Extinct Towns of Neosho County, Kansas

Railroad sign board in Earlton, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.

The railroad sign board in Earlton, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.

Jacksonville

Ladore/Fort Roach

Town Post Office Dates Additional Information
Austin 1870
1874-1895
1896-1905
Austin was a Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway station in Canville Township. It was 11 miles northwest of Erie and four miles from Chanute.
Big Labette 1870-1871
Canville 1866-1872
Chard 1879-1888 Located in the northern part of Grant Township, Chard was established in July 1878 and was named after Charles Chard.
Cremona 1869-1878
Earlton 1871-1976
Eagle Hotel in Earlton, Kansas.

Eagle Hotel in Earlton, Kansas.

Earlton was founded in 1870. Not much progress was made until about 1876, when a railroad depot was built there. The town’s name was first spelled Earleton until it was changed to Earlton in 1950. Its post office closed on July 3, 1976. As of the 2020 census, the population of this tiny town was 60.

Hertha 1887-1932
Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railroad sign board in Hertha, Kansas by H. Killam, 1962.

Hertha railroad sign, 1962.

Hertha was on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway six miles south of Erie. In 1910, it had an express office and a post office, with a population of 40.

Irwin 1871 The post office was only open for about six months.
Island 1871-1878
1880-1901
Located in the southeast Neosho County, the first settlement was made here in 1869 by L.F. Rogers, and a townsite was established. It was called Island due to its location at the foot of Big Island, on the Neosho River. L.F. Rogers built a sawmill in 1869 and a grist-mill in 1873. M.S. Austin opened a general store in 1880. That year, T.M. Warne bought the whole townsite, including the stores, mills, houses, etc., which contained five or six resident families.
Jacksonville 1867-1882 Jacksonville was situated on the corners of Crawford, Neosho, and Labette Counties and within about 100 yards from the corner of Cherokee County.
Kimball/Kimbal/Dalton 1888-1956
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway depot in Kimball, Kansas by H. Killam, 1959.

Railroad depot in Kimball.

Kimball was located in Grant Township on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway. The plat was filed in May 1888 under the name of Dalton, but the post office and station were called Kimball in honor of C.H. Kimball, president of the town’s first railroad. In 1910, it was described as a thriving little town with express and telegraph offices, a money order post office, and a population of 165. The name was changed from Kimbal to Kimball on September 1, 1950. It was about eight miles northeast of Erie.

Ladore/Fort Roach 1867-1901
Ladore Cemetery in Neosho County, Kansas.

Ladore Cemetery

Located in the southern part of Neosho County, Ladore was first called Fort Roach in honor of James N. Roach, its principal founder. The report that it was probably made the railroad junction, where shops and businesses were to be built, was the cause operating in favor of its rapid advancement, which, for a time, was scarcely paralleled.

Newport 1870-1871 The post office was only open for about eight months.
Odense 1872-1902 Odense was located in the northern part of the county, nine miles south of Erie. It had a population of about 24 in 1910.
Orcuttville 1870-1871 The post office was only open for about five months.
Ord 1870-1872
Palo Alto 1870-1872
Prairie Du Chien 1868-1871 The post office moved to Thayer when it closed.
Rochester 1869-1870
1872
Roger’s Mills 1865-1870 The post office moved to Tioga when it closed.
Rollin 1890-1901
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad crossing by H. Killam, 1962.

Railroad crossing, 1962.

Rollin was an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad station in Erie Township. The population in 1910 was 24. It was eight miles northwest of Erie and five miles west of Shaw.

Rose Hill 1870-1871 The post office moved to Galesburg when it closed.
Shaw 1885-1954
Railroad Depot in Shaw, Kansas, 1950s.

Railroad Depot in Shaw, Kansas, 1950s.

Shaw was located in Erie township on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. In 1910, it had telegraph and express offices, a good local trade, and a money order post office with one rural route and a population of 125. There are still a few buildings in the area and the Shaw Cemetery. It was four miles west of Erie.

South Mound 1872-1971
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad tracks in South Mound, Kansas by H. Killam, 1962.

Railroad tracks in South Mound, Kansas, 1962.

South Mound is an unincorporated community that was located on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The railroad tracks were removed in 1989 following its merger with Missouri Pacific Railroad. As of the 2020 census, the population of the community and nearby areas was 27. It is located located in Lincoln Township, 11 miles south of Erie.

Tioga 1870-1872
Tioga, Kansas

Tioga, Kansas

Now part of Chanute.

Trent 1894-1901 A station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, it was about two miles east of Erie.
Urbana 1870-1957
Urbana, Kansas depot, by H. Killam, 1962.

Urbana, Kansas depot, 1962.

Urbana is an unincorporated community founded by platted in 1870 by Dr. Peters. It was located on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. From 1877 to 1878, Urbana was the site of the short-lived “Esperanza Community,” described as “a colony of communists.” They bought a hotel and ran a newspaper called The Star of Hope. In 1910, it was located on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway and had express and telegraph offices and a money order post office. The population in 1910 was 85. As of the 2020 census, the population of the community and nearby areas was 30. It is located in Chetopa Township, 10 miles west of Erie.

Valley City 1867-1871
Vietsburgh/Flat Rock 1870-1888 The name changed from Flat Rock to Vietsburgh on August 11, 1879. It was located in the southern part of Grant Township.

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

Also See:

Cities & Towns of Kansas

Everyplace in Kansas

Kansas Counties

Neosho County, Kansas

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