News, Events & County History

1948 was a banner year for Lakin

Lakin celebrated its 75th birthday in August 1948 with a three-day “rip snortin” party. A mile-long parade kicked off the Diamond Jubilee on Aug. 24th with approximately 4,000 people witnessing local VFW and Legion Post members lead nearly 50 floats and decorated vehicles, cowboys and cowgirls, and several clown acts down Main Street. Music was furnished by a band composed of Lakin High School music students and former students dressed in pioneer and western garb. The band was under the direction of LHS’s music instructor Kathryn Crowder (Kay Loeppke).

Two buffalo were prepared for a free old-fashioned barbecue, and around 1,500 people watched an airshow which included wing walking by Joe Carroll of Lakin. Along with other spectacular feats, planes from nearby airports were open for the inspection of the crowd and rides were offered to those who wanted them. Other activities included a historical pageant on the courthouse lawn, model plane contest, baseball game, 4-H Day/Fair on the 25th, and a children’s parade which drew approximately 200 young participants. The Old Settlers Association hosted Old Settlers’ Day on the 26th and invited old timers from all of Southwest Kansas to participate. A fiddler’s contest, musical numbers, style show and picnic dinner were all part of the day’s festivities. Grandma Sarah Taggart was awarded a prize for being the oldest Old Settler present, and Virginia Pierce Hicks was honored for having resided in the county longer than any other member present.

The Lakin Independent went all out as well, publishing multiple special inserts in its August 27th edition. At more than 40 pages, the newspaper holds the distinction of being the largest paper ever published in the county. The inserts contained articles about county history along with photographs and advertisements from the businesses of the day. The publication took the cooperation of not only the newspaper staff but also Lakin merchants and volunteer contributors. Shirley White (Henderson) had been hired in May as the Independent’s local and society editor, and she had the enormous task of assembling material, writing features and historical articles. She also took, developed and printed pictures for the special edition.

Lakin’s Diamond Jubilee was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce which was organized in the spring of 1948, and various clubs and individuals cooperated to pull off the 75th birthday party. The Independent declared the successful celebration as the top news of 1948, but that wasn’t the only big news by far. Lakin was in the midst of a growing surge fueled by the construction of Colorado Interstate west of Lakin, gas and oil well drilling, and irrigation. Over 24 new homes had gone up or were in the process of being built at the end of 1947, a trend that continued in 1948. Several of the business buildings in downtown Lakin were also built during this period.

The Lakin Theatre building on the east side of South Main was completed in 1947 by Fred Munson. He finished the building next door at 108 S. Main in early 1948, leasing it to Howard Brehm who operated Brehm’s Department Store there. The last business to operate at this site was Jim Powers’ barber shop.

Further down the street in the second block of North Main, the Beymer Building was the largest single business construction project at the time and included three business structures – one housed the post office and another a bowling alley called Bowlalyne. These two buildings now house Shnae Budd’s hair salon and Pat & Sonny’s Tossed and Found. The third building in the Beymer complex now houses the Budget Shop but was originally home to Davison’s Junior Department Store. Across the street, Dr. Sabo’s new clinic was opened in January of 1948. Dentist J.K. Atwood also occupied an office in Sabo’s clinic. The clinic building was incorporated into the Kearny County Bank several years later.

The west side of South Main was also transformed. Bernard Coerber opened the Inn Grocery in a new building at 117 S. Main in late 1947. Three new buildings went up to the north of this one in 1948. Just next door, Ralph Hutton leased his new building to Kansas-Nebraska Gas Company as an office. These two buildings combined now house Ramos Heat & AC.

The building at 113 S. Main was also built by Fred Munson. This became home to Bruner’s Flowers and Max Jewelry which had temporarily been housed across the street with Brehm’s. A staircase runs between this building and the one built by Ernest Sidebottom next door north which housed M.C. Glaspy’s Lakin Electric. The two store fronts were later combined by Walter and Carolyn Cone to house Cone’s Department Store. Diego’s Restaurant was the last business located here.

