Extinct Towns of Washington County, Kansas

A farm in Sheridan Township of Washington County, Kansas, 1890.

A farm in Sheridan Township of Washington County, Kansas, 1890.

Town Post Office Dates Additional Information
Albia 1873-1905 A country post office 18 miles north of Washington, the county seat. In 1910, Albia was described as a small hamlet. It was located near the Nebraska line, ten miles north of Morrowville, where the rural free delivery system delivered its mail. Endicott, Nebraska, was the nearest railroad station.
Ballards Falls 1869-1902 Ballard’s Falls was a little hamlet on the Little Blue River, about 12 miles east of Washington, the county seat, and five miles north of Barnes, from which place mail it received its mail by rural free delivery after its post office closed.
Beekman 1872-1876
Bell 1876-1878
Blocker 1881-1884 When the post office closed, it moved to Morrow Station.
Brantford 1871-1908
Brantford School in Washington County, Kansas.

Brantford School

Fallen building in Brantford, Kansas, courtesy Google Maps.

Fallen building in Brantford.

Located near the Republic County line, this village’s mail was supplied by rural free delivery from Clyde when its post office closed. In 1910, it had a population of 75. It was about 20 miles southwest of Washington, the county seat. The town still boasts the old Brantford School, which now serves as a community center, a fallen business building, and a few area homes.

Brown Rock 1871-1872
Calderhead 1898-1901
Campbell 1894-1901
Chepstow 1870-1872
1874-1905
Store-Post Office in Chepstow, Kansas.

Store-Post Office in Chepstow, Kansas.

This little hamlet was situated in the Coon Creek Valley in Lincoln Township, about 16 miles southeast of Washington, the county seat. After its post office closed, mail was received by rural delivery from the Greenleaf post office. Barnes, on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, was the nearest railroad station. In 1910, it had a population of 25. Nothing is left but a cemetery.

Clara 1892-1904
Clara, Kansas.

Clara, Kansas.

This village was about 12 miles southwest of Washington, the county seat. In 1910, it had a population of 40, and its mail was delivered through the Haddam post office, the nearest railroad station.

Cromwell 1882-1884
Day 1883-1930 This little village was a station on the Greenleaf & Lenora division of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. In 1910, it had a money order post office, some local trade, some shipping, and a population of 35. It was five miles east of Clifton and about 17 miles southwest of Washington, the county seat.
Dewey 1884-1893
Dewitt-De Witt 1874-1897 The name changed from De Witt to Dewitt on November 22, 1894.
Doane 1873-1875
Donald 1870 The post office was open for about ten months.
Elm Grove 1872-1877 The post office moved to Barnes when it closed.
Emmons 1885-1918
Emmons School in Washington, Kansas.

Emmons School.

A village of Charleston Township, Emmons was a station on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad four miles northeast of Washington, the county seat. In 1910, it had a money order post office, telegraph and express offices, some general stores, and a population of 50. The old Emmons School was moved to Washington, Kansas, near the museum.

Enosdale 1884-1903 Enosdale was about four miles south of Morrow, the nearest railroad station, and seven miles southwest of Washington, the county seat, from which its mail was received by rural delivery after its post office closed.
Erin 1868-1872 The post office moved to Pursley when it closed.
Gaskill 1884-1903 Gaskill was a small hamlet located about four miles south of the Nebraska state line and ten miles northwest of Washington, the county seat, from which place its mail was received by rural delivery after its post office closed.
Gerardy 1895-1903 A small village in Washington County, it was a station on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 7 miles northeast of Washington, the county seat, and five miles north of Hanover. Mail was delivered by rural carrier from there. The population in 1910 was 57.
Greenwood 1875-1876 The post office was only open for about five months.
Hopewell 1879-1890
Hopper 1871-1874 The post office moved from Prospect Hill. When it closed, it was moved to Round Grove.
Jonah 1898-1902 Jonah was eight miles southeast of Washington, the county seat, and five miles from Greenleaf, the nearest shipping point and the postoffice from which its mail was distributed after its post office closed.
Joy Creek 1870-1878
Kara-Dewey 1894-1899
1899-1901
The town’s name changed from Dewey to Kara on March 3, 1896.
Kimeo 1872-1904
Early day Kimeo, Kansas.

Early day Kimeo, Kansas.

New & old Catholic Church in Kimeo, Kansa

New & old Catholic Church in Kimeo, Kansas.

Kimeo, Kansas Catholic Church, courtesy Google Maps.

Kimeo, Kansas Catholic Church.

A farming hamlet, the Kimeo area was established by Irish settlers in the 1870s. St. Michael’s Catholic Church, built of native limestone, was constructed in 1904. The church has been closed for several years but remains a local landmark that can be seen from several miles away. The population in 1910 was 50. It was nine miles south of Greenleaf, from which its mail was distributed by rural route after its post office closed. Kimeo was located 16 miles south of Washington, the county seat.

Koloko 1877-1891
Lanham 1914-1923
Lanhan, Kansas/Nebraska, courtesy of Wikipedia.

Lanham, Kansas/Nebraska.

Lanham is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Kansas, and Gage County, Nebraska. The Kansas-Nebraska state line runs down its main street. Lanham was named for a railroad official. A post office was opened in Lanham on the Kansas side in 1914 and remained in operation until 1923. The post office moved back into Gage County, Nebraska. It is seven miles north of Hanover, Kansas, and 6.5 miles from Odell, Nebraska.  It is located along State Line Road, about a half mile west of K-148/Nebraska Highway 112.

Limestone 1864-1872
Luther 1895-1904 Though the post office was authorized, it was never in operation. This hamlet was located 12 miles southwest of Washington, the county seat, five miles from Palmer, the nearest shipping point, and ten miles from Clifton, the post office from which it received its mail.
Mayton 1874-1879
McKinley 1892-1895 Though the post office was authorized, it was never in operation.
Mormon Springs None Mormon Springs on Ash Creek in Washington County, Kansas, was a favorite camping ground of the Latter-Day Saints when they traveled to Utah on the South Fork of the Mormon Trail.
Parallel 1863-1905
Peach Creek-Mount Clifton 1870-1878 The name was changed from Mount Clifton to Peach Creek on April 13, 1871. D.T. Smouse laid out Peach Creek Village in 1871, containing several stores and about 40 people. It was on the main road from Waterville, Marshall County, to Clyde, Cloud County, in southern Washington County.
Prospect Hill 1870-1871 When the post office closed, it moved to Hopper.
Pursley 1872 The post office moved from Erin. It was open for less than a month.
Reiter 1871-1884
Rogersville 1860-1864 Rogersville was on Judge S.F.Snider’s farm in Charleston Township.
Round Grove 1871

1874-1877

When the post office closed, it was moved to Greenleaf.
Spence 1898-1899 The post office was open for less than a year.
Springville 1871-1875
Strawberry 1871-1904
Strawberry, Kansas Buildings.

Strawberry, Kansas Buildings.

This country hamlet was located 12 miles southwest of Washington, the county seat, and eight miles west of Linn on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, the nearest shipping point and the post office from which it received mail after its post office closed. The population in 1910 was 52.

Tansel 1892-1895
Throop 1890-1903 This country hamlet in Coleman Township, Throop, was ten miles southwest of Washington, the county seat, and seven miles south of Morrowville, the nearest railroad station and the post office from which it receives mail after its post office closed. The population in 1910 was 28.
Tremont 1873 The post office was open for less than a month.
Weltbote-Ardale-Butler 1870-1898 When a post office was established on July 29, 1870, the town was called Butler. On August 18, 1885, the town’s name was changed to Ardale. On December 12, 1888, the town’s name was changed again to Weltbote. The post office closed for the last time on July 30, 1898.
West Union None West Union was a paper town about four miles west of Washington on the McNulty claim.

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated December 2024.

Also See:

Kansas Cities & Towns

Kansas Counties

Kansas Destinations

Washington County, Kansas

Washington County Photo Gallery

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.
Kansas Post Office History