Wabaunsee, Kansas
| Wabaunsee, Kansas | |
|---|---|
| — Unincorporated settlement — | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: 39°08′46″N 96°20′46″W / 39.14611°N 96.34611°WCoordinates: 39°08′46″N 96°20′46″W / 39.14611°N 96.34611°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Wabaunsee |
| Elevation | 1,030 ft (314 m) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 785 |
| GNIS feature ID | 476423[1] |
Wabaunsee is an unincorporated community in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for local Pottawatomi chief Wabaunsee and is known mainly for Henry Ward Beecher, a financial backer for the town who helped smuggle rifles past pro-slavery forces in crates marked Beecher's Bibles.
Contents |
[edit] History
Wabaunsee was founded in 1855 by a group of nearly 100 emigrants from New Haven, Connecticut. They were inspired by a sermon given by well-known abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher and Beecher gave money to help supply rifles for the men to defend themselves. The rifles were smuggled through pro-slavery areas in crates marked "Beecher's Bibles."
Wabaunsee was staunchly anti-slavery and became part of the Underground Railroad in late 1856 and helped Lawrence after Quantrill's Raid. In 1862, the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church was completed and after the Civil War Wabaunsee hoped for a railroad but it was constructed north of the river. Today, the town consists of several houses and buildings including the church which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
[edit] Geography
Wabaunsee is located along Antelope Creek about a half mile south of the Kansas River. It is located in Wabaunsee Township along K-18 two miles west of K-99.
[edit] Education
Wabaunsee is served by USD 320 out of Wamego, KS.
[edit] Transportation
I-70 is about nine miles south of Wabaunsee and US-24 is three miles north in Wamego. Most of the town is situated on the south side of K-18. Streets are maintained by the local county.
[edit] References
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
Ghost Towns of Kansas: A Traveler's Guide by Daniel Fitzgerald (University Press of Kansas, 1988.)
|
|||||||||||||||||