In August 1948, a 13-unit modern motel on Highway 50 known as Plaza Courts was officially opened. The motel was owned by J.L. Burden and was built by his son-in-law, Guy Harsha, who operated the motel with his wife, Beulah. Other buildings under construction in summer 1948 included Mary Thornbrough’s abstract office at 117 N. Main which now houses the Medill CPA agency, a 25×100 foot warehouse by Hart and Company now part of Main Street Supply, the Co-op’s new office on the corner of Buffalo and Railroad which is currently used for Museum storage, and the Evergreen alfalfa mill on the west edge of Lakin by the railroad tracks. All that remains of this structure is a concrete slab.

By October of ‘48, Lawrence “Beans” Urie was at work on one of the finest recreational buildings in southwest Kansas. The Rainbow King at 702 N. Campbell not only had a skating rink but also a stage for performers and boxing matches. Lakin Recreation now occupies this building.

Several grocery stores and two laundry mats were in service to meet the needs of the growing community and construction workers. At least four cafes were operating in town at any given time throughout 1948, and Southwestern Bell Telephone installed a new 300-line Western Electric switchboard, increasing the Lakin telephone exchange by 100 lines.

After learning that several hundred dollars could be saved annually by having their own engineer to directly supervise all the projects in the city’s jurisdiction, the City of Lakin hired Matt D. Sylvan as city engineer in the spring of 1948. A new swimming pool was opened in the city park, and a curb and guttering project was completed. The City initiated trash pick-up service for residents and businesses in the fall. Homer Watkins went to work in December as the first director of the newly formed Soil Conservation Service. Kearny County’s Civil Air Patrol was also organized that month for the help and protection of the county in case of emergency, and Arlin Sommers was named the commanding officer.

According to valuation figures, Kearny County was wealthier than ever before. Citizens were making more money and paying more taxes. The population of Lakin had reached its largest up to that point at 1,134, and there was a 10% increase over the previous year’s enrollment when high school opened in the fall of 1948. The average daily attendance doubled that of the previous two years at the grade school which had 300 pupils by October.

As 1948 drew to a close, there seemed to be no end to Lakin’s future building projects as voters had approved the construction of the Veteran’s Memorial Building, a new grade school, a vocational/agriculture building at Lakin Rural High School, and a county hospital. In December 1949, the Hutchinson News-Herald reported that Lakin’s size had doubled in a four-year span.

Max Sissom, local jeweler and publicity chairman for the Diamond Jubilee, designed this logo for Lakin’s big event.

This bird’s eye view of downtown Lakin was photographed by the late Shirley White Henderson. She was a passenger in a plane piloted by newly hired City of Lakin engineer, Matt D. Sylvan.

The Diamond Jubilee’s children’s parade on Aug. 26, 1948 featured this scale model train furnished by the Santa Fe Railroad.

SOURCES: Archives of the Lakin Independent from 1946 through 1949; Aug. 19, 1948 Garden City Daily Telegram; Dec. 4, 1949 Hutchinson News-Herald; and museum archives.

Celebrating 150 years of progress and community: even street names are a link to Lakin’s past

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.

John and Mary O’Loughlin and their six children.

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.

Museum sponsoring community scavenger hunt

Loucks left lasting impression on the community they loved

Charles Loucks was a self-made man with an undying love for this Kansas prairie land. He amassed a large personal fortune of which a considerable amount was used towards the betterment of Lakin. Loucks Park just west of town is but one example of the generosity of Charles and his wife, Rhoda.

Born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Charles was six years old when he came to Kearny County in 1879 with his parents, William and Amy Loucks, and his older brother, Fay. The family settled near Deerfield but within months made the move to Lakin. In 1899, Charles married Rhoda Long, a teacher who had moved to Kearny County in 1885 with her parents, Joseph and Amanda Long, and older brother, Adelbert. Charles and Rhoda were companions in life, bonding through love of their community and through loss. All of their siblings died before the age of 21, and Charles and Rhoda’s only child, a son, died at birth.

Charles picked up his early education from his mother at home and at a subscription school she organized in 1879. He later attended Lakin’s public schools and was 10 years old when he began wrangling horses for the N.H. Triangle Ranch. Not long after Kearny County was organized, he became deputy county clerk and served in various county offices as deputy until 1893. At the tender age of 16, he launched his first major business enterprise when he took over the abstract business of D.A. Andrews and expanded into real estate and insurance. In 1906, Charles joined the firm of Hart, Thorpe and Company as a partner in the hardware and lumber business. Also that year, he entered into the banking business by purchasing a large amount of stock in the Kearny County Bank and was serving as president of the bank at the time of his death. Farming and oil/gas development were also among his many interests.

