Old Castle Museum

The oldest University in Kansas is Baker University in Baldwin City, KS. Here, in what is known as the Old Castle Museum is the oldest university building in Kansas. This building (pictured below)  housed the first classes of Baker University.Thus making it the oldest university building in Kansas. The Castle museum holds some old artifacts from the 1800 period, and was built in 1857. Methodist ministers started the college in Palmyra, which is now known as Baldwin City.

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Hours:
Tours available by appointment
call 785-594-7800 to make an appointment

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Inscription:
Erected this building and opened its door for instruction November 22, 1858

Werner Renick Davis, President

The trustees realizing their financial inability to construct a building to meet their dreams of the future requirements of the college, erected this building here as a temporary educational center rather than on the campus which had been already designated.


Erected by:
1908 by Class of 1891 on its Fiftieth Anniversary.

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

The Kibbee Cabin is a replica of a log cabin which stood on the crest of the Santa Fe Ridge north of Baldwin City where a group of Methodist ministers met to form Baker University in 1857. It was also the site of the first sermon preached by the church to white settlers in Kansas. Lucius Kibbee, who originally owned the cabin, was acquitted in Kansas' first manslaughter trial for killing a proslavery neighbor who attacked him because of Kibbee's stand against slavery. The floor and some of the furnishings are from the original cabin.

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

The Palmyra Post Office was used in 1857-62. This building is a replica of the original.


Location:
513 5th Street
Baldwin City KS 66006


Handicapped Accessibility:
There are small step's to all three buildings, meaning known of them are accessible to those facing mobility issues. The original university building is multiple stories which are only accessible via stairs. No elevators available. 

Vandals Hit Midland Railway

You are looking at photos Allen Kinsley took on January 8, 2016, at the Midland Railway. Midland Railway brings approximately 25,000 visitor to Baldwin City a year. As you can see, the Midland Railway has suffered a lot of vandalism to some of its property.
One car, the one with Burlington on it, has over $30,000.00 damage (painted seats, windows, interior walls, electrical lines have been cut and removed, etc.), not including labor and will now never be in service again with out massive donations. Two other cars have also been damaged and one of the two cars is privately owned by a member.
The Frisco one has over $40,000.00 damage inside and out. As you can see the property is posted with No Trespassing signs. Many people believe Midland Railway make thousands of dollars a year.

But a group of VOLUNTEERS operating a tourist railroad still costs a lot...i mean a lot, of money. Just to operate, we spent nearly $500,000 last year and $525,000 in 2014. Midland Railway didn't make a profit at all and all the money goes to repair and keep our railroad history operational. With all that said...We need your help to get the word out that this damage is not acceptable and it actually hurts our ability to bring thousands of people to our community....who spend money and pay taxes on goods in our city! Please if you have any information on who is damaging Midland railway property, please call the police dept and share the info.

photographer Allen Kinsley

photographer Allen Kinsley

photographer Allen Kinsley

photographer Allen Kinsley

Man Narowly Escapes House Fire That Kills 14 Dogs

A fire that was reported Tuesday (1/5/16) morning at 113 E. 1000 Road just west of Baldwin City, killed the fourteen dogs that were in the house. The only occupant, Kevin Mathews, awoke Tuesday morning to find the two story home engulfed in flames. Jumping from a second story window, Matthews flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911 about 10:13 a.m.

courtesy of Clker.com/ClipArts

The fire which blocked Matthews escape by the stairs totally destroyed the home.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, investigators believe the fire was accidental.

Palmyra

The Palmyra well is within present-day Baldwin City, KS, about one block east of  Baldwin City High School. The community of Palmyra was settled along the Santa Fe Trail during the 1850s, and the well provided water for trail travelers and their livestock as well as the residents. Palmyra has long since been absorbed into Baldwin City, but its presence on the Santa Fe Trail has been commemorated with various markers nearby, and the well is identified today as the Palmyra well.

Palmyra Well Historical Marker
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Inscription:
This well was hand dug when the town of Palmyra was established in 1857, it served travelers on the Santa Fe Trail, as well as townspeople.
The well is 25 ft in diameter and 56 ft deep and about 17 ft to water.

