Chase County, Kansas

1985 Population

3,300

Cities

Cedar Point 69; Cottonwood Falls 901; Elmdale 121; Matfield Green 78; Strong City 621

Original founders or officers

M. R. Leonard; B. McCabe; J. Lane; M. Coyne; A. Howell; C. T. Hegwer; William Osmer; William Dixon; Walter Watson; A. B. Wentworth; Milton Ford; James Fisher; Nathan Curey; Daniel Holsinger; Gabriel Jacobs; Willie Shart; and Samuel N. Wood.

Organized

February 11, 1859

Named for

Salmon P. Chase, Governor and U. S. Senator from Ohio, and later Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court.

Founders' descendents

There are still members of the Samuel Wood family residing in the county. One descendant, Howard Wood, is also a descendant of William Shaft, and lives on the original Shaft farm settled in 1857.

City names

  • Cottonwood Falls: Was named by Isaac M. Alexander, reason unknown except for the cottonwood trees and/or river by the same name.
  • Strong City: For W. B. Strong, president of the A.T.S.F. railway. Elmdale: Was named for the many elm trees in the vicinity.
  • Clements: For H. G. Clements of the Santa Fe Railroad. Cedar Point: For the many cedar trees in the locale.
  • Saffordville: Is thought to be named for an early settler's family.

    • Significant events

  • The establishment of a horse-drawn interurban rail line connecting Cottonwood Falls to the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886.
  • The airplane crash that killed famed Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne occured in the county in 1933.
  • The county constructed a new court house in 1971.

    • First church, county fair, school

  • The Methodist church of Cottonwood Falls was founded on January 12, 1859.
  • The first fair was held in October 1881, at Cottonwood Falls and is still being held on the same site as the original.
  • The first school, a subscription school, was founded in Cottonwood Falls in 1859.
  • The first public school district was formed at Elmdale in the latter part of 1861.

    • Farm in the same family for the longest consecutive period

    It is probable that the Shaft farm near Clements, dating back to 1857 when William Common Shaft settled there, is the oldest. A descendant still lives on the farm.

    Interesting public figures

  • Samuel N. Wood, of Cottonwood Falls, laid-out and platted the south part of the town, and had the county named for his friend Salmon Chase. Wood, who led a colorful life, was finally disbarred as an attorney and and shot to death during the Stevens County Seat War.
  • Also from the county was Congressman Dudley Doolittle (1913-1919).

    • Local legend

    None

    Local persons or events used as a basis for a novel or short story

    In 1980 a TV film was made based on the life of Julia Breese, daughter of Lafe (Bud) Breese, entitled "Blessed, Blessed, Mama."

    National Register and/or other interesting sites

  • Chase County Courthouse Spring Hill Ranch House on the Z-Bar ranch
  • Samuel N. Wood House
  • The Lower Fox Creek School
  • Clements Stone Arch Bridge
  • Chase County National Bank Building
  • Carter Building
  • Clover Cliff Ranch House
  • Crocker Ranch Buildings
  • Cottonwood River Bridge, at north edge of Cottonwood Falls

    • Historical sources

    Chase County Historical Society, Cottonwood Falls, has a four volume set of family histories available, and additional volumes due out in the near future. The Historical Society also has microfilm of all available Chase County newspapers.

  • County History Project
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    Kansas Historical Society
    		  
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    Kansas Historical Society
    Kansas Historical Society