By Dr. Ferrell Miller
Geary County Historical Society Board Member
“Visit Our Historic Downtown On May 1 or Any Other Day”
May 1, 2021 is not only Law Day and May Day, but this year will include a special event sponsored by Junction City Main Street and downtown businesses. Visit participating downtown businesses and receive a May Day flower between the hours of 10 AM and 2PM (1 flower per person/family until the flowers are gone).
People who attend this event are encouraged to stop by the Geary County Historical Society Museum to pick up our free brochure titled The Historic Downtown Business District of Junction City, Kansas: A Walking Tour. This guide was published in 1992 and made possible by a generous gift from the United Telephone System and work of Eric Stahl, Bruce McMillan, Tim Clark and Marilyn Latham.
The brochure features over 40 sites and buildings within an area bounded by Sixth Street on the south, Ninth Street on the north and between Franklin and Jefferson streets. The brochure contains a map of the intended route as one sees the building being described from across the street to get the full view of it, short descriptions of the history and architectural highlights of the buildings, and some old pictures of buildings and street scenes. Not every building downtown is historic, and some have been covered up, remodeled or modernized. Some of the buildings date back to the 1870s, while some have associations with the famous and near-famous.
Few towns have as many old and interesting native limestone business buildings still in use and in good condition. “Woodpeckering” and other unusual stonework, bay windows, pressed tin ceilings, marble columns, arches and battlements are just some of the unusual architectural and design details listed in the brochure.
May 1 would be a perfect opportunity for visits to local businesses and learn more about our historic downtown in Junction City, Kansas. The walking tour brochures are available at the Geary County Historical Society Museum located at 530 N. Adams Street Tuesdays through Saturday between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. The phone number is 785-238-1666.
“Walter Thompson’s Cigar Store”
The late Marilyn Heldstab and Geary Museum Director in 1994, wrote an article at Walter Thompson’s Cigar Store. This is some of what she wrote. Walter H. Thompson was born in Washington, D.C. and came west as a young man. He located in Abilene in the early 1880s and worked as a cigar maker. A few years later he moved to Junction City. He established a cigar factory in a frame building at 703 N. Washington Street and later constructed the building located at that same address. At some point, Walter also bought the corner building and joined the two buildings.
Thompson was first elected Mayor in 1901 under the council form of government. He was the Mayor during World War I and was referred to as the “War Mayor”, when the population of Junction City jumped from 6,000 to 20,000 people.
According to the Junction City Union at the time of his death, “City development and beautification was always closest to the Mayor’s heart. He took pride in the city flower gardens, which he laid at the various highway entrances to the city. Under Mayor Thompson’s direction, the Grant Avenue Park at 18th and Washington Streets and city flower gardens at Eighth and Jefferson and on West Eighth Street were established. Through cooperation with Union Pacific officials, he also created the flower garden at the depot plaza. He also loved beautiful yards and maintained an attractive house at 229 W. Third Street.
Throughout all his years in office and out, Walter was an active worker for the city. He was instrumental in bringing the Union Pacific shops here and was the instigator of the spillway system in the south part of the city, which passes under the Union Pacific tracks. Before its construction, drainage in the south part of the city was poor and frequently was covered with water.”
On March 20, 1901, the Daily Union newspaper reported “the Thompson’s Smoke House would show one of the noblest little cigar stores in central Kansas. The store had been remodeled with two rooms made into one, new linoleum placed on the floor, walls painted and papered a new counter added and new showcases installed. All goods would be under glass cover. A department was added for the manufacture of smoking tobacco. For the first thirty days, a pipe will be given with each ten cents package. Then too, a sort of reading room will be added. This will be of great convenience to the railroad men who are laying over. Chairs, a reading table and all the latest periodicals will be on the table. In the rear is a large storeroom which is a great convenience. The store will be brilliantly lighted and will be open evenings.”