“Did You Know This About Geary County History?”
By Dr. Ferrell Miller
Geary County Historical Society Board Member
“Some Glimpses of Early Junction City”
In W.F. Pride’s book, The History of Fort Riley, he has an entire chapter on The Early Days of Junction City. This is some of what he wrote:
“In May of 1862, considerable excitement was created not only in Davis County
(now Geary County), but also in those adjacent. A body of Comanche Indians had entered the Republican Valley and were driving off the settlers and committing depredations. The large number of troops in and around Fort Riley afforded protection to people within easy reach of that place and Junction City was sought as a place of refuge.
On the fourth day of August in 1862, the first stagecoach left Junction City for the far west. This was quite an event as it made a through stage route from Leavenworth to Fort Larned, via Topeka, Manhattan, Fort Riley, Junction City, Abilene and Salina. About this time, Abilene consisted of a house, a small store and a blacksmith shop. Salina was only slightly larger having two or three houses, a hotel a store and a blacksmith shop. Salina was the farthest west settlement in Kansas. This line was operated by the Kansas State Company. The fare from Leavenworth to Junction City was about ten dollars.
On the 17th of September 1862, the whole frontier was thrown into a state of feverish excitement by a band of bushwhackers who made a dash through the country and raided Salina. Guards were posted every night around Junction City for several weeks after that.
Prairie fires were frequent in those days and were little like the fires of today, when a farmer selects a favorable wind and deliberately burns over a field. Then, death and destruction lurked in the path of a fire, for the thick grass was shoulder high in many places and burned with a flash and a roar. In March of 1863, a prairie fire approached Junction City and swept over the uninhabited part of the townsite, but fortunately caused little damage.
W.F. Pride wrote brief statements about many topics related to Fort Riley and Junction City in his book. It is an interesting read. The book is available at our Museum. Please call 785-238-1666 for entry into the building during these current times.
“Making Calls On New Year’s Day In the 1800s”
Gaylynn Childs, retired Executive Director of the Geary County Historical Society wrote the following in a 1995 article for the J.C. Union newspaper.
In 1880, it was the gentlemen of the community who hosted both the evening parties and the New Year’s Day open houses while the ladies made the calls. The large and elegant parlors of Capt. John K. Wright were thrown open to the young people of Junction City. About fifteen couples were present and witnessed the last minutes of the year 1879 by dancing and eating.
In 1881, the situation had reversed itself and it was the ladies who received the guests and the gentlemen who called. The Union of January 1, 1881, devoted a large column to publicizing the names and locations of the various open houses under the heading, “List of Junction City Ladies Who Will Receive Calls.”
During the next several years there seemed to be a marked decline in the practice of making New Year’s Day calls. In 1888, the Ladies Reading Club was still observing the calling custom. New Year’s Day was observed in a moderately quite way, only a few gentlemen did any general calling, but the whole town called at the headquarters of the Ladies Reading Club in the Opera House. The ladies had their rooms handsomely decorated, tables loaded with elegant refreshments and the greatest enjoyment was had by the callers and the ladies of the club.” By January 1, of 1889, the newspaper made mention of many open houses and the revival of the custom of making New Year’s Day calls. There was mention of the use of “calling cards.”
The custom of leaving a calling card when making a social visit is one military officers and their families are familiar with as well as those who were well versed in the “social graces” prior to WW II. The little cards, printed or engraved with the caller’s name were presented to a servant or left on a card tray when the visitor arrived. The following is written in an 1879 etiquette book: “Visitors should furnish themselves with cards. Gentlemen are simply to put their cards into their pockets, but ladies may carry them in a small, elegant portfolio called a card case. They can hold this case in their hand and it will contribute to giving them an air of good taste.