Bull City
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Founded: 1870
Population: 115 Area Code: 785 ZIP code: 67623 |
Elevation: 1652 feet
School District: USD 392 Latitude: 39° 28' 15" N Longitude: 98° 56' 52" W |
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Bull City
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Alton, Kansas is located in Osborne, [OB], County on Highway 24 between Osborne and Stockton, in north central Kansas. From Hays, Kansas, take 183 north to Stockton and then Highway 24 east. It's in the valley of the south Solomon River and the bluffs a mile or so south of town offer great photographic opportunities.
History of "Bull City" Annual Events
See New Feature Below: "Community Events"
Points of Interest
- Alton City Park - started in 1925 with donated land, PRIDE started restoration in 1985. A replica of General Bull's store is located in the park. The Magaw Shelter was added in 1990. A gazebo was added in memory of JoAnn (Oliva) Conway and playground equipment in memory of Jessica Gray in 1995.
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery - located about 3 miles west of Alton on Highway 24 and 2 miles south.
- Advent Cemetary - located one mile west of Alton on a hill just north of highway 24. Includes the grave of Lyman T. Earl, co-founder of Bull city.
- Hart Bridge - Built in 1927 and named for Joe Hart (born on the Atlantic Ocean) the third man to take a homestead in the community. The bridge is 3 miles east and one mile south of Alton, being used daily.
- Wildcat Canyon - located one mile south of the Hart Bridge, this was the location for a local scout cabin in the early 1900's. The canyon received its name after Jasper Doak captured a large wildcat there with the help of his dog, until two other men came, in 1877.
Historical Monuments & Buildings
- General Bull's Store Marker - located on Mill Street in front of the post office, this marker indicates the position of his original general store, 74 feet east.
- General Bull's Monument - located in Sumner Cemetery, 1 mile east and ½ mile north of Alton. The monument was unveiled May 30, 1930 after a campaign by the editor of the Osborne County Farmer and the generous contributions of Stambach Monument Works, still a business in the Osborne Area, and others. Previously, General Bull's grave had been marked with a government marker.
- Russell Stover Birthsite Marker - located approximately 10½ miles south of Alton, this marker stands next to the field that was the site of the home where Russell Stover, candy company founder, was born in 1888. Although he only lived in the Alton area for about 2 years, Alton is proud of this former citizen who represents much of what is considered the "pioneer spirit" of Kansas. This sign was erected shortly after a dedication ceremony on August 24, 1996 and was provided by the Alton PRIDE organization and the Russell Stover Candy Company based in Kansas City, Missouri.
- Hartzler's Store - located on Mill Street in Alton, the store is located in one of the oldest buildings in town. Probably built in the late 1800's, local resident Ray Boland remembers the south part being a furniture store and the north part a drug store owned by Henry Leach and Joe Goram about 1915. The north then became a cafe for several years, including about 10 years after Hartzlers, which celebrated its 50 year anniversary in 1996, started in the south section. It is like stepping back in time just to visit this store.
Alton People
- Lillian Dieckman - a certified antique appraiser and collector. She has a nice collection of fine glassware. Call 984-2384
- Tom Hull - has a collection of fine antiques as well as artwork. Call 984-2287 or 994-6593.
Community Events
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Back to TopCity of Alton
- Emergency - 911
- City Clerk (785) 984-2263
Nicholas & Mill, Alton, KS 67623Notes:
- Genealogical Information for Osborne County is available on Blue Skyways.
- Historical images of Alton from the Special Collections at WSU's Ablah Library are available online.
- Alton is mentioned in the book The Empire That Missouri Pacific Serves on Blue Skyways.
- Alton appears on a map in the 1888 Annual Report of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company.
- Alton appears on a county map in the History of Kansas by Noble L. Prentis published in 1899.
More information about Alton
For information about visiting the city of Alton, KS, or to set up a tour with a catered lunch, please contact PRIDE president Wilda Carswell at (785) 984-2341 or Lillian Conway (785) 984-2260.
The information on this page was taken from a brochure distributed by Alton PRIDE
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© Copyright 2001
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