Palmyra Well
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Location:
about one (1) block east of the Baldwin City High School
near Washington Street and Palmyra Lane

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Palmyra
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Sign Inscription:
Palmyra
First important repair stop on the Santa Fe Trail
Blacksmith~~General Store~~Hotel
Well~~Saw Mill~~Post Office
Lawyer
Settled 1856             Surveyed 1857
The Palmyra Association Donated the Land for Baker University and City of Baldwin

Erected by:
the Santa Fe Historical Society of Douglas County

Rock Inscription:
Santa Fe Trail
1822-1872
Marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution
and the
State of Kansas
1906

Location:
Outside the Baldwin City High School
415 Eisenhower St.

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Inscription:
This Angling Road is the Original Santa Fe Trail. Park Area Donated by I. and J. Stickle to Baker University in 1907.

D.A.R. Monument Commemorates the Dispersal of Free-State and Pro-Slavery Forces after the Battle of Black Jack.

Original Bronze Plaque Stolen in 1967. Replaced in Marble by S.F.T. Hist. Soc.


Erected:
1983 by two Baker Alumnae, Class of 1932.


Location:
at the intersection of North 6th Street and North 400 Road
(approximately 3/4 of a mile north of US Hwy 56)

Old Castle Museum Needs Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to be hosts from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays at the Old Castle Museum on the Baker University campus.

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

To volunteer, call Sara DeCaro at 785-594-8380 or email her at SaraDeCaro@bakeru.edu.
The three-story limestone building is the oldest college building in the state of Kansas and is home to artifacts reflecting the Baldwin City community's Native American, pioneer, Civil War, Sante Fe Trail and Baker University history.

Obituary: Delbert Roy Sallee

Delbert Roy Sallee

Delbert "Del" Roy Sallee, 86, of rural Weir, Kansas, formerly of Baldwin City, Kansas went to meet his Lord on January 1, 2016. Del was born November 9, 1929 in Independence, Missouri the son of Earl and Velma Sallee.

After high school he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving proudly. He went to Electrician school and learned his life trade. During his Navy Career he served on several ships and saw several places; Pearl Harbor, the Philippine Islands China, Japan, including Nagasaki 4 years after the 'A' bomb was dropped. He also served during the Korea War dropping off and picking up troops from the Korean coast. He was lucky to have served a part of his Navy Career with his brother Wayne.
After he got out of the service he went to work for Hallmark Cards, working in both the Kansas City and Lawrence plants where he retired after 39 years.
He married Lillian Averill Surbaugh in 1952, to this marriage were born five children. His parents, wife Lillian and daughter Denise preceded him in death. He married Bonita Burns Robertson in 1992 she survives of the home.
Other survivors are daughters Deborah Walters, husband Ronald of Garden City Kansas, and children Shawn, Ronald Jr. and Jerome; Sheree Mills, husband Robert of Baldwin City Kansas, and children Chris and Mary; Tamra Nelson, husband Mark of San Antonio Texas, and children Heather, Justin and Brandon; Son Rickey Sallee, wife Mary of Garnett Kansas, and children Elizabeth and Melissa along with all their families. Stepdaughters, Brenda Robertson of Decatur Georgia, Terryl Ashburn of Longmont Colorado, children Megan and LaNora and Tim their father, Sheryl Willis, husband Rex of Eureka Springs Arkansas and children Acacia and Cedar; several great grandchildren, sisters, Sylvia Honeyball, Violet Sands and Kathryn Short, and brothers, Wayne and Ronald Sallee.
He was a very active member of the Community of Christ Church as a deacon, where he spent his life touching many lives with his ministry.
A Celebration of Life will be held on January 9, 2016, 10:00 am at Community of Christ Church, 1900 University Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66044.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Community of Christ, Lawrence and can be sent to the above address, or to a charity of donor's choice.

Bible Study with Pastor Austin

Every Wednesday at 10:30am
Where: Vintage Park at Baldwin City, Baldwin City
321 Crimson Ave, Baldwin City, KS
Pastor Richard Austin leads a weekly group study of the Bible.

Eldridge Hotel

We have posted about the Eldridge Hotel before. That post was our story about Haunted Lawrence. Today we are more focused on the historical aspect of the building. Although much of the history is woven into the reason it is said to be haunted.

