Ada, Kansas, in about 1900.
Ada, Kansas, is a small town and census-designated place situated on Salt Creek in Fountain Township of northwestern Ottawa County. It is also an extinct town as its post office closed years ago. As of the 2020 census, the population was 86.
This place was initially called Hot Hill when a post office was established on August 27, 1872. However, the name changed about a month later to Ada on September 26, 1872. S.P. Beucler later secured the office for his store.
In 1878, Ada had a good district school, two churches — Methodist and Baptist, two doctors, and about 50 residents. It shipped grain and livestock from Salina, the nearest shipping point on the Kansas Pacific Railroad. Weekly mail was delivered to Jacob B. Lane, the postmaster.
Old railroad depot in Ada, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.
In 1888, a rail line of the Chicago, Kansas, and Western Railroad opened from Manchester, Kansas, in the east to Barnard in the west, a 43-mile line, with a depot in Ada.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad acquired the Chicago, Kansas and Western Railroad in 1901.
In 1910, Ada continued to serve as the shipping point for a prosperous farming community. At that time, it had banking facilities, all lines of business activity, telegraph and express offices, a money order post office with one rural mail route, and a population of 300.
An old business building in Ada, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.
Ada High School was closed as part of the school unification in 1965. Its mascot was the Wildcat.
An application was filed in 1983 to abandon the railroad line.
Ada’s post office closed on March 1, 1998.
Today, the community is served by the North Ottawa County USD 239 public school district, headquartered in Minneapolis, Kansas.
An old school in Ada, kansas by Kathy Alexander.
Ada is located about 11 miles west of Minneapolis.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated June 2025.
Also See:
An old church in Ada, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.
Sources:
1878 Gazetteer and Business Directory
Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
Wikipedia