7 Ghost Towns in Chase County, Kansas

I'm back in Chase County after doing two videos previously. The first one was of 4 really cool ghost towns which you can watch here: • Kansas Flint Hills Gho...
The 2nd one was of the beautiful town of Cottonwood Falls: • small town, USA // Cot...
Today's video is the first of two more videos where I'll be looking for ghost towns. There are 7 dots on the map that I explore and while I find some very interesting buildings in certain places, others leave me still wondering what was there. But the overall takeaway is how beautiful this part of Kansas is whether there is still remnants of a town or not. Very fun trip down some dusty backroads!
T-shirt: Playa Azul (Mexican Restaurant in Wichita, KS)
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0:00 Intro
1:28 Toledo
3:07 Saffordville
7:05 Ellinor
7:53 Gladstone/Miller
10:46 Neva
11:56 Rockland
13:12 Hymer
15:03 Outtakes
Music
Mysteries - Dan Lebowitz
Snowy Peaks pt II - Chris Haugen

[@brendacejda7069]

I have relatives on my mother's side who were Millers, migrated out to western Kansas from Chase County. My grandfather Miller had 13 siblings, and all stayed in and around Kansas. I've visited the graves of all 14 Millers. Took a while to find them, but a sense of accomplishment to know I found the resting place to Grandpa's brothers and sisters that I heard so many stories about! Beautiful video! Thank you....very much!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

That’s very cool! Were the Millers in the cemetery on the video relation?

[@scottpond5881]

I looked up Arch Miller. His obituary was truly remarkable [Chase County Leader - Feb 24, 1922]. His wife passed 5 months later.

[@brendacejda7069]

@TravelwithaWiseguy I'm not sure. Could be that some of those folks were in the generation who would have been great grandparents, or even great, great g-parents. I do know there were lots of Millers who originated from that area who were not related, according to my grandfather. I'll have to do some more digging!

[@brendacejda7069]

@@scottpond5881 Thanks for this info! I'm going to take a look as well!

[@scottpond5881]

@@brendacejda7069 What piqued my interest here was the name Miller born in County Antrim. My 7x Great-Grandfather was the Rev. Alexander Miller who came to the US from Ireland in the mid-1700's. His father John Miller was from a respectable family at the time, and his mother was Mary MacDonnell, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Antrim. It was a close enough coincidence to look Arch Miller up. You are correct though, there are a bunch of Millers who are not actually related - a very common name.

[@stephenyoung2742]

They decided to call it the Saffordville church instead of the Holy Toledo church due to wiseguys snickering in the back pews!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂

[@stephenyoung2742]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy I could see the pastor starting out the sermon and welcoming the flock to the Holy Toledo Church! Been watching too many Farside comic strips this week! Pogo too!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Far side is awesome!!

[@larryclark4791]

Its so great that they keeps the school at Saffordville in such good condition.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Agreed! Very surprising!

[@jordan91merkin]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy They use it for local Auctions now.

[@chrisheinitz9830]

@@jordan91merkin Yes, i was in that school not but a year ago for a one man band concert. The building still has water and electric hooked up to it and it was fun seeing all the old pictures of past students.

[@redbeans7096]

My 4-h club holds monthly meetings there and we clean it up every year. I remember when they had the original doors and windows but now they got new ones installed

[@lefturn99]

Another excellent video in a beautiful part of Kansas. Thanks

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Mike!!

[@gh2687]

An excellent video. I grew up In this area. Sad to see the county slowly dying away. I lived in the county when most of these towns were occupied

[@kaymerry369]

Another beautiful area of Chase County. Nice school structure and church with cemetery provide memories of people. Drone coverage was really neat. Such a pretty view it provided. Thanks for another interesting adventure. 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Kay! Was fun to explore Chase Co. More next week!

[@MsSkipperkim]

My ex used to live in Cottonwood Falls. Beautiful court house there. My family is from Ramona. A dying town in Marion county Kansas.

[@aliceevans3357]

I love taking the dirt roads, you find the most interesting things and places. Dirt roads slow you down enough to contemplate the area and the history. Great video as always, love the drone shots and your bloopers. 👍👍 Stay safe and GOD bless

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I agree about the backroads! And glad your enjoy the bloopers - there’s usually a lot of them 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@williambrownjr2346]

The entire Flint Hills area was formed by moraines during the Glacial period. One of your drone shots shows what looks like to me recessional moraines where you see rocks forming ridges along the hills. I'm not a geologist by any means but remember taking geology at KU 57 years ago and marvel at the Flint Hills as primarily untouched ground from this period. The Glacial period ended some 15,000 years ago.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

That was very interesting when I saw that on the drone shot. I was hoping someone would provide some insights - thank you!

