Edmond, Kansas, courtesy of Google Maps.
Edmond, Kansas, is on the Solomon River in Solomon Township of Norton County. As of the 2020 census, the city’s population was 28, and its total area was 0.17 square miles, all land. It is also an extinct town as it no longer has a post office.
After a few years, settlers of nearby Port Landis moved to Edmond. Noah Weaver established the first store on the west edge of Edmond. The post office was moved from Port Landis and opened on June 3, 1879, with Albert Weaver as postmaster. John D. Edmond, a traveling hardware salesman for J.F. Richards & Co. out of Leavenworth, Kansas, promised Mr. Weaver 1,000 flour sacks if he named the town after him.
Missouri Pacific Railroad Locomotive.
The original plat of Edmond was registered by John D. Edmond of Leavenworth, Kansas, on September 3, 1879. It included two blocks going east and west and four north and south. Another addition, known as Purvience’s, was platted to the east of the original plat on September 6, 1881, by E.S. Purviance and his wife, P.J. Purviance of Norton County. This added two more blocks east and west and three and one-half blocks north and south.
The Missouri Pacific Railroad opened in 1881. Early in its history, there were two depot agents: one for the day and the other for the night. Dave Ferris was the first section boss and held the position until he retired.
Otto Dannevik built an early church/school and meeting place in 1881 from stone. The rocks were hauled from four miles north of Edmond. The church was Congregational under the leadership of Reverend Bonnet. Other denominations also worshiped there because it was the only church in Edmond. Later, the church/school building was sold to the United Brethren Church.
Public school in Edmond, Kansas.
In 1885, Edmond was still on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. It had Methodist and United Presbyterian Churches, a Union Church congregation, a broom manufacturer, a livery, a hotel, a druggist, an attorney, a blacksmith, a flour mill, three general stores, a carpenter, and a population of 100. Edmond shipped grain and cheese. The postmaster, James Lobsitz, delivered the mail daily. Logan, 15 miles east, was the nearest banking point.
The Edmond Times newspaper was published from 1886 to 1890.
A new two-story school was built east of the first school and completed in August 1888.
In 1894, the town was on the daily stagecoach line to Hill City and had a lumber dealer, a furniture store, a flour mill, a barber, the Grand Central Hotel, two blacksmiths, two liveries, a grocery store, a shoemaker, two general stores, a grocery store, a justice of the peace, and a population of 200.
The city’s first electricity was generated by a dynamo about half a mile south on the Solomon River. This power source provided electricity for only 12 hours, from 1:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight.
A new Christian Church measuring 30 by 40 feet began to be built in November 1905 and was completed the following year.
In 1910, Edmond was still on the Missouri Pacific Railroad and was described as a “flourishing place” with a national bank, a grain elevator, a flour mill, a creamery, a hotel, graded public schools, a money order post office with one rural route, and a large local trade, and a population of 350.
Edmond, Kansas Main Street, early 1900s.
W.J. Wills first published the Edmond New Leaf newspaper on February 2, 1911, but it was brief; its last issue was published on April 20, 1911.
Methodist Church in Edmond, Kansas, courtesy of Google Maps.
The church/school building served the United Brethren Congregation until 1915 when a new church was built two blocks east and one-half block south of the old building on the corner of Fourth and Keith Streets. This building later served the Methodist Church.
In 1915, Stickney’s general store and all other wooden structures on the block burned on the north side of the street. To the west of the store was one of the old hotels, which escaped the fire. The bank and another brick hotel had minor damage.
In 1916, an opera house was built. Movies were shown in the building, and school activities were held there. The same year, the city was incorporated. Roy Woodward was the first Mayor; the councilmen were Stephenson, Stickney, Pickering, Newbold, and Dr. Jaquiss.
Edmond’s population peaked at 213 in 1920.
In 1921, a high school was formed, using the top floor of the school building, with the grade school on the bottom floor. An addition and basement with a kitchen for lunch were added.
An old business building in Edmond, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.
A high school district was established in 1930, and the school moved to a new building three blocks east. The grade students also ended up in the high school building, and an addition and basement with a kitchen for serving lunch was added.
An electrical high line, which came from Lenora, was connected in 1931.
In the 1930s, one passenger train ran through the community, and a freight train came every other day. The Missouri Pacific truck came on the days the train didn’t. At that time, the depot agent was Mrs. M.M. Wing.
The Edmond New Leaf Newspaper was resurrected on April 16, 1931, and published weekly by W.J. Wills on Thursdays until October 22, 1936.
In February 1932, the Opera House was destroyed by fire, which started under the stage.
Nelson Elevator was destroyed by fire in 1934.
The old hotel in Edmond, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.
In 1936, the town’s population was approximately 200 people.
In February 1957, a fire destroyed a half-block, including the barbershop and three residences.
The last graduating high school class was in 1958, and afterward, the Edmond and Lenora Districts combined to make District #213.
In August 1959, the city purchased lots on the south side of Highway 9 and established a nice roadside park.
The grade school was sold and torn down in 1974.
Grade school students began to attend classes in Lenora in 1976.
Old Christian Church in Edmond, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.
The Christian Church building was sold in April 1995.
Edmond’s post office closed on May 2, 1996, shortly after Mrs. Belden retired as postmistress.
Today, the community is served by Norton USD 211 public school district.
The community still has several old business buildings and numerous homes. The brick high school still stands, but it is in much disrepair.
The Edmond Cemetery is north of town.
Edmond is about 14 miles southeast of Norton, the county seat.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, December 2024.
The old high school in Edmond, Kansas still stands, by Kathy Alexander.
Also See:
Sources;
1884-1885 Gazetteer and Business Directory, R.L. Polk & Co., Chicago, IL.
1894 Gazetteer and Business Directory, R. L. Polk & Co., Chicago, IL.
1912 Gazetteer and Business Directory, R. L. Polk & Co., Chicago, IL.
Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
Norton County Geneology
Rootsweb
Wikipedia