Branding cattle in Scott County, Kansas.
| Town | Post Office Dates | Additional Information |
| Arcola | 1887-1888 | |
| Grigston-Grigsby | 1886-1955 |
 ATSF Depot in Grigston, Kansas, 1931. Located in the eastern part of the county, in Keystone Township, this place was first called Grigsby when a post office was established on August 18, 1886. The site of Grigsby was platted on October 4, 1886. In 1887, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad built its tracks through the town site, and the station opened in September of that year. In 1910, it was a station on the Great Bend & Scott City division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. At that time, it had a grain elevator, general stores, a hotel, an express office, telephone connections, a money order post office, and a population of 75. The town’s name was changed to Grigston on September 18, 1922. Its post office closed on December 31, 1955. The old community still has grain elevators, numerous silos, and storage buildings. It is ten miles east of Scott, the county seat.  Grigston, Kansas, courtesy of Google Maps. |
| Manning | 1887-1955 | When the Missouri Pacific Railway conducted its final survey in 1887, Manning, Kansas, was established next to the tracks. It was named after a cabinet officer of President Grover Cleveland. A post office was established on December 20, 1887. In 1910, it was a station on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, with a general store and a population of 22. Its post office closed on June 30, 1955. It was 11 miles east of Scott, the county seat. The area still features a grain elevator, several silos, and buildings. |
| Modoc-Plummer | 1887-1992 | When this place began, it was called Plummer. When the townsite was purchased by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, it surveyed and platted 200 acres into town lots. A post office was established on September 8, 1886. The Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe and the Missouri Pacific Railroads both built large depots and stockyards to support livestock transportation. Its name changed from Plummer to Modoc on October 15, 1887. In 1910, it was described as a hamlet located on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, at which time it had a money order post office with two rural routes, and a population of 75. Its post office closed on March 21, 1992. The old community still displays a grain elevator, numerous silos, a few homes, and closed businesses. Modoc is about nine miles west of Scott City, the county seat.
 View of Modoc, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander. |
| Painter | 1887-1893 | This town was located on a hill two miles north of the Finney–Scott County line. The town did not last long, but the hill became known as Painter Hill. |
| Pence | 1887-1920 | The community of Pence was platted on October 27, 1886, with the hopes that the Missouri Pacific Railroad would build its tracks westward through the area. A post office was opened in Pence on June 21, 1887. It was named for John W. Pence, the postmaster. When the railroad tracks were built, they were angled southward towards Scott City from Healy. It became a thriving town with businesses such as a livery stable, a hotel, a bank, a church, and a newspaper. In 1910, Pence was a country post office with a population of 27. Its nearest shipping point was Scott City, 15 miles distant. On June 3, 1915, the Pence Church and much of the town were destroyed by a tornado. The post office closed on August 31, 1920. |
| Shallow Water | 1913-1957 | Shallow Water is a census-designated place in Scott County, Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 89. Shallow Water was founded in the early 1900s by Quakers who wanted to provide an institute where their children could learn in a religious setting. Its post office was established on January 13, 1913. It later became the grain hub for the southern part of the county due to two grain elevators built along the Missouri Pacific Railroad line. Its post office closed on October 31, 1957. Shallow Water schools were closed due to school unification. Today, the community is served by the Scott County USD 466 public school district. This small town still features grain elevators, numerous silos, a church, and a scattering of homes. |
| Spring | 1883-1885 | |
| Taft | 1909-1913 | |
| Zenobia | 1887-1891 | In 1886 and 1887, Michigan Township in Scott County was settled. The town of Zenobia was founded in the fall of 1886, and a post office was established on February 28, 1887. There was a general store, a post office, a livery stable, and four residences. The schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1887. The town did not last long, and its post office closed on August 15, 1891. It was soon abandoned. |
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2025.
Also See:
Sources:
Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
Fort Hays State University
Kansas Post Office History
Wikipeidia