Linn County Cities - Mound City




Cities in Linn County Click here to visit Mound City's web site. Click here for demographic information on Mound City. Mound City, the county seat, is located in the south-central portion of Linn County on 52 Highway. Mound City is the oldest town in the county. One of the most attractive sites in Mound City is the Linn County Courthouse. It is the second oldest Kansas Courthouse still in use. This beautiful old structure was used in scenes from the Gordon Parks film, “The Learning Tree.” Another popular site in Mound City is the Mound City Historical Park. This architectural collection, sponsored by the Mound City Historical Society, features old structures which have been moved to the site or reconstructed there. Another addition to the history of Mound City is the National Cemetery. This landmark shares the designation as National Cemetery Number One with Fort Scott and Baxter Springs. It is dedicated to those who fell in the Civil War. The city is also home to numerous businesses. A public swimming pool and library also serve the community. Jayhawk-Linn Junior and Senior High School is located just outside Mound City, with Mound City Grade School located in the town. Jayhawk-Linn is a consolidated school district formed with Prescott and Blue Mound. The high school has approximately 105 junior high students, and 227 high school students. The elementary school has approximately 186 enrolled students. Mound City was located in 1855 by D. W. Cannon and Ebenezer Barnes and named Mound City from its proximity to Sugar Mound. A town company of 20 members was organized in 1857, with Charles Barnes, president; Dr. J. H. Trego, secretary; T. E. Smith, trustee. The town site, consisting of 240 acres, was surveyed that year by J. N. Roscoe, and the first building, a log cabin dwelling, was erected by William Wilson. The second building was a frame structure used by Mr. Barnes as a store and post office. Barn3es was the first postmaster of the town. The first physician to locate in Mound City was Dr. Lee in 1856. The first lawyer, Addison Danford, came a year later. A. A. Johns taught the first school during the winter of 1858-59 in the town hall, which had been erected the previous summer. In 1859 an election was held in the county to determine the permanent location of the county seat. Paris and Mound City were the principal contestants. Mound City received a majority of the votes and was declared the seat of justice, but some of the people were dissatisfied and a second election was held in 1865, at which time Lynnville received the majority of the votes. A year later a third election took place and Mound City again became the county seat. In 1871 the question was again opened, and in February of that year, after an indecisive vote in January, an election was held, at which La Cygne was chosen the county seat. In 1873 Farmers City was made the seat of justice by a majority of the votes cast at an election in an effort to settle the question, but county offices were never opened there and La Cygne retained the seat until 1874, when it was changed to Pleasanton. The next year Mound City again received the majority of the votes and has since remained the judicial seat of the county. The first religious services were held in 1857 by a United Brethren minister, and within a short time several churches had been organizated. In 1871, the town was organized as a city of the third class. Mound City and its vicinity became the headquarters of Jennison and Montgomery (q. v.) during the border war. The citizens rode with these leaders on their forays against the Missourians. Jennison was the first to become established in the town and his name became a terror to the people of Bates and Vernon counties, Mo. Mound City was used as a base from which to strike quickly and get back across the border into some rendezvous before the citizens of Missouri could gather a force and strike back. In Dec., 1860, a company of infantry under Capt. Lyon came to Mound City with orders to capture Capt. Montgomery, who lived about 5 miles up the creek, but when the company arrived Montgomery, who had been notified, was gone. The Linn County Herald, the first newspaper in the town, made its appearance April 1, 1859. It was owned and edited by Jonathan Lyman. The second paper, the Border Sentinel, was started in 1864 by Shoddy Bros. and was published until 1874, when they moved it to Fort Scott. The Masons established a lodge at Mound City in 1860, and six years later the Independent Order of Odd Fellows established Magnolia lodge there. At that time Mound City has a number of fine stores, blacksmith and wagon shops, a good hotel, public schools, churches, a creamery, flour mill, and stone quarries. It is located in a rich agricultural district and was the shipping point for grain, live stock, flour, and produce. In 1910 the population was 698.

