Ashton, Kansas – Extinct in Sumner County

Old siolo in Ashton, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.

Old silo in Ashton, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.

Ashton, Kansas, is an extinct town in southeast Sumner County.

An old church in Ashton, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.

An old church in Ashton, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.

Located in Walton Township, a post office was established on February 26, 1887.

In 1910, Ashton was a station on the Kansas Southwestern Railway that was incorporated in 1901. The line passed through the community, east to west, from Geuda Springs to South Haven. At that time, Ashton had a money order post office with one rural route, express and telegraph offices, several general stores, and a population of 125.

Ashton’s post office closed on September 16, 1971.

Today, this ghost town comprises several fallen and deteriorating buildings surrounded by agricultural land. On Legends’ visit, only one home appeared to be occupied.

An old business building in Ashton, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.

An old business building in Ashton, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.

Ashton is located about halfway between South Haven and Arkansas City, 1.75 miles north of the intersection of S Rock Rd and U.S. Route 166, next to an abandoned railroad.

 

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, June 2024.

Also See:

Extinct Towns of Sumner County

Kansas Ghost Towns

Sumner County, Kansas

Sumner County Photo Gallery

Sources:

Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, 1912.
Wikipedia