Charles inherited a sense of service to his fellow man from his parents. William Loucks enlisted in the Civil War with the McClellan’s Dragoons, an organization which later merged with the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry. He became justice of the peace at Lakin, and his wife tended to the injured and sick in the community. In 1892, William and Amy Loucks gifted their land near Deerfield to be used for the Deerfield Cemetery.

Charles served overseas with the YMCA in World War I. He was a devoted Freemason, and during his long and distinguished Masonic career, Charles received practically every honor and filled most of the offices of the order both locally and on the state level. He was bestowed with the highest degree in the Masons when the honorary 33rd degree was conferred upon him in 1958. Loucks also served as president of the Kearny County Historical Society and was on the first Kearny County Library board of directors. Among his many memberships were the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, Saddle Club, and the Sportman’s Club. Rhoda was a member of the Historical Society, PEO, Mus-Art Club, Past Matron’s Association of the Order of Eastern Star, and also served as Grand Chaplain of the Grand Chapter Order of Eastern Star. She taught Sunday School classes and held many offices in the local Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterial of Kansas.

Formal Emerald Lodge member William H. Johnson had left a considerable sum of money for the construction of Lakin’s Masonic Temple, but when the temple was completed in 1956, there was not enough money to fully fund the project. Charles and Rhoda agreed not only to provide the additional construction costs but to also furnish the temple. They also generously contributed to the Presbyterian Church when it was built.

The couple gave 80 acres of land to the City in 1950 for a park and recreational area, and they provided funds to help develop the area which became known as Loucks Park. The park is home to the municipal golf course, rodeo arena, baseball field, fairgrounds and 4-H buildings. After Charles’ death in 1960, Rhoda gifted the city additional monies to build a golf clubhouse and improve upon the course’s irrigation system. Rhoda passed in 1967, and in her will, Mrs. Loucks specified that a percentage of her estate was to be set up in a trust fund as a memorial to her husband. The funds were to be invested in government securities and the interest used for repair and maintenance of the club house and watering trees, shrubbery and landscaping, and beautifying the golf course. This trust is managed by the Kearny County Bank.

Other county entities benefiting from the Loucks estate were the First Baptist, First Methodist, Pilgrim Holiness and First Christian churches of Lakin; the Immanuel Lutheran Church and First United Methodist Church of Deerfield; Lakin Cemetery District; Kearny County Library Association; and the Lakin O.E.S. Estate monies were also designated for establishing endowment funds for the Kansas Masonic Home of Wichita and Lakin’s Presbyterian Church.

Even decades after their deaths, the love that Charles and Rhoda Loucks had for this community and their influence continue to be felt. Their former home still stands at 301 N. Western Street.

SOURCES: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans written and compiled by William E. Connelley; Kansas: The First Century by Dr. John D. Bright; Diggin’ Up Bones by Betty Barnes; History of Kearny County, Ks. Vols. I & II; City of Lakin minutes; Lakin Independent and Museum archives, with special thanks to Bob Beymer.

Charles Loucks and Rhoda Long on their wedding day in 1899.

Charles and Rhoda Loucks pose in front of Balancing Rock at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado in the early 1900s.

Lakin’s City Park is a source of pride and has taken the efforts of many

In just a few days, the shrills and splashes of delighted children will be heard at Lakin’s outdoor swimming pool in the City Park. The opening of the swimming pool is an annual tradition that children and adults alike have been enjoying for nearly 75 years. Lakin’s City Park is the result of cooperative efforts over the years between the City of Lakin, Kearny County commissioners, Lakin Recreation Commission, countless donors and volunteers, and organizations like Lakin PRIDE, Lakin “50” Club, Civic and Study Club, Moonlight Chicks, Lakin Young Woman’s Club, La Flora Garden Club, PICS (Partners in Community Service) and the VFW Auxiliary.

