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Founded: 1871
Elevation: 1337 feet Population: 114 (2000) 107 (1990) 255 (1928) |
Area Code: 785
ZIP Code: 67478 County Code: MC Latitude: 39° 23' 7"N Longitude: 97° 55' 52"W School District: 273 |
- Simpson, located in eastern Mitchell County, is just south
of US 24 on the Solomon River. The rail line serving Simpson was once the Kansas Pacific and then part
of the Union Pacific branch that went from Solomon to Beloit.
Today, most of the visitors to Simpson come for the steaks and seafood at Trappers Bar & Grill, but there is also a nice park at the western edge of the city. Sadly, most of the fine old "post rock" buildings that once graced Simpson are gone.
History
Simpson, which was previously known as Brittsville, also Brittain and Simpsonville, originated in 1871 when G. Beaver, who at that time owned a mill at Delphos, came up the Solomon River to sight a spot for a mill.
With financial aid from Thomas Shanks and Alfred Simpson, a mill was erected at the site where Brittsville started.
By 1879 Brittsville was a thriving little village with a store, drug store, blacksmith shop, post office and stage stand.
With the coming of railroads, between 1879 and 1880, Brittsville was moved a mile to the present townsite of Simpson. In 1882, after Alfred Simpson deeded a portion of land upon which the town was built to the city, the name was changed to Simpson, in his honor.
The land on which the city was situated was first owned by T. E. Thackery, who on December 29, 1875, registered a receivers receipt for the property.
Tom Shanks and Simpson started the first store in the new locality: and the first house belonged to George Leinen, Sr.__from a Souvenir Booklet
Local news for October and November of 1921 is available online.
Prepared for the Horseless Carriage Club (1954)
Used by permission
Churches
- Simpson Community Church · Elm & Wisconsin
Banking
- Tricentury Bank (785) 593-6611 · P.O. Box 66 · East Front
Dining
Trappers Bar & Grill
(785) 593-6678
· 304 S. Elkhorn
Open 10 to 10 Monday-Saturday
Lodging
- Cottage on the River (785) 593-6633 or Cell: (785) 569-1103 Email: plynch67478@yahoo.com
Government:
- U. S. Post Office (785) 593-6861 · 307 E. Front
Notes:
- Genealogical Information for Mitchell County is available on Blue Skyways.
- Mentioned in the 1883 Cutler's History of Kansas.
- Historical images of Simpson from the Special Collections at WSU's Ablah Library are available online.
- Simpson is the subject of a chapter in Faded Dreams: More Ghost Towns of Kansas by Daniel Fitzgerald.
- Simpson was on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
- Local citizens mention that Lawrence Welk once played here.
- Simpson High School was the home of the Coyotes
- Simpson was mentioned in Kansas, A Cyclopedia Of State History by Frank W. Blackmar (1912).
- Simpson appears on a county map in the History of Kansas by Noble L. Prentis published in 1899.
