 |
THE FOUNDING OF ALTON, KANSAS
IN THE FALL OF 1870 TWO MEN, HIRAM C. BULL AND LYMAN T. EARL, CAME TO
THIS PLACE AND LAID OUT THE FIRST TOWNSITE IN OSBORNE COUNTY. A
NICKEL WAS TOSSED AND THE NEW TOWN WAS NAMED BULL CITY INSTEAD OF
EARLSVILLE. IN MAY 1871 THE BULL CITY POST OFFICE OPENED IN BULL'S
GENERAL STORE. THE TRAGIC KILLING OF BULL, THEN A STATE
REPRESENTATIVE, AND TWO OTHER MEN BY BULL'S PET ELK IN OCTOBER 1879
CAUSED NATIONAL HEADLINES AND FOREVER CHANGED THE COURSE OF THE
TOWN'S HISTORY. A PETITION IN FEBRUARY 1885 TO CHANGE THE POST OFFICE
NAME TO ALTON (AFTER ALTON, ILLINOIS) WAS GRANTED. ON OCTOBER 1, 1885,
ALTON WAS INCORPORATED AS A THIRD-CLASS CITY.
ERECTED 2001 BY OSBORNE COUNTY TOURISM, INC.
FUNDING PROVIDED BY OSBORNE COUNTY TRANSIENT GUEST TAX BOARD AND
THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE & HOUSING
|
|
Osborne County Historical Markers
