Harper County, KS

History

Organized in 1873. County seat Anthony. The organization of this county was one of the most glaring frauds ever perpetrated in the State. Attorney-General Williams, in his official report, says: "It is not pretended that Harper county ever had an inhabitant." The form of its organization was legal on paper, and that is all. In 1878 the organization became legal. The county was named in memory of Marion Harper, first sergeant of Company E, Second Regiment Kansas Cavalry. He was mortally wounded at Waldron, Ark., December 29, 1863, and died the following day. His comrades say he took his death cooly. When brought in wounded, he proposed a wager that in so many hours he would be dead; the bet was taken, and Marion Harper won.

Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, (Winfield: E.P. Greer. 1899)

One of the rail lines that served Harper County was the Hutchinson & Southern, a remarkable railroad built by a group of Kansas businessmen without spending any of their own money. It later became part of the A.T.&S.F.

William G. Cutler's History of Kansas, first published in 1883, tells about early Harper County.

There is a section on Harper County in the book Kansas: a Cyclopedia Of State History by Frank Blackmar (1912).

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Anthony, Attica, Bluff City, Harper, & Waldron.

The Kansas State Historical Society also has more historical data for Harper County online including a rich bibliography and lists of cemeteries, post offices, and newspapers.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Harper County

                 2000
  Year  Elev  Population Name              ZIP
  ====  ====  ========== ================ =====
  1878  1350       2,440 Anthony          67003
  1884  1453         636 Attica           67009
  1886  1240          80 Bluff City       67018
        1280             Corwin
        1350             Crisfield
        1440             Crystal Springs
  1880  1346          59 Danville         67036
  1893  1582             Duquoin
  1885  1333           6 Freeport         67049
  1877  1421       1,567 Harper           67058
        1254             Hawk
        1314             Midway
        1330             Ruella
  1889  1379           0 Runnymede  Gone but not forgotten
  1901  1246          17 Waldron          67150

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Harper County

The Immaculate Conception church in Danville, built in 1904, somehow "fits" its location and belongs there.
Freeport is nearly a ghost town now but the Freeport State Bank is still open. It's the smallest incorporated town in Kansas and maybe the US.
Waldron is the second smallest incorporated city in Kansas after Freeport. The church dates from the turn of the century.
Runnymede was founded to provide a new home for young English gentlemen and emphasized hunting and recreation. The only thing left of Runnymede is a state historical marker nearby. The old Runnymede church is now in Harper.
There's more about the vanished town of Hamner on Blue Skyways.

Special Events in Harper County

The Anthony Gun Club has registered trap shoots Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. The shady grounds, beside Anthony City Lake, have been home to the club since 1938.
There's horse and dog racing at Anthony Downs every July.
For over 50 years, there's been an annual rodeo in Attica.

Libraries

Anthony Public Library
624 E. Main / Anthony, KS 67003
Attica Public Library (620) 254-7767
123 N. Main / Attica, KS 67009
Harper Public Library (620) 896-2959
Tenth and Oak / Harper, KS 67058

Museums

Historical Museum of Anthony (620) 842-3852
502 W. Main / Anthony, KS 67003

Harper County School Systems

USD 361 Anthony-Harper (620) 842-5183 Anthony
USD 511 Attica (620) 254-7661 Attica

Health Care

Anthony Hospital (620) 842-5111
1101 E Spring St. | Anthony, KS 67003
Attica Rural Health Clinic (620) 254-7272
302 N. Botkin / Attica, KS 67009
Harper Hospital District No 5 (620) 896-7324
1204 Maple St. / Harper, KS 67058
Harper Medical Center (620) 896-7313
1019 Central St. / Harper, KS 67058

Newspapers

Anthony Republican (620) 842-5129
121 E. Main / P. O. Box 31 / Anthony, KS 67003-0031
Attica Independent (620) 254-7968
115 N. Main / Attica, KS 67009
Harper Advocate (620) 896-7311
907 Central / Harper, KS 67058

More Data About Harper County

Economic Development

Harper County Economic Development Council (620) 842-6004 ecodevo@harpercounty.com
PO Box 13, Anthony, KS 67003
Kansas' County Profile Reports Statistical data from The Institute for Policy and Social Research, the University of Kansas

Health Data

KDHE's Harper County Health Profile

Genealogy

Harper County KSGenWeb

References

WPA The WPA Guide to 1930s Kansas ( Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. 1984 )
Sanders, Gwendoline & Sanders, Paul The Harper County Story (North Newton: Mennonite Press. 1966)

Harper County Offices

Harper County Economic Development (620) 842-6004
P. O. Box 13 / Anthony, KS 67003
Harper County (620) 842-5555
County Courthouse / Anthony, KS 67003
Extension Service (620)842-5445
Courthouse, 201N Jennings / Anthony, KS 67003

For more about Harper County contact:

Anthony Chamber of Commerce (620) 842-5456
227½ West Main / PO Box 354, Anthony, KS 67003
Harper Chamber of Commerce (620) 896-2511
201 W. Main / Harper, KS 67058
Harper County Department on Aging (620) 842-5104
P.O. Box 462, Anthony, KS 67003 (located in the courthouse)