Wabaunsee, Kansas

Wabaunsee, Kansas
Unincorporated community
Beecher Bible and Rifle Church, located at the southeast corner of Chapel and Elm Streets
KDOT map of Wabaunsee County (legend)
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Wabaunsee
Elevation	1,030 ft (314 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	785
FIPS code	20-03400
GNIS feature ID	476423

Wabaunsee is an unincorporated community in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, United States. It was named for former Pottawatomi chief Wabaunsee.

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.

Wabaunsee served as the county seat until after the Civil War, when the seat was transferred to Alma.

Today, the town consists of several houses and buildings including the church which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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.

Demographics

Wabaunsee is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Education

Wabaunsee is served by USD 329 out of Alma, KS.

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.