Mound City :: A nice place to visit ... A great place to live

Historical Park

Welcome to the Mound City Historical Park.

Buildings from the area have been added to the Park over the years.

Mineral Well

The mineral well and gazebo were the first in the park. A gazebo now covers a well, drilled in 1914. To everyone’s surprise, the pungent odor indicated mineral content, and a health facility, The Maples, (now gone) was built across the street

The Maples

Early in this century many years after Mr. T. E. Smith drilled a well on the south side of Little Sugar Creek, the Mound City Improvement Club became interested in having a well drilled in the City Park.

The ladies’ club in 1914 received permission from the City Council to have a well drilled just east of the present American Legion Community Building. When completed it proved to be a mineral well. After it was cased, pipe was put in place and a pump installed at a total cost of $245.75. A concrete platform was poured, a railing put around the edge and seats were added. A pagoda was built over it, with a small flag pole on top, with a flag waving in the breeze.

When the water was tested, it was learned that it had certain healthful qualities. Several interested businessmen made arrangements to lease the well for three years, with plans to establish a Sanitarium to be known as the Maples.

The Sanitarium was completed in 1915, equipped with facilities for modern baths, massage and hydropathic treatments. The Maples was in the large house that stood on the site where the Sacred Heart Church is now. The house had been constructed in 1858 by Mr. T. E. Smith.

This all happened before K-52 Highway existed, so the group needed to get the street well graded, a sidewalk built, and have electricity installed. Electric power had not been in Mound City very long at the time.

Number 9 School

You can almost hear the school bell. You’ll be tempted to dip braids in the inkwells. This one-room schoolhouse was used from 1868-1959.

The School was restored by Alan Brown. During this restoration 4 ceilings were removed giving an idea of how many times the school had been renovated.

As high as 70 students have attended No. 9 at one time and as low as 9. Due to a low number of students the school closed in the Spring of 1959. When the students finished the 8th grade they were required to take a test given by the County Superintendent to advance to high school. Salaries at No. 9 School ranged from $33.00 a month to $350.00.

Mound City Depot

The teachers usually stayed with a family in the Community or if they lived farther away they drove a horse and buggy to school. Mound City Depot

The Missouri Pacific Railroad ran from Butler, Mo, through Mound City to Madison, Kansas. The Mound City Depot was built in 1886-1888. The last train ran through Mound CIty in July of 1945. It brought 10,000 light poles to complete the Rural Electrification project in Linn County. The depot now houses old-time work stations.

Bungalow

It was a joyful day when Mound City people heard the news that Gus Warzel and Mr. Ernst Schultz planned to build an Electric plant in Mound City. The plant was completed in 1915. Mr. Warzel built this bungalow for his family.

It is very typical of one story homes built in the early 1900’s. The formed blocks used to build the porch are also typical of the era. They were poured into forms to give the uneven shape. This bungalow originally sat across the street immediately east of the park where the Jehovah Witness Church now stands. Part of the foundation of the electric plant can still be seen near the road. Out back, find the “root cellar” that also served as a shelter to Kansas storms.

Log Cabin

This cabin was one of the last of cabins built for a home in Linn County. Mr. George Clausen built and lived in the cabin in the early 1900’s. The logs were numbered, the cabin taken apart and moved to the Park from about a mile and a half from the Sugar Creek Mission under the supervision of Alan Brown.

The cabin was constructed of persimmon logs (thick bark with small square pattern) a very dense wood. With the exception of three logs, these are the original logs in the cabin. The Mansford roof (square top) is unusual for cabins built in the area. It gives added space in the loft room. This persimmon log cabin was the last of it’s kind to be inhabited in Linn County.

Barn

The barn on the park is constructed of lumber from an old barn torn down in the Wesley Community. It has stalls and manger for two horses and stanchion and feed boxes for two milk cows.

Windmill

Windmills were a main source of obtaining water from the well prior to gas and electric pumps. They had to be managed carefully. To catch a breeze on a still day or to shut the windmill down on a windy day to make sure the tank didn’t run over. It was also very important every tank was full on a windy day just in case the wind didn’t blow for a day or two or three.

This windmill was purchased and moved to this park by Eugene Campbell. The concrete watering tank came from the Campbell farm southwest of Mound City and is over 100 years old.

Bells

The Mound City Historical Park has three bells. The largest bell is the Mound City fire bell. it was on the south side of the street in the main block on a tower. It has a double clapper and was hung by a rope that hung to the ground. In case of a fire the bell was rung. With it’s very clear tone, I am sure it was easily heard all over town.

The bell on the pedestal is a Frisco Bell dedicated to Wesley Chapel Community in memory of David and Ruth Campbell, founder members and early day pioneers of the community.

Rock Crusher

In the winter, farmers would make piles of rocks in their fields. The crusher would come and crushhe rock into lime. The farmers would load the lime in their wagons and scoop it onto the fields.  The crusher was also used to crush rock for the roads.

James Montgomery’s Fort

The latest addition to the park is Montgomery’s Fort, currently being reconstructed. This fort and home was originally built 5 miles west of Mound City in 1856. The cabin was the site of border war confilt and a refuge for fugitive slaves.

Stone from Wattless Home

The stone foundation of the reconstructed fort on the park came from the
original Wattles house in the Moneka Community 2 miles north of Mound City. While in Linn County, John Brown usually made his headquarters at Mr. Wattle’s house.

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