[@ronfullerton3162]

The one town being deserted because of a flood reminds me of many small towns in eastern Iowa that were abandoned once they were found to have a flooding problem. Many like the areas that were checked on this episode have nothing remaining to even let us know that they once existed. Only older local history books, word of mouth, and occasional plagues remain to tell their story. One town in my native Louisa County Iowa I never knew about until I stopped at the historical Mallory cemetery along highway 99 not far from a nearly disappeared town of Toolesburo. There a plaque on a mass grave of the dead from a town destroyed by a flash flood on the Iowa River. So sad to think of how many little towns may have now become completely forgotten. The Mallory cemetery has another mass grave of a boat load of Confederate soldier pow's that were being moved up the Mississippi River to be interned at Rock Island Armory. A sickness overtook and killed most everyone on the boat, and the bodies were brought here for burial. Cannot recall the name of the book, but little Louisa County had several other towns that existed until a flood made people think there had to be better places. Also loved the look through the old grain elevator. Being from an old farm background here in the Midwest, that old elevator bore a big resemblance to all the others throughout the agricultural area.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome post! Thanks for the insights! Sad to learn about the tough history, but also fascinating at the same time!

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@TravelwithaWiseguyIt is such an insight of our history and the people that came before us. I just hate seeing it become lost. We .like to think, "Dang, I have it so bad". And yet life has been hard all along. The struggle has always been there.

[@eburro62331]

The school is amazing! They sure don't make playground equipment like those. They reminded me of the stuff I'd play on in the late 50's, early 60's! Way more fun than the new stuff!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

The playground equipment always makes me smile! Lots of fun was had on those!

[@barflyu8]

I enjoy your posts very much and look forward to the next one coming. Thank you very much.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you Jim! Much appreciated!

[@user-pb2ov1zg6z]

The Saffordville church was moved to Toledo after the 51 flood, but retained the name Saffordville. My grandfather owned the grain elevator you have shown on the youtube video. Thank you for sharing this little bit of history!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome thank you! That’s a great elevator!

[@chriscosby2459]

Nice video. I remember reading about Chase County in the book PrairyErth. The Flint Hills are beautiful. I like all the limestone buildings and fence posts as well.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!! 😊

[@DavidsExecutiveTouch17]

Loved the video, looking forward to your next posting...👏👏👏👏

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for the support!

[@colingeorgeh]

I love Chase County Kansas. Great video.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks! Beautiful area!

[@jljordan1]

I wonder if that preserve is where they hold the flint hills symphony concert at, because it’s absolutely stunning!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I think it’s moved around a little bit but not too far from there I think!

[@kencoconstruction9236]

The ranch in Ellior is Palenske Ranch. It's an active feedlot that keeps cowboys employed.

[@bertholini2810]

The drone is very nice. Really pretty area there. That's a long trip (coast to coast) you will be taking. Heads up on your long trip you will be taking (there is lots of good and lots of bad out there). Be good, be safe !!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Yeah I’m excited about it and I’ll always stay on my toes 😊

[@Garydigsmetaldetecting]

Cool video my new friend, subbed 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome thank you so much!!

[@travis303]

Whenever I go home (back to Wichita. Even though I don't live there anymore I still consider it "home" for some reason) I go on 50 to avoid the turnpike

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Absolutely! I do the same often as well!

[@johnd1216]

How did you get into the school? I liked the photos of the classes of 1950 and 1951 in the hallway. I notice there's an air conditioner in a window. Maybe someone still uses the building?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Actually those videos were taken from outside the school peering through the window. It looks nice inside still!

[@andrearobbins9450]

Good job filming thru windows! Looked as if you were inside!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

iPhones are crazy good haha

[@xxlastrebelxx5719]

I remember having keg parties in there I think one of them was for a wedding

[@hungarysammy]

Fairly close to my neck of the woods! Great video! Nothing like the Flint Hills! That old playground equipment brings back some great memories!! Loved this video and your outakes! 😊 Excited for your summer trip on 50! That should be very interesting!! Thanks once again!

[@travis303]

Man, where you were standing in Rockland was beautiful. Was looking at the hill behind you. A few wildflowers, lots of green. I assume the white specks behind you on the hill are wildflowers anyway

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah it was really great and I wouldn’t have realized it if I didn’t take that long dirt road. Loved it!

[@travis303]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy Even if you go to a ghost town and find nothing of the town, you still got a great find in that scenery. It's worth going out and exploring.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Absolutely!

[@rgreed20081]

William Least Heat Moon had spent lot of time in Chase County. Moon's book PrairyErth A Deep