According to the Eldridge's own website,

The Eldridge Hotel has been an integral part of the history of Lawrence since its founding. The original building on this site was the Free State Hotel, built in 1855 by settlers from the New England Emigrant Aid Society. The Free State Hotel was intended to be temporary quarters for those settlers who came here from Boston and other areas while their homes were being built. It was named the Free State Hotel to make clear the intent of those early settlers: that Kansas should enter the union as a free state.

However, in 1856, the Eldridge was burned by a band of pro-slavery forces led by Sheriff Sam Jones. Being rebuilt it remained until 1863 when it was attacked during Quantrill's raid on Lawrence.

Colonel Eldridge promptly rebuilt the hotel and gave it his name, the Hotel Eldridge. To this day, the seal of the city of Lawrence depicts a phoenix rising from the ashes. Its motto is “from ashes to immortality”. The seal and motto exhibit the determination by the people of Lawrence to stand and fight for the rights and dignity of people everywhere.

Inscription:
This marks the site of the Free State Hotel erected in 1855 by the New England Emigrant Aid Society. Destroyed by Sheriff Jones and his posse May 21, 1856, and rebuilt by Col. Schaler W. Eldridge. Quantrill and his raiders destroyed Lawrence August 21, 1863, burned the hotel and massacred the citizens. Col. Eldridge restored the hotel which stood until 1926 when it was rebuilt by W.G. Hutson.

Erected:
1940 by Lawrence Rotary Club.

Location:
701 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence KS 66044
Intersection of 7th and Massachusetts

Handicapped Accessibility:
We found only one handicapped entrance, right next to this historical marker. Inside the  hotel there are elevators to get to upper floors.  We however, on this visit only visited the Jayhawker Restaurant,just inside these doors. 

Baldwin City Council Meet January 4, 2016

The first Baldwin City council meeting of 2016 was called to order by Mayor Marilyn Pearse (at 7 pm). The council unanimously approved the draft minutes of December 11th and 12th special meetings and the December 21st regular meeting.
No members of the community wished to speak to the council during public comments.  There was no old business to discuss, so the council moved on to new business.  First up, was the first reading of ordinance 1336, KCPL franchise fee. Allowing KCPL to operate and move through the city to repair and maintain their power lines. In addition the ordinance would provide the city a 5% fee from KCPL, should the city annex new areas that would make KCPL customers city residents.  A motion by Kathy Kerstner was unanimously agreed upon to move forward to a second reading.  The only other item under new business was ordinance 1337 allowing the city administrator to enter into agreement with Marshall Wind Farm was also unanimously agreed  upon to move to forward to a second reading.

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Mayor Pearse brought forward an item that wasn't on  the consent agenda. With great sadness of the closing of the Baldwin City signal, she moved to name the Lawrence Journal World as the new official paper of Baldwin City. The council unanimously approved and as such, the Journal World will be the official paper until such time as they chose to change the papers.
Greg Neis, Chief of Police, presented proposed revisions to the cities animal control regulations to clarify the differences in current code eliminating the definition of vicious animal. Under the proposal the only definitions would be nuisance and dangerous animals.
The discussion briefly Segued to chickens. Staff members responded to Council Member, Christi Darnell's comments and questions about chickens in the city limits, saying that they do not aggressively look for chickens. Instead they take them by complaint basis.  Generally chickens, but not roosters, are allowed inside the city limits as long as they are not within 300 feet of a neighbors structure.
Back to dogs, they have eliminated breed specific regulations, focusing instead on nuisance or dangerous animals, on an individual basis. The council gave unanimous consent to draft a resolution as the chief of police had proposed.
The council, then adjourned to a ten minute executive session, with the cities attorney, before the council adjourned their regular meeting at 7:46.

Ghost Town - Henson

Henson reportedly was formerly called Pendleton in the late 1800s and part of 1900. However, I have not found any confirmation of this.
There were a few houses there and a Fina™ gas station. most of the inhabitants moved to more populated towns. the town was possibly involved with the Burlington Railroad, which currently still runs through there. if you drive through Henson you will still see remains of the old Fina gas station, which was converted into a house.

photographer Kevin Surbaugh

The old building still stands, but is dilapidated in disrepair. This building and an a new house on the other side of the railroad tracks is all that remains of what was once Henson. Everything else is farmland. If you have any other information about this area and/or the gas station/grocery store that used to be here, please let us know.