In September 1946, voters approved general obligation bonds in the amount of $40,000 to establish a municipal park and swimming pool. Land was purchased from Howard Brehm, Elton Beymer, James Doyle and John Campbell. A swimming pool was constructed by Walters Sand Company of Manhattan in 1948. The City had hoped to have the pool open for July 4th that year, but two valves for the filtering equipment did not arrive in time. Undaunted, the savvy city crew used fire hoses to fill the pool. A bathhouse was added the following year. In 1966, voters approved a $45,000 bond issue to replace the pool and bathhouse because they could not accommodate the large number of swimmers and maintenance costs had been excessive. With the federal government funding half of the project, contractor P. L. Dale completed the pool and new bathhouse in 1968. Since then, other improvements have been made including the installment of slides and shade shelters.

In 1999, Clyde Beymer donated a million dollars in memory of his wife, Barbara, to construct an indoor swimming pool, and county commissioners agreed to chip in up to $250,000. The old bathhouse was demolished as locker rooms with private showers and a concession area were included in the Beymer Aquatic Center which opened May 2001. The pool was a welcome addition in the community and is used year-round.

In the ‘50s, the Lakin “50” Club donated a complete set of playground equipment, and along with the VFW Auxillary, donated money for a picnic area in the park. Many of the original trees and shrubs were donated and planted by volunteers and City employees under the direction of Ad McVey, former superintendent of parks. Plantings included spruce trees, red cedars, Lombardy poplars, shade trees and flowering peach trees. At one time, a large Christmas tree and nativity set were placed in the park for the yuletide holidays.

Mary Thornbrough covered the bulk of the expense to build the Boy Scout Cabin in City Park in memory of her son Wayne, a pilot who perished during a combat mission in World War II. Doyle and Campbell contributed the $1,195 they had received for park land to the cause as well. The Scouts also raised funds and received other donations. Scout members did much of the rough work, and some of the finishing was done by the Legionnaires. Under the direction of Paul McVey, City Manager from 1953-1956, the City crew and volunteers completed the project. According to the City of Lakin, the fireplace was built about 1957 from stone donated by Marvin Kash, and the cement floor was poured about 1959. The Lakin YWCA bought evergreens that were planted in front of the scout cabin in memory of Ethel Norris and Marion Hurst, past presidents of the club. Thelma Leonard planted a bed of cannas just east of the building.

In 1964, the City Council gave permission to the Girl Scouts to build their scout house in the park. The Jaycees ran the foundation in September of 1965 but did not start constructing the building until two years later. The building was funded by the Jaycees, American Legion, BPW, Girl Scout fundraisers, and other group and individual donations. The Girl Scout Cabin is now being renovated and will be the site of the City’s new community daycare.

As his Eagle Scout project in 2014, Yordi Siersema built an awning for a covered picnic area towards the east end of the park. The project was dedicated in memory of siblings Catherine and Bryan Elliott who were both active in scouting and killed in a vehicle accident in August 2005. In 2020, Conor Jones came up with the idea of a bicycle repair station for his Eagle Scout project. Located near the basketball courts, the project was completed by Jones, some of his scouting friends, and the City crew.

The basketball courts were originally tennis courts. Construction began in 1965 with Don Canfield, then minister for the First Christian Church, leading the charge. The courts were built with youth and volunteer labor and funded solely through donations and fundraisers. Over the years, the popularity of tennis waned, and the courts gave way to basketball courts in the early ‘90s. The renovation of the courts was a 2015 PRIDE project. The old concrete was removed and new poured, court lines painted, and six goals installed. A donor sidewalk engraved with names of the top donors was also included in the project.

SOURCES: City of Lakin minutes, Lakin Independent and Museum archives

Members of the Beymer Family are shown during groundbreaking ceremonies for the Beymer Aquatic Center in April 2000. Pictured are Gary and Dixie Beymer, Clyde Beymer holding the shovel, and Bob and Diane Beymer with their daughters, Michelle, Taryn and Caitlin. Pictured below is the indoor swimming facility.

Lakin’s post of the Grand Army of the Republic organized in 1885

From the May 4, 1893 Advocate: “members of the G.A.R. Post had their photos taken in a group on Tuesday afternoon, with colors loyally on guard and conquering heroes all together.” Standing left to right: Capt. W.B. Logan, D.H. Camp, Benjamin Farrell, Charles Schultz, Benjamin F. Dye, George H. Tate, Sr., Charles Otto, and William P. Loucks. Seated L-R: James L. Simmons, Charles O. Chapman, William P. Haywood, Arthur W. Sudduth and James Mullany.

