Hammond, Kansas Grain Silos courtesy of Google Maps.
Hammond, Kansas, an extinct town in Osage Township of Bourbon County, was named for a pioneer family.
One of the first settlers was Captain M. Howard, who owned and operated the Sleepy Holly Farm and bred thoroughbred cattle. On April 18, 1877, F. M. Allen became the postmaster and established a post office.
The population reached 100 once, with several thriving businesses, including two mercantile stores and a cheese factory. A blacksmith shop was an early-day necessity, and the first one in Hammond was the Jerry Baker Shop, later run by J.W. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson had the switchboard for all surrounding rural telephones in her home.
In the 1880s, the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad came through. It was later known as the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. J.H. Miller operated a general merchandise store in the 1880s. George Currier owned and operated a larger general mercantile store with an attached ice house. A short time later, a smaller store, the Smith Store, was built. After a fire destroyed the Currier Grocery, Gilbert Moore built a replacement one block south on the main east-west road. B.W. Orr and Wallace Malone later operated this.
St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad by H. Killam, 1958.
The Methodist Church was built on land donated by William McIntosh and dedicated in 1884, and the local school was built at about the same time.
In 1910, the town had a population of about 30. Unfortunately, on May 19, 1919, much of Hammond was destroyed by fire.
The post office closed on July 26, 1968.
Located about seven miles due north of Fort Scott, Hammond still has a few scattered homes, active railroad tracks, and several grain silos.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated May 2024.
Also See:
Extinct Towns of Bourbon County
Sources:
Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
Wikipedia