Cities in Linn County

Click here to visit Mound City's web site.

Click here for demographic information on Mound City.

Mound City, the county seat, is located in the south-central portion of Linn County on 52 Highway.

Mound City is the oldest town in the county. One of the most attractive sites in Mound City is the Linn County Courthouse. It is the second oldest Kansas Courthouse still in use. This beautiful old structure was used in scenes from the Gordon Parks film, “The Learning Tree.”

Another popular site in Mound City is the Mound City Historical Park. This architectural collection, sponsored by the Mound City Historical Society, features old structures which have been moved to the site or reconstructed there.

Another addition to the history of Mound City is the National Cemetery. This landmark shares the designation as National Cemetery Number One with Fort Scott and Baxter Springs. It is dedicated to those who fell in the Civil War.

The city is also home to numerous businesses. A public swimming pool and library also serve the community.

Jayhawk-Linn Junior and Senior High School is located just outside Mound City, with Mound City Grade School located in the town. Jayhawk-Linn is a consolidated school district formed with Prescott and Blue Mound. The high school has approximately 105 junior high students, and 227 high school students. The elementary school has approximately 186 enrolled students.

Mound City was located in 1855 by D. W. Cannon and Ebenezer Barnes and named Mound City from its proximity to Sugar Mound. A town company of 20 members was organized in 1857, with Charles Barnes, president; Dr. J. H. Trego, secretary; T. E. Smith, trustee.

The town site, consisting of 240 acres, was surveyed that year by J. N. Roscoe, and the first building, a log cabin dwelling, was erected by William Wilson. The second building was a frame structure used by Mr. Barnes as a store and post office. Barn3es was the first postmaster of the town.

The first physician to locate in Mound City was Dr. Lee in 1856. The first lawyer, Addison Danford, came a year later. A. A. Johns taught the first school during the winter of 1858-59 in the town hall, which had been erected the previous summer.

In 1859 an election was held in the county to determine the permanent location of the county seat. Paris and Mound City were the principal contestants. Mound City received a majority of the votes and was declared the seat of justice, but some of the people were dissatisfied and a second election was held in 1865, at which time Lynnville received the majority of the votes. A year later a third election took place and Mound City again became the county seat. In 1871 the question was again opened, and in February of that year, after an indecisive vote in January, an election was held, at which La Cygne was chosen the county seat. In 1873 Farmers City was made the seat of justice by a majority of the votes cast at an election in an effort to settle the question, but county offices were never opened there and La Cygne retained the seat until 1874, when it was changed to Pleasanton. The next year Mound City again received the majority of the votes and has since remained the judicial seat of the county.

The first religious services were held in 1857 by a United Brethren minister, and within a short time several churches had been organizated.

In 1871, the town was organized as a city of the third class. Mound City and its vicinity became the headquarters of Jennison and Montgomery (q. v.) during the border war. The citizens rode with these leaders on their forays against the Missourians. Jennison was the first to become established in the town and his name became a terror to the people of Bates and Vernon counties, Mo. Mound City was used as a base from which to strike quickly and get back across the border into some rendezvous before the citizens of Missouri could gather a force and strike back. In Dec., 1860, a company of infantry under Capt. Lyon came to Mound City with orders to capture Capt. Montgomery, who lived about 5 miles up the creek, but when the company arrived Montgomery, who had been notified, was gone.

The Linn County Herald, the first newspaper in the town, made its appearance April 1, 1859. It was owned and edited by Jonathan Lyman. The second paper, the Border Sentinel, was started in 1864 by Shoddy Bros. and was published until 1874, when they moved it to Fort Scott.

The Masons established a lodge at Mound City in 1860, and six years later the Independent Order of Odd Fellows established Magnolia lodge there. At that time Mound City has a number of fine stores, blacksmith and wagon shops, a good hotel, public schools, churches, a creamery, flour mill, and stone quarries. It is located in a rich agricultural district and was the shipping point for grain, live stock, flour, and produce.

In 1910 the population was 698.