Sod house in Decatur County, Kansas, about 1885.
| Town | Post Office Dates | Additional Information |
| Allison-Toiyabe | 1879-1919 | This place was first named for Toiyabe when a post office was established on February 11, 1879. It was on the North Fork of the Solomon River, in Allison Township. Its name was changed to Allison on December 20, 1880, in honor of a pioneer. It was platted in September 1885 and soon began thriving as the county’s second city. In 1910, it had a money order post office and some local trade, and reported a population of 25. It was nine miles from Jennings, its nearest banking and shipping point. Stage coaches ran daily to Jennings and Lucerne. In 1900, it had the Continental Creamery Company, a blacksmith, a general store, and a population of 18. |
| Bassettville | 1879-1908 | Bassettville was located in Bassettville Township. |
| Borin | 1892-1899 | The post office’s Order of Change was rescinded. Mail was then sent to Allison. |
| Cedar Bluffs | 1873-1958 | A village of Beaver Township, Cedar Bluffs was situated on Beaver Creek and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, about 12 miles North of Oberlin, the county seat. In 1910, it had a bank, a money-order post office with two rural routes, express and telegraph offices, telephone connections, good schools and churches, a large retail trade, did some shipping, and had a population of 200. Cedar Bluffs has remained a town all these years, but has never been incorporated. Its post office closed on August 31, 1958. |
| Connersville | 1875-1883 | Connersville was in Finley Township. |
| Decatur | 1874-1897 1900 |
Decatur was part of the Harlan-Roosevelt Townships. After the post office’s Order of Change was rescinded, the office was discontinued, and mail was sent to Oberlin. |
| Decatur Centre | 1879-1880 | Decatur Centre was in Center Township in the exact center of the county. It was the only rival for the county seat. The post office moved to Rufo after it closed. |
| Diggs | 1884-1886 | Diggs was a part of Prairie Dog Township in the southern part of the county. |
| Hawkeye | 1879-1896 | Hawkeye was in Cook Township. |
| Hooker-Saint John | 1879-1907 | The name changed from Saint John To Hooker on April 30, 1880. This small settlement was on Sappa Creek, eight miles southwest of Oberlin, the county seat and nearest railroad station, from which its mail was delivered after its post office closed. |
| Jackson | 1879-1889 | Jackson was located in Jennings Township, just West of the present site of Jennings. When the post office was discontinued, Jennings took over the mail duties. |
| Kanona-Altory | 1881-1955 | Located in Altory Township, this town was first called Altory when a post office was established on September 13, 1881. When the town died out, the town’s name changed from Altory to Kanona on April 2, 1887. |
| Keith | 1895-1899 | Keith was in Summit Township. |
| Leoville | 1923-1980 | Leoville had the last established post office in the county. Located in Dresden Township. |
| Lund | 1892-1907 | Lund was in Summit Township, 12 miles south of Oberlin, the county seat, and 10 miles northwest of Dresden, the nearest shipping point. In 1910, its population was 24. After its post office closed, its mail is distributed by rural route from Dresden. |
| Lyle | 1877-1907 | Lyle was on the original Norton-Oberlin mail route in Grant Township. Located on Sappa Creek about 20 miles northeast of Oberlin, the county seat, and eight miles North of Norcatur, the nearest railroad station. After its post office closed, it received mail by rural route from Norcatur. Its population in 1910 was 30. |
| Mendota | 1873 | The post office was open for less than seven months. |
| Plato | 1880-1883 | Plato was located in Sherman Township. When the post office was discontinued, the mail was sent to Oberlin. |
| Rufo | 1880-1881 1895-1904 |
Rufo was located in Olive Township. |
| Sheffield | 1881 1882-1887 |
Sheffield was located in Sappa Township. After its post office closed, the mail was sent to Enne in Rawlins County. |
| Shibboleth | 1875-1904 | Shibboleth was in Prairie Dog Township. When its post office was discontinued, mail was sent to Dresden. |
| Stephen | 1883-1888 | Stephen was in Summit Township. When the post office was discontinued, mail was sent to Shibboleth. |
| Sykes | 1881-1883 | Sykes was located in Summit Township. After its post office closed, mail was sent to Oberlin. |
| Traer | 1883-1971 | Traer, Kansas, is a ghost town in Decatur, Kansas. |
| Vallonia | 1879-1887 | Vallonia was located in Harlan-Roosevelt Township. When the office was discontinued, mail was sent to Decatur. |
Also See:
Sources:
Blackmar, Frank W. Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol. I. Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, 1912.
Cutler, William G.; History of Kansas; A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL, 1883.
Decatur County, Kansas
Kansas Post Office History
Wikipedia