History rich in Ellis County

By STACIE R. SANDALL

Hays Daily News

Ellis County is rich with history, and that history has been brought back to life through efforts made by local historical societies, church groups and communities.

Churches, cemeteries and tributes to long-gone settlements and reminders of the wild west.

Chestnut Street District of downtown Hays is rustic with red brick streets and historic buildings that have kept the look of the old fashioned main street.

Tourists can take a historical downtown self-guided walking tour on Ninth and Tenth streets. Information focuses on the historic buildings of downtown Hays, and 25 bronze plaques mark the route for the tour.

A festival celebrating Hays' historic background, Historic Fort hays Days, is held the second weekend of Sept. from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. There are history demonstrations, blacksmithing, flint knapping, wheat weaving, wool spinning, rug weaving, food vendors, tours, historic presentations and weapons demonstrations.

Historic Fort Hays, established in 1867, was built to protect workers building the Union Pacific railroad. The original blockhouse, guardhouse and officers' quarters are still there, along with exhibits that annotate pioneer and military history.

Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday, and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Boot Hill Cemetery, Fort and Eighteenth streets, is the site of the first cemetery in Kansas to be called Boot Hill. An authentic one-room country schoolhouse built of native limestone in 1874 is also a site to see on the campus of Fort Hays State University.

The Old Rome Townsite historic marker west of Hays on Old Highway 40 stands in honor of the short-lived town of Rome, which was established in May of 1867. Hangman's Bridge is nearby.

St. Fidelis Cemetery in Victoria serves as a historical attraction. Unusual iron crosses made by local craftsmen marked several early graves. West of cemetery is a white cross marking the site of the first Roman Catholic cemetery in the community.

What's called “English Cemetery” in Victoria is a monument commemorating the 1873 arrival of the first Aberdeen-Angus cattle. Beside the monument is the grave of George Grant, leader of the original Victoria colony. He died in 1878.

George Grant Villa, at 2680 Grants Villa Road, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Grant played a large roll in the development of the area by bringing the first Aberdeen-Angus cattle in 1873.

Owners Paul and Lucy Baier provide information about how the villa was built and the naming of his colony Victoria after the Queen of England.

Also in Victoria, a memorial called Cheyenne Raid honors six railroad workers killed by Cheyenne Indians on August 1, 1867. The workers detached themselves from the main work camp and were unarmed when surprised by the Cheyenne.

In Ellis, the Bukovina Society of the Americas is open by appointment only due to lack of help, but they still have an admirable display of coins, tools, stamps, hand-painted or beaded eggs and much more from the Bukovina immigrants.

The museum is located in the former First Congregational Church with a small library of books.

In 1886 Bukovina German families began to settle in Ellis. The Bukovina Society of the Americas was formed in Dec. of 1988 to promote the recognition of the immigrants from Bukovina and encourage historical research of their heritage.

Tour information can be sought at 726-3388 or 726-4633.

Also in Ellis, Walter P. Chrysler Boyhood Home and Museum was placed on National Registry of Historical Buildings in 1952.

On exhibit are a 1924 Chrysler owned by Chrysler's grandson Frank Rhodes, the shot gun Chrysler used for duck hunting, jewelry, books, photographs and a video of Chrysler's life.

Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday from Oct. to April; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday from May to September.

Several historic churches are dusted throughout the county, and some are still in use today.

Hays has several historic churches to tour.

St. Andrew's, 2422 Hyacinth Avenue, is still active and open daily.

First Presbyterian Church at Seventh and Main streets eventually became the home of the Ellis County Historical Museum. they are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

St. Joseph, 215 W. 13th Street, was first built in 1879, A better, larger stone church was built in 1884, but it was dismantled due to member increase 16 years later.

In 1900, they had grown to over 100 families and another church was necessary. Construction on the present church began in 1901 and cost $40,000. It is an active church and is open daily.

First United Methodist originated with saloon owner Tommy Drum and Rev. Leonard Bell. The first services were held in 1873 inside the saloon.

The Methodist church was formally established in 1878. A wooden frame church was built at the corner of Seventh and Oak streets and it was dedicated in 1887.

Eventually, a larger church was needed. In 1899 it was reconstructed, and it was dedicated in 1910. A third church was completed in 1924 at Seventh and Ash streets using Benton limestone. The first services were held in 1949.

It is an active church, open daily.

“Cathedral of the Plains”, or St. Fidelis in Victoria was built in 1908 to 1911 from native post rock limestone by parishioners. The church was dubbed “Cathedral of the Plains” by presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan.

At Pfeifer, the Holy Cross Shrine at Sarratou and St. Jacob street was often called “church in the valley”, “church around a church” and “two-cent church”.

The construction was financed with a levy of two cents on each bushel of wheat sold by the parishioners. It was the third church built at that location. Construction began in 1915 and was complete in May of 1918. They are open daily.

St. Francis, 883 Moscow Street in Munjor, was first completed in 1878, but was enlarged in 1883. When immigration was continuing in the 1880s, a native stone church was built in 1889.

Built in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the church burned in 1932. Many interior furnishings were saved by parishioners and the church was restored with the same appearance.

In 1946, the windows were replaced and are among some of the finest stained glass windows in Kansas.

It is an active church, open during weekend services and by appointment.

St. Ann, Highway 40 and Walker Avenue in Walker, is active and open by appointment only.

Early villagers were members of St. Fidelis in Victoria, but in 1904 they decided to build their own church. Every communicant had to quarry, haul and furnish 10 loads of stone for the construction, which began that spring. It was completed in 1905 for a cost of $12,000.

St. Catharine of Catharine was built as a stone school and Sunday service building in 1879. In 1890, work began on the current church. Parishioners provided much of the labor by means of quarrying and hauling the limestone. It was dedicated in 1892. The church is still active, and is open during Sunday services and by appointment.

St. Anthony of Schoenchen is an active church, open during weekend services and by appointment.

The first frame was built in 1881, and the cornerstone was laid 1900. Stone was quarried with only hand drills, wedges and sledge hammers. Every parishioner was assessed $40 towards the construction. The church was scarred twice by fire twice, once in 1920s and again in 1932.

St. Mary's, 703 Monroe in Ellis, was built by Austrian German immigrants in 1888. When a larger church was needed, construction began in 1905 began construction. It was ready for services by 1911. The cost of the project was $35,000.

Reporter Stacie Sandall can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 136, or by e-mail at

ssandall@dailynews.net.