Among the many accomplishments credited to the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) is the designation of Memorial Day as a yearly tradition. By the late 1860s, various communities had already been holding springtime tributes to fallen soldiers of the Civil War by decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, national commander-in-chief of the G.A.R., issued the order that established Decoration Day as May 30, and Logan called upon G.A.R. members to make the May 30 observance an annual occurrence. The first large ceremony was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery where General James Garfield gave a speech, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there with small American flags. By the end of the 19^th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. After World War I, the day was expanded to honor soldiers who died in all American Wars, but it was not until 1971 that Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday. At that time, the last Monday of May was designated as the official day of observance.

The Grand Army of the Republic was founded in 1866 as a fraternal organization composed of Civil War veterans who served in the Union Army, Union Navy and the Marines. The organization began as an outlet for fellowship between those with shared experiences but grew to be the most powerful single-issue political lobby of the late 19^th century promoting voting rights for black veterans, advocating for federal pensions for veterans, supporting Republican candidates, and helping to elect five U.S. presidents from its own membership. G.A.R. was the largest of all the Union Army veterans’ organizations with a membership of 410,000 at its peak in 1890. At one time, the G.A.R. in Kansas had over 19,000 members in 478 posts.

The Lakin Post #364 of the G.A.R. was organized September 8, 1885. According to the Sept. 12, 1885 Advocate, over 5,000 people attended the affair. About 25 members of the Garden City G.A.R. Post arrived by train in the afternoon accompanied by their wives, daughters, and sweethearts. Also onboard were a large number of Garden City residents and the Garden City Brass Band which had the honor of being the first band to ever play on the streets of Lakin. While the ladies and citizens were escorted to the Commercial House, the band and G.A.R. boys formed in line and marched to the town hall where Judge H.M. Wheeler of Garden City took charge and proceeded to muster in the Lakin post. Thirteen charter members were included on the muster roll. Following the election of officers, the men formed again and marched over to the hotel where they joined those waiting there for a sumptuous supper served up by the hotel’s genial hostess, Amy Loucks. Everyone returned afterwards to the town hall which was packed by locals and people from surrounding towns. The new officers were installed, and the audience sang, “Marching Through Georgia.” A grand ball followed with the crowd dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

Lakin’s G.A.R. was a provider of entertainment, source of local charity, and organizer of patriotic events including the annual Decoration Day procession and services. The last member of Lakin’s post was Captain William Barringer Logan, no apparent relation to G.A.R. Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan. When William died on September 16^th, 1926 at 90 years of age, flags in Lakin were placed at half-mast in recognition of the service he had given to his country.

The national G.A.R. was dissolved in 1956 following the death of its last member, Albert Woolson of Minnesota who is also widely considered the last surviving veteran of the Civil War. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic.

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Kansas State Historical Society; Diggin’ Up Bones by Betty Barnes; History of Kearny County Vol. 1; Sept. 12, 1885 and May 4, 1893 Advocate; Sept. 24, 1926 Lakin Independent; Wikipedia; History.com; Ancestry.com, and museum archives.

VALUE OF CURRENT AND PAST NEWSPAPERS CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED

The survival of hometown newspapers is uncertain in this digital age. According to the University of North Carolina’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media, the United States lost one-fourth of its newspapers between 2004 and 2019. This included 70 dailies and more than 2,000 weeklies or nondaily papers. Eighteen of those papers were in Kansas.

Too many people won’t realize the value of their local paper until the paper no longer exists. For some, the loss won’t be felt until years later when they are trying to research family, community and other historical events. Newspaper editors and reporters have been the prime, sometimes sole, source of credible and comprehensive news and information in their communities. This is especially true for residents in small towns like Lakin. For researching Kearny County, there is no better place than the archives of our local papers.

The Lakin Eagle was the first paper to be printed in Lakin with the inaugural issue released in May of 1879 and the last issue on October 10 of that year. The four-column, four-page tabloid had three different editors during its short life.

