Business directory and history of Wabaunsee County, Kansas
In presenting the Business Directory and Official History of Wabaunsee County, we believe we have the most valuable reference book ever gotten up for any county in Kansas, and desire to make due acknowledgement to the enterprising and public-spirited business men of the county for their assistance and cooperation. Otherwise it would not have been possible to have gotten out so valuable a publication and make a success with this our first county directory.
The Kansas Directory Company has published several directories, notably the Kansas Produce Directory and the Kansas Real Estate Directory, and this book is the first attempt at a County Directory, and the publishers are encouraged to make a special feature of this line of work in Kansas.
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Wabaunsee County is one of unusual interest to the student of Kansas history, by reason of its location, Indian reservations, early settlement, and war record.
Its locality according to the belief of many of its people, would seem to fit the description of Quivera,
"In that half forgotten era,"
given by Coronado in the old Spanish documents concerning his explorations in 1542. Mr. J.V. Brower, an archaeologist of note, has spent years in research over this and adjoining counties, and many valuable archaeological collections have been made which would seem to substantiate the belief of many people that the Quivera Indians once lived on the soil of Wabaunsee County. Great interest is shown in historical matters. A Quivera Historical Society was formed at Alma in 1901 to continue the research and preserve records. The Legislature of 1907 passed a bill authorizing the Board of Commissioners of Wabaunsee County to provide for the use of the Wabaunsee County Historical Society, a room in one of its county buildings for its museum and library, and were authorized to appropriate $1,200 out of the county funds for the purpose of providing and erecting a room for the use of that society. The Quivera society joined in the dedication of the monument erected and completed August 12th, 1902, by Capt. Robert Henderson, at Logan Grove, Geary County, in commemoration of the exploration of Coron'ado in the country of the Quivera and Harahey Indians.
It is interesting to note that there is a difference of opinion as to Coronado's line of march. Mr. W.E. Richey, the archaeologist of Harveyvile, who has his own ideas on this subject, has an interesting collection of Indian specimens and an old Spanish sword which he deposited with the Historical Society in the State House at Topeka.
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