Wabaunsee County, KS

History

Organized as Richardson in 1859. County seat Alma. The county was created in 1855. Colonel "Dick" Richardson, of Illinois, for whom the county was first named, was the leader in the House of Representatives on the Democratic side in the debate on the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. In February, 1859, the name was changed to Waubaunse, that being the name of a chief of the Pottawatomie Indians.

Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, (Winfield: E.P. Greer. 1899)

William G. Cutler's History of Kansas, first published in 1883, tells about early Wabaunsee County.

There is a section on Wabaunsee County in the book Kansas: a Cyclopedia Of State History by Frank Blackmar (1912).

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Alta Vista, Alma, Eskridge, Maple Hill, and Paxico.

The Kansas State Historical Society also has more historical data for Wabaunsee County online including a rich bibliography and lists of cemeteries, post offices, and newspapers.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Wabaunsee County

                      2000
     Town          Population  ZIP         Year Elevation
     -----------   ----------  ----------  ---- ---------
     Allendorph                                   1075
     Alma                 797  66401              1095
     Alta Vista           442  66834              1437
     Bradford                                     1203
     Eskridge             589  66423              1400
     Harveyville          267  66431              1121
     Hessdale                                     1198
     Keene                                        1152
     Maple Hill           469  66507               960
     McFarland            271  66501              1020
     Newbury                                      1040
     Paxico               211  66526               990
     Vera                                          975
     Volland                               1888   1180
     Wabaunsee                                    1025
     Wilmington                                   1180

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Wabaunsee County

In Volland an old brick store faces a street that's no longer there; the town has 3 or 4 homes.
The old red brick Sacred Heart church at Newbury, still active, can be seen from I-70.
The Beecher Bible and Rifle Church in Wabaunsee is still in use.
The old stone buildings on the east side of Alma's main street glow in the setting sun.
The Skyline/Mill Creek scenic drive starts at Alma and winds southwest to Alta Vista.
Lake Wabaunsee near Eskridge is one of the prettiest lakes in Kansas.

Libraries

Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library (785) 437-2778
306 North 5th Street / St. Marys, KS 66536

Branches:
Alma / 115 ½ West 3rd Street
Eskridge / 115 South Main Street
Mini-libraries:
Alta Vista / 310 Center Street
Harveyville / 128 W. Oak Street

Wabaunsee County School Systems

USD 329 Mill Creek Valley (785) 765-3394 Alma
USD 330 Mission Valley (785) 449-2282 Eskridge
USD 417 Morris County (620) 767-5192 Alta Vista
St. John Lutheran School (786) 765-3914 Alma

Museums

Wabaunsee County Historical Museum (785) 765-2200
3rd & Missouri / Alma, KS 66401
Native Stone Scenic Byway

Newspapers

Alma Signal-Enterprise (785) 765-3237
P. O. Box 158 / Alma, KS 66401
The County Line / Mission Valley
P. O. Box 216 / Eskridge, KS 66423

More Data About Wabaunsee County

Economic Development

Kansas County Profile Reports
Statistical data from The Institute for Policy and Social Research, the University of Kansas

Health Data

KDHE's Wabaunsee County Health Profile

Genealogy

Wabaunsee County KSGenWeb

Wabaunsee County Offices

Wabaunsee County (785) 765-3414
P. O. Box 278 / Alma, KS 66401
Extension Service (785) 765-3821
215 Kansas, P.O. Box 248 / Alma, KS 66401

For more about Wabaunsee County contact:

Wabaunsee County Economic Development Council (785) 765-4655