The Lakin Herald was a full-sized publication that ran monthly from June to December of 1881 when it began publishing weekly. This was a remarkable feat at that time because the linotype had not yet been invented, and printing was a tedious task with each letter of each word having to be set by hand. Editor Joseph Dillon was an excellent story teller but admittedly could not set type, a task left to his daughter Maria. A yearly subscription to the Herald sold for $1.50. The last issue archived in Kansas State Historical Society files is dated June 27, 1884.

From 1885-1890, A.B. Boylan published Lakin Pioneer Democrat. The full-size weekly paper had four pages. Pages 1 and 4 were ready print, meaning they came to Boylan already printed eliminating a good deal of the typesetting. Those pages contained news and advertisements from across the state and nation. Local news and advertisements were printed on the inside pages. This was a common practice at that time.

The lone issue of The Lakin Union was published by H.S. Gregory on March 28, 1895. The following week, Gregory announced that he had purchased the subscription list and franchise of the Kearny County Advocate. “Owing to a legal complication we continue the name of the ADVOCATE and drop that of the LAKIN UNION.”

F.R. French published The Lakin Index, a full-size weekly paper, from 1890 to 1898. He then went on to publish The Lakin Investigator for a year. The Investigator had several editors and publishers during it existence, one of which was Harry Tate. The last issue of the paper ran on Jan. 6, 1911. The paper was then merged with The Kearny County Advocate, the second-longest running paper in Kearny County.

The first issue of The Kearney County Advocate was printed on May 23, 1885. Beginning with the May 29, 1890 issue, the spelling was changed to Kearny County Advocate. After merging with The Investigator in 1911, the paper ran eight issues under the name of The Kearny County Advocate and The Lakin Investigator. The name was then changed back to Kearny County Advocate until January 1918 when it changed to simply The Advocate. The weekly paper went through three editors in its first year: Charles S. Hughes, Tune Bentley and F.R. French. That changeover was just a glimpse as to the many times the paper would change hands during its existence. The brothers Menn (R. Thorpe and Don) served as the paper’s last editor and publisher, respectively. After selling the paper, the hometown boys continued in the print media field with Thorpe working in several capacities at the Kansas City Star and Don joining the production department of the McCall Corporation which printed McCall’s Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Newsweek and more.

The Lakin Independent was launched July 10, 1914 by M.B. Royer and was purchased by local girl Grace Hamblen in 1919. Edward Stullken bought the paper in 1922, and in 1937, he bought out The Advocate and merged it with the Independent. When Stullken retired from active newspaper service in 1946, his son Leslie took charge for a year before leasing the paper to Monte and Gloria Canfield in 1947. The Canfields purchased the Independent in 1953. Monte was one of the best in the business with an innate writing ability, wit, and a true sense of community. He passed in 2003, and long-time Independent employee Kathy McVey and her husband, Joe, bought the paper in 2006.

Deerfield, Hartland and the North Flats also had their share of newspapers. The last of those papers to survive was Deerfield’s Arkansas Valley Builder which ceased operation nearly a century ago.

The value of our current and past newspapers cannot be overstated. Almost every day museum staff use the archives to fulfill a research request, to write an article, add information to museum files, or to confirm or correct previously published information. Clippings are taken from the current Independents as well and filed for future reference. Where would be without our local paper? Hopefully this community will never have to find out.

L-R: W.E. Slavens, publisher; Maggie Slavens, owner; Grace Grimes, local editor; and L.P. Kimball, business manager outside the Advocate circa 1915.

Grace Hamblen, editor and publisher of The Lakin Independent. Her assistant, Grace Carter Wright, is on the left. Circa 1921.

Gloria Canfield is picture at far left feeding the cylinder press while Hazel Stullken sets copy. Independent editor Monte Canfield is on the right side of the picture. 1948

Then and Now: The Independent building was completed in 1931 and received a modern facelift in 2022.

SOURCES: Much of the information in this article was researched for Volume I of the History of Kearny County by the late Hazel Stullken, daughter-in-law of Ed Stullken and an Independent employee for over 40 years; museum and newspaper archives; High Plains Public Radio; and USnewsdeserts.com.

Dr. George F. Johnston, pioneer MD

The oldest building on Lakin’s Main Street is small and unassuming. Glancing at its limestone façade, one could never guess the significance of the building to the people who called Lakin home in the first part of the 20th Century. The original part of the structure at 113 N. Main was completed in January 1904 for Dr. George F. Johnston, M.D. In addition to his office and consultation rooms, the facility also served somewhat as a hospital since there were no other ones here at the time.

Dr. Johnston arrived in Lakin in September of 1895 during the horse and buggy days of medicine. Born and raised in Reading, Pa., he was a graduate of Lafayette College. He graduated with high honors from the prestigious Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1887 and completed his post graduate work at Bellevue Medical College of New York City. In 1892, Dr. Johnston made his way to nearby Leoti where he married Katherine Tipton in 1894.

A man of deep sympathy and humanity, the good doctor loved his profession. He made house calls both day and night, in good weather and in bad, sacrificing his physical self to relieve the suffering of others even when they had no money to pay his fees. Dr. Johnston often made the long drive to Ulysses and Garden City to treat patients. Accounts of his service were regularly related in the local papers such as when he had so many patients to call on that he hadn’t taken his clothes off for three nights. When Lake McKinney was under construction, one of the workers came down with small pox, and Dr. Johnston avoided an epidemic by immediately quarantining the camp. Answering a house call to Kendall in December of 1921 required the doctor to use a sled to get to his patient.

From 1899 to 1901, Dr. Johnston was Kearny County’s representative to the Legislature where he served as a member of the public health, railroad, and agricultural committees. Along with a fellow doctor from Ellsworth, Dr. Johnston succeeded in getting medical legislation passed that resulted in the organization of the first State Board of Medical Registration and Examination. Kansas Governor William Stanley appointed Dr. Johnston as the first president of the board, a selection made with much scrutiny and care. Dr. Johnston’s 1901 medical license was the first issued in the state and is on display at the Kearny County Museum.

Dr. Johnston also served as the chairman of the Republican County Central Committee for many years and was a delegate to nearly every state Republican convention for over 20 years. He was a member of the Lakin Presbyterian Church, Knights Templars of Garden City, and the Lakin Blue Lodge and Order of Eastern Star. According to information provided by his late daughter, the doctor was a lifelong student and could be found reading medical journals or historical readings in his free time.

At the time of Dr. Johnston’s death in 1925, there were thousands of dollars on his books that had gone uncollected. Despite almost impassable roads and poor weather conditions, nearly the entire town attended his funeral, a true showing of admiration and respect for the man who had given so much of himself for the health and well-being of others.

SOURCES: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans compiled by William E. Connelley; Tribute to Father by Elizabeth Johnston Gillespie; History of Kearny County Vol. 1; Dec. 13, 1894 Western Kansan; Sept. 26, 1895 Leoti Standard; Feb. 18, 1898 Lakin Index; Jan. 28, 1904 and Oct. 1, 1920 Advocate; Dec. 9, 1921 and Nov. 20, 1925 Lakin Independent; Nov. 16, 1901 Lakin Investigator; and museum archives.

Annual Meeting Reservations Due Now!

The Kearny County Historical Society was organized Nov. 26, 1957 by a number of persons who were interested in preserving the history of Kearny County. Spearheaded by their president, Mrs. Virginia Pierce Hicks, this small group had a vision that has led to the release of two volumes of History of Kearny County, the preservation of the Deerfield Texaco Station, and to the museum complex which is home to the oldest house in Lakin, Columbia one-room school house, the Lakin depot, 12-sided barn, machinery building, and main museum building with annex.

Hundreds of visitors and school children come through the museum door each year, eager to learn about history and see artifacts that offer a glimpse into the lives of those who came before us. Our buildings are overflowing with many fine artifacts, most of which way have been generously donated. We have files upon files filled with historical information, archives of the local papers, and offer research services for those interested in learning more about their families or historical events. Few rural museums have as much to offer as does ours. We are forever indebted to our benefactors, the 16 charter members of the KCHS, and the many dedicated volunteers, board members and employees who came before us and shared their time and talents to make the museum what it is today.

You too can be a part of the Kearny County Historical Society. We encourage you to join us on Saturday evening, May 6, for our annual meeting at the Deerfield Community Center. In addition to learning more about our organization and projects, you will be treated to a delicious brisket meal and program on the Arkansas River given by Hannes Zacharias.

You will need to reserve your spot by calling the Museum at 620-355-7448 by 3 p.m. Friday, April 28. There is no charge for this special event, and we would love to have you as our guest!

If you cannot attend the annual meeting but are interested in becoming a member of the historical society, a mere $20 will pay for a lifetime membership. If you like the articles that have been appearing in the newspaper, you are sure to enjoy our newsletter which is mailed quarterly to our members. With your membership, you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping preserve our precious past and educating future generations.

Virginia Pierce Hicks, 1st president of the KCHS

Helen Browne Rardon, 1st vice-president of the KCHS

Edith Thorpe Clements, 1st KCHS secretary

Margaret O’Loughlin Hurst, KCHS historian

Commitment to community is a Tate legacy

Multiple generations of the Tate family have called Lakin home since 1885. They have excelled in the fields of law, business, ranching, agriculture, medicine and more, but a common denominator has been their commitment to making this community better. That is a legacy that began in the spring of 1885 when George H. Tate Sr. arrived here from Chesterfield, Illinois. Accompanied by his 14-year-old son, George Jr. (Harry), the elder Tate had been advised by his doctor to move to a drier climate, and Lakin fit the bill. In July of 1885, he commenced to build a frame store building to house a general hardware and mercantile business on the west side of South Main Street. By the end of August, Tate had a partner, Noell E. Farrar, and the firm of Tate & Farrar opened with a line of groceries, flour, feed, clothing, and more. George purchased Farrar’s interest less than a month later and continued a successful business with son Harry by his side. The following spring, Mr. Tate returned to Illinois to move his wife, Susannah, and their eight other children to Lakin.

Tate’s firm enjoyed a large business serving local customers and those from surrounding counties. When Lakin lost the county seat in 1889 and drought and nation-wide depression set in, three general stores closed their doors, but two remained – John O’Loughlin’s and Geo. H. Tate’s. Sons Harry, John and Sidney assisted their father in the family business while daughter Elizabeth had charge of the dry goods department. The family also conducted a freighting business to Ulysses and maintained a store in Deerfield for a number of years. Harry, John and Sid took turns hauling supplies there several times a week until this business was sold in 1902 to Sam Corbett and Fred Sowers.

Due to his ever-increasing business, George added on to his Lakin store more than once. Then, in November of 1906, the building was pulled out into the street to continue doing business while a substantial brick replacement was under construction. The grand opening in the new building, Lakin’s largest at the time, was celebrated in the spring of 1907 with Tate’s offering dry goods, groceries, clothing, hats, caps, boots, shoes, hardware, Queensware, flour, feed, harnesses and even the buggy to get the shopping haul home.

George Tate’s business was significant to the citizens and economy of Lakin, but he and Susannah contributed to the community in other ways as well. George was on the city council and served stints as mayor and treasurer. A veteran of the Civil War, he was a charter member and very active in the local chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) He served on various committees in the early years working towards improvements in this southwest Kansas town. Mrs. Tate was one of Lakin’s Christian workers, opening her home to prayer meetings and serving on the Ladies Aid Society. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union flourished due mainly to her many years of service as the organization’s president.

After George’s death in 1917, the management of the store fell to George Jr.

When he died in 1944, his sons Cecil and Roland continued to operate the store. In March of 1946, the brothers announced that they had sold the store to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Brehm owing to the pressure of other business. Currently used for storage, the building has housed a number of grocery stores through the years including Brehms, Quality Food Market, Fisher’s IGA, Don’s Jack & Jill, Connie’s Food Center, and Carter’s Jack & Jill.

L-R: John, George Jr., and Sidney, sons of George and Susannah Morrison Tate. Son James Noel died at the age of 5.

The daughters of George and Susannah Tate. Standing L-R: Elizabeth, Lenora Boylan Tate (wife of George Jr.) and Ethel. Sitting L-R: Sue, Olivia and Sarah.

SOURCES: “Pioneering Tate Family Celebrates 100 Years in Kearny County” written by Florence Tate Fletcher for the Lakin Independent July 18, 1985; archives of The Advocate; Lakin Investigator and Lakin Independent; Diggin’ Up Bones by Betty Barnes; History of Kearny Co. Vol. I & II; and museum archives.