By Dr. Ferrell Miller Geary County Historical Society Board Member“Early Settlers In The Lyona Community”The late Josephine Munson wrote some of the following information in an article for the JC Union with some of the information having been taken from The Kansas Historical Collections, Volume XIV“. In 1856 Johann G. Rekken (later called John Recken) with another man, came from Watertown, Wisconsin to look for a place to settle. It was their intention to establish a colony if things went well and the land prices were satisfactory. The two men came to Fort Riley and were directed to the Lyon Creek valley, being told that the land was extremely productive. 	From the fort they traveled southwest crossing the river on a ferry operated by Aleck and John Smith, then went up the Smoky to the mouth of Lyon Creek. The creek was clear and far more inviting looking that the muddy Smoky. They continued up the creek looking for a suitable place to establish homes. 	Rekken was elated over what he had seen and returned immediately to Watertown, Wisconsin, where he set about forming a party to come to Kansas. They left Wisconsin in the fall of 1856 and expected to come directly to Lyon Creek, but after arriving in the southern part of Nebraska, they heard about the free-state troubles and the guerilla outrages, so they decided to stop for the winter there. However, by Spring, affairs had quieted down in Kansas. On March 1, 1857, the party started south again. Reaching the Kansas River, they went up the stream to Fort Riley, then headed up Lyon Creek. The members of the party selected claims as they went along the creek.	About 1860 John Rekken bought 40 acres from the government which he had seen on his first visit to Kansas and thus the spring came to be known as the “Rekken Spring. The spring was said to run 650 gallons of water a minute and was capable of running a 15 horsepower engine. At various times it was used to operate a grist mill, a butter churn, a saw mill and other purposes. The land owned by Rekken changed hands many times as did the name of the spring.	Paulina Huck was raised by John and Godvilla Rekken. Paulina married John Kummer. About 1870 the Rekkens left the Lyon Creek community and moved to Junction City where he was involved in many enterprises. Rekken and John Albert Kummer had a grocery store at the southeast corner of Sixth and Washington Streets in the early 1870s. 	 Finally in 1925 the Lutheran Association bought 17 acres for a camp. In 1946, the Kansas 4-H Foundation purchased the rest of the ranch and it became known as the Rock Springs Leadership Training Center. Mrs. Rekken died in 1871 and John died in 1879. Both are buried in Highland Cemetery. “The Coca-Cola Bottling Company In Junction City Had Many Names”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616687037885.jpeg" alt="(right to left) John William, Carolina “Lena” and Freda Deppish" />
 <figcaption>(right to left) John William, Carolina “Lena” and Freda Deppish</figcaption>
 </figure>The late Marilyn Heldstab, former Director of the Geary Museum, included some of the following information in a 1994 article in the JC Union newspaper. “On January 23, 1901 John Deppish and a partner, H.C. Behrend, purchased the “soda water” plant from John Fox, Henry Thiele and Ed Lancaster. They moved the plant to a location on West Seventh Street. The company was named the “Crown Bottling Works.” In 1903, Deppish bought out his partner and the business was then run by Deppish and his wife, Lena. In 1908, a frame building located on West Seventh Street where the George Smith Library was to be built, was purchased and moved to 912 North Jefferson, next door to the Deppish’s residence. 	Mr. and Mrs. Deppish would begin their day at 5 a.m. by loading the horse-drawn wagon with soda water for the route to surrounding towns. While Bill made the deliveries, Lena would wash the bottles in a barrel by hand for the next day’s run. Bill would often end his day at 1 a.m.&nbsp; or 2 a.m.&nbsp; As their three children, Arnold, Carl and Freda came old enough they each had their jobs to perform. It remained as a family operation until 1913. At that time, the “Exquisite” Bottling Works was purchased from Ira Bermant and the building on Jefferson Street was remodeled to house newly acquired machines and outside help hired for the first time. 	In 1916, the Deppishes began bottling and selling Coca Cola. This popular refreshment was already well known in Junction City. It had been introduced to this area by the Sargent’s Drug Store in the early 1890s. During the 1920s, the company changed to the Coca-Cola Bottling Co.	The increasing demand for Coca-Cola had prompted their decision to bottle the beverage. This also made it necessary for them to install their first power bottling machine. The machine could bottle 40 cases an hour. As the business continued to grow, it became necessary to remodel and make additions to the building many times. By 1935, a storage warehouse was built across the street. It took six men and a bookkeeper to hand the work. 	A new limestone building was built in 1941 at 911 North Jefferson, just across the street from the old plant. All the latest equipment had been installed and 4,320 Cokes could be bottle in an hour. 	New soft drinks were added to the line over the years. In 1931, 7-Up was added and in 1938, Blue Jay soft drink flavors were included in the ever-growing and changing products. In 1959 Sunrise was added and in 1960 Dr. Pepper, Squirt and Tab joined the product line up.

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