Another community story
John E. Peterson
Thursday, June 14, 2007
SEVERAL COLUMNS BACK, I mentioned the community of Aliceville. That brought some responses, even one all the way from California. I have quite a pile of comments about that community before me. Therefore, I would tell you about Aliceville, if I had my way.
Aliceville is on the eastern side of Coffey County. You can still see a sign pointing north to it as you drive east on I-57 (though I think that road has been changed to K-58 recently).
Loren Johnson lives in Long Beach, California, but he is a regular reader of The Gazette. He grew up near Aliceville. He sent me a letter about many things long ago. Then, later, after I had mentioned Aliceville, he sent a letter to Chris Walker, the editor at The Gazette, and suggested I write about Aliceville. Loren, then, has been part of my Aliceville stimulation. He has also sent me a huge variety of other interesting things.
Duane Fitch of Burlington reads The Gazette and sent me several letters about a variety of subjects. One of those subjects was Aliceville, after I had mentioned it in that column. Then, later, Duane sent more about Aliceville.
And then, a couple of months ago, Ron Shipley, of here in Emporia, sent me a letter about Aliceville. He was born just a couple of miles outside of Aliceville and went to the public school there for his first three years. Ron started his letter with, “I will tell you about Aliceville, KS, if I have my way.” He did just that and ended his letter with, “There, I have had my way, and have told you about Aliceville, KS.
So! You see I have been told a good bit about Aliceville. It is only reasonable, therefore, that I tell all the rest of you a bit about it. Even though it was — and still is in a small way — clear over on the far side of Coffey County, it obviously is a place of much interest to several of our readers.
Early settlers, with the interesting name of Grobengiesser, came to the area from Illinois in 1857. In 1859, others came in covered wagons from Terre Haute, Ind., and from Iowa. However, the actual town site was designated by John Hawes in 1883. I do not know where he came from, but he is known as the “Founding Father.” He named it Aliceville in honor of his daughter, Allie. A post office was established in 1883 and she, Allie, was the first postmaster.
A school district, outside of Aliceville, was established in 1863. Others in the area were established later. A cemetery was started on what was later the east side of town and the first burial in it was in 1874 — before the town was actually sited. This cemetery and a school built in 1877 were both given the name Altamont. The cemetery still bears that name today, as I understand it. It is presumed that the early settlers intended for the name of the town to be Altamont. As it turned out, however, there was already an Altamont in Labette County.
A railroad spur line from LeRoy was built in 1883. That stimulated another town, Ballgrade, to be started about a mile from Aliceville. Its post office only lasted 2 1/2 years and the town never developed.
Nineteen hundred and three was a big year in the history of Aliceville. That is because a tornado hit it in October. Every business was damaged and the houses and outbuildings of the approximately 150 residents were wrecked or blown away. Most were rebuilt, as was the school.
Ron Shipley tells me that Aliceville was a thriving little town during the 1940s and early ‘50s. There was a bank, two grocery stores with gas pumps, a blacksmith shop, a feed store, a lumber yard and a pool hall/card parlor, which was called the “Boar’s Nest.”
There was also a Missouri-Pacific railroad depot, a grain elevator, both a public grade school and a Lutheran grade school. There was a Methodist church and a Lutheran church and, of course, a post office. Saturday nights were big nights when people from the area gathered in Aliceville. In the summer, an outdoor picture show was held periodically.
All that remains of Aliceville today is the bank on Main Street. It is still in business. The Lutheran church is still in use. Both the depot and the grain elevator are still there, but unused for years. About a dozen homes are still in town, Ron thinks.
There, then, I have given you an idea of what Aliceville was and what it is. At least, I hope I have given you some idea of it. Thank you, Loren Johnson, Duane Fitch and Ron Shipley. Without you, I could not have told others about Aliceville. I have never been there, though I have been past the sign to it.
Stories about our old towns are great, in my humble opinion. We would keep telling about them, if I had my way.