By Dr. Ferrell Miler
Geary County Historical Society Board Member
“The Omnibus Line In Junction City”
Pat Olmstead, former Registrar at the Geary County Historical Society Museum, wrote an article in the JC Union newspaper about the omnibus line in Junction City. This is some of what she wrote.
In November 1866, the Kansas Pacific Railroad came to Junction City. With the arrival of this railroad line, a bus line was established to transport people to and from the depot and to Junction City. But there was something special about this bus line and shortly after its establishment, it became well know throughout the country. It was an omnibus line which was always pulled by a team of four white horses.
In the Kansas City Journal in 1905, there was an article about how this bus line managed to “stay in business even with the advancement of civilization and the streetcar.” The trolley lines that were established here six to seven years earlier ran to and from the park, local hotels and Fort Riley. A line which was built between the depot and Eighth and Washington Streets could not compete with the omnibus.
One line ran for about six to seven months before it stopped. The other line discontinued the depot run and stayed with just uptown and Fort Riley business. A local man, Sam Brazil, who settled here in 1873, was one of the drivers on the omnibus line.
The October 27, 1904 issue of the Daily Union newspaper carried an article that traveling men showed their appreciation to Sam for his past services. Headed by the United States Marshal Mackey of Junction City, Sam was presented “a good and complete layout of clothing, including overcoat, suit, hat, under clothing, etc. It was an act that made Sam feel mighty good.”
On May 2, 1910, the Daily Union announced that “The omnibus line was sold and again Sam made the news as one of the good and faithful drivers. The line had grown in the past 25 years from four employed men and eight horses to eight men and 18 white horses.”
A special was sent to the Topeka Capital on June 19, 1916, announcing that “The famous white horse bus line that for more than half a century has hauled Junction Citians to and from the railway stations passed out of existence today when the four remaining white horses – all that remained out of the former stable of twenty- were sold. Replacing the horses are a motor bus, taxicabs and an automobile truck for hauling baggage.”
On June 24, 1918, Sam died at his home on Ninth and Jefferson Streets after being ill several months.
“The Muenzenmayer Home”
The retired Executive Director of the Geary County Historical Society, Gaylynn Childs, wrote some of the following in a 1990 publication for the JC Union newspaper. This is some of that article.
The house at 416 W. Seventh Street in Junction City had been home to a branch of the pioneer Muenzenmayer clan until the death of Lucile Brown in 1988. That address was her residence as the last of that venerable family to reside in our community.
In 1897 or 1898 that Henry Muenzenmayer built a little frame one-story cottage on Seventh Street for his new bride. Henry was the eleventh child of J.J. and Louisa Muenzenmayer. He had been born in his father’s one room cabin in Kansas City, Kansas in 1873 and was seven years old when the family moved to the farm on Lyons Creek.
It was here that he met Mary Reitz, the equally talented daughter of the local Methodist minister and they were wed after a courtship of several years. Though Henry was a partner with his brother Jacob in the sheet metal branch of Muenzenmayer Hardware, his first love was music and for years he was a member of the leader of the Junction City Band. Under his direction, this group won area and state recognition. He was also active in his church and directed many Junction City choirs over the years. Henry served on the school board and was a civic leader all his life.
Mary was also a talented musician. The family grew and in 1902, a daughter, Lucile was born to the couple. In 1906 a son, Willard completed the family. Growing up in Junction City during the early 1900s provided many opportunities to develop these talents. As a high school student, Lucile had the opportunity to play the piano for the silent movies at the Opera House. This was something she enjoyed. Lucile often related how she would get so wrapped up in watching what was happening on the screen that she would forget to come in with her music at the appropriate time.
In 1918, Henry decided to expand the little house on Seventh Street and built an addition. It featured the latest bungalow-styled verandas and the tin room made to resemble red tile for which Muenzenmayer Sheet Metal Shop was famous. Now there was room to care for aging parents and accommodate visiting relatives who seemed to stay on indefinitely.
In 1920, Lucile graduated with academic honors from Junction City High School and went on to excel at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas. In 1922, she completed her course work in mathematics and taught school in Neodesha and Independence before returning to Junction City.
George Brown was a lieutenant in the Army Air Corp when he met Lucile. The family has told of the story that just before George left for Chicago, he decided to telephone Lucile and propose. She answered the phone and he asked her if she would marry him. Her response was “Of course I will. Who is this?”
After twelve years spent at Army posts all over the country the Browns retired from the military in 1941. They returned to this area and lived in the house in which Lucile was born.