Mary Collingwood came to Kansas in November of 1872 from Crawford County, Indiana.   Two horse drawn prairie schooners held the possessions of this intrepid widow, her six sons, and three daughters.  Attracted by the "Free Lands", this family came to make a home, little dreaming how prominent would be the role they and their descendants were to play here in the following 10 decades.   When Mary Jane Collingwood reached this level land with no rocks or trees to move before farming could begin, she commented, "My, what a pretty prairie!" This was the name she chose when her home, which had become a stage stop, required a name.
Taken from the Biographical History of Central Kansas Vol. 1, 1902, Lewis Public. Co., page 58

City Hall    (620) 459-6392      119 W. Main Street
Pretty Prairie Community Association
(620) 459-6221 • P. O. Box 345 • Pretty Prairie, KS 67570