The street was named for James Waterman who came to Lakin in 1880 in the employ of the Santa Fe Railroad. Waterman had many occupations during his tenure here such as newspaper editor, postmaster, business owner, farmer and rancher. He was also appointed first county clerk by the governor in 1888.J
Located in the northeast part of the city, O’Loughlin Street was named for founding father John O’Loughlin and his family. This street intersects with Russell Road on the south and Thorpe Street on the north. Billy Russell came to Lakin in 1881 and worked nearly 40 years for the Santa Fe Railroad, and the Russell family’s former home still stands at 808 E. Russell Road. Thorpe Street was named for Thornton N. and Ettie Thorpe. The Thorpes came to Kearny County in the 1880s, and T.N. represented Kearny County for four years in the Kansas House of Representatives. The Thorpe name is well documented in county history for contributions to our community.
Osborn Drive runs beside Osborn Park which was originally the location of the Osborn family home. Bert Osborn worked 53 years as Santa Fe agent and telegrapher, 42 of those years in Lakin. He and his wife, Ethel, were very community-minded and had a petting zoo, swimming pool, duck pond, and rock garden on their property.
Soderberg Street near St. Anthony’s church was named for David Soderberg who was in charge of the building operations when the Kearny County courthouse was built in 1939. The son-in-law of Clyde Sr. and Ethel Beymer, he was married to their daughter, Cledythe. Soderberg was killed in a car accident west of Wichita on Christmas Day of 1945.
Simshauser Street is located in the Simshauser subdivision in east Lakin which was established by Norman and Ethel Kleeman Simshauser. A World War II veteran, Norman moved with his family to Kearny County at the age of one and lived the remainder of his life here except for his time in the service. Ethel was born in Kearny County and lived here all of her 92 years. The Simshausers were both very active in community organizations such as the Kearny County Historical Society, Senior Center, VFW and EHU as well as the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Norman also served on the City Council and Veteran’s Memorial Building board.
Harold’s Place is located in the White Subdivision near Kearny County Hospital and is named for Harold White, native Kearny Countian, farmer, rancher, and Army veteran. Harold also served on the Kearny County Farm Bureau board of directors as president. White subdivision was created in 1974 by Harold and his mother and also includes Thelma Drive which was named for Harold’s wife. Thelma owned and operated Antiques ‘N Things and was very involved with the Lakin Presbyterian Church.
West of Main Street, Campbell Street runs from HWY 50 to Railroad Avenue and was named for early pioneer James Campbell.
Campbell came to Kearny County in 1886 and served as sheriff when the county seat was moved from Hartland to Lakin. He also served two terms as county commissioner.
Kendall Avenue flanks Thornbrough Park on the south. One block north is Wayne Avenue. These streets are part of the Thornbrough Subdivision and named for cousins Kendall Campbell and Wayne Thornbrough. Both of these Lakin High School graduates lost their lives while serving in World War II.
Robroyce Avenue lies one street south of Kendall Avenue and was named for two young LHS graduates who died in 1973. Rob Wiley was 20 years old when he was killed in a vehicle accident, and Royce Burch died at the age of 22 after undergoing surgery for brain tumors.
Smith Avenue is three blocks south of Robroyce. To the west in this vicinity was the Charles S. Smith place where Lakin’s first cemetery was located. It was just a burial place out on the prairie, and most of the people were buried in rough pine boxes without being embalmed. About 40 graves accumulated in this place. The graves were transferred to what is now the Lakin Cemetery about 1892. According to the first volume of History of Kearny County, a few of the bodies remained in their original resting place. The Raymond and Rose Smith family lived at the east end of the block where Smith meets up with Campbell Street. Raymond Smith was a lifetime Lakin resident. A farmer, he married Rose in 1934. They were the parents of former Kearny County Museum director Harold Smith.
Bopp Boulevard is in the Gropp addition and is the farthest street west that runs all the way from HWY 50 to Railroad Ave. This was named by Ralph Gropp in honor of his mother’s family, and Mattie Street was named specifically for his mother, Mattie Bopp Gropp. Frank and Sarah Bopp came to Kearny County in 1886, and all three of their daughters became teachers. In 1912, Mattie married Albert Gropp, a farmer, rancher, brand inspector, and member of the Gropp family who located on a homestead near Kendall in 1887. Albert Street, one block west of Bopp, is named for him.
Edward Loeppke purchased 30 acres on the west edge of Lakin in 1945. The Loeppke Subdivision was established in 1958 and includes the following street names: Loeppke, Edward, Sarah, Kraus, and Tampa. Edward Loeppke and Sarah Kraus were married at Tampa, Kansas in 1905 and came to Kearny County in 1930 where they were engaged in farming. They had seven children, several of whom had homes in this subdivision and were involved with local organizations, schools and churches.
Nabocoho Lane is often referred to as Airport Road and sometimes White Road. The origins of the name, “Nabocoho” were somewhat of a mystery until recently when museum staff happened across an article written in 1990 by Thelma Leonard. Thelma explained that the Civic and Study Club took on the project of getting street signs for Lakin in the 1950s, and club member Gladys Hoyt wanted her road to have a proper name. Gladys took the first two letters of the surnames of the first four families who lived on the road between Highway 50 and the south branch of the Great Eastern Canal—Bernard and Kay Nash and Bernard’s mother, Ann Nash; Jake and Olive Bodam; Delbert and Marjorie Cox; and N.E. and Gladys Hoyt—and came up with Nabocoho. The C.A. Leonards lived on the road in the house closest to town, and Gladys wanted to incorporate their name as well. She decided on “Lane” as it began with L, and all four letters of the word are also in “Leonard.”
When you are out and about in our little town and spot these street names, perhaps you will now think of the people for whom they were so fondly named.
SOURCES: Earle D. Rice, LHS graduate and former owner of Kearny Co. Title Company; History of Kearny Co. Volumes I & II, Digging up Bones, and museum archives.
*Kearny County Museum does not have pictures on file for each person mentioned in this article.