The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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Those of you who read my trivial columns know that I am something of a nut about luncheon trips and communities. Unfortunately, my increasing age has reduced the number of columns about each. We just cannot drive about as we used to. In addition, I seem to have about covered the communities in the area.

That changes every so often, however, when someone gives me new information about a community. Such was the case many weeks ago. Don ImMasche, who lives out near Toledo on Road 180, brought me a big envelope of things about Saffordville and Toledo. I have been long fascinated with both communities and have been to Tom Bridge’s home in Saffordville many times. So, finally I will get to Don ImMasche’s information, if I have my way.

Mr. ImMasche’s envelope contained eight items. I found each of them very interesting. You will also, if I have my way, so permit me to tell you a bit about each of them.

First, there was a short, handwritten letter from Don. He just told me how he had been going to send me these things for some time, but, he said, they got “covered up on my desk.” That does happen to us all, doesn’t it? And he did say “I appreciate your interest in the small, but special, places.” I found that a pleasant description of small-town communities. Thank you for everything, Don.

There were two items about the Toledo Township High School. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it is in Saffordville and it still exists. It is now used as a community center. One item was the Dedication Program for the new school. That was on the evening of Oct. 23, 1936. The other item was a May 10, 2007, article and picture from the Chase County Leader-News. It was about the school — now the community building — getting a facelift. The picture was of volunteer Dean Forbeck on a scaffold painting a window frame of the building.

Another of Don’s enclosures was a four-page copy of the Dec. 1, 1925, Saffordville Star newspaper. There were some interesting things in it to which I shall refer later. And there was a three-page typed paper entitled “Saffordville’s Interesting Career.” It was written as a high school assignment in 1929 by Victor ImMasche. I shall also refer to some of the things in it later.

The sixth item was a page with three pictures on it. The top one was of the Woolwine General Store in Saffordville from a postcard which had been mailed in 1911. The middle one was of the south side of Main Street in Saffordville. It was from a 1908 postcard and showed six store-buildings. The third picture was of the old Toledo Township High School. It was replaced in 1936.

The seventh item Don sent was a five-page typed account entitled History of T.T.H.S. that, of course, was Toledo Township High School. It only spoke to the events up to the early 1930s, so I assume it was about the original high school.

The last item was about the Hillside cemetery near Toledo. The cemetery was established in 1885. The account was written by C.W. Woolwine of Dodge City in May 1961. It strikes me that that is the same name of the Woolwine store in Saffordville. Same family, I assume.

Don had attached a note to these pages which said “The Friends (or Quaker) Cemetery is located on the north side of Chase County Road 240 at the east side of Toledo.” It was older than the Hillside Cemetery. A George Barber did not wish to be buried in the Friends Cemetery, so he donated 20 acres of his land for the Hillside Cemetery. People from Cannan, Buckeye, Plymouth, Grandview, Saffordville and Toledo were buried there.

Now back to the items about Saffordville. I was amazed to read that The Saffordville Star newspaper was “published by the Toledo township High School under direction of Miss Allen of the English Department.” That is very interesting, but I suppose it made sense back in the 1920s.

The Santa Fe railroad built a track through what became Saffordville in 1872. A small depot was built in 1887. The town was first named Safford, after Judge Safford, a Kansas judge. There was a mail problem and the name became Saffordville. The first store was built in 1872; the Woolwine brothers built their store in 1899 and a bank was built in 1904. The first school was in 1876 and a high school in 1902. A church was built in 1916.

By 1929, Saffordville had three stores, a blacksmith shop, restaurant, barber shop, bank, garage and produce station. Its population was about 200. There, then, you have a bit about Saffordville. I would tell you more, if I had my way. And more space.

Just a word about Toledo. It goes way back into the 1860s. It had a large store in 1869, a saloon soon after that, a school in 1871, other things, and was quite active in the history of the area. It was early and important.

I am out of space. Hence, my ramblings must come to an end. I still do not understand why there is no sign to Toledo and it is not on the maps whereas Saffordville and Plymouth both are and have signs. We would change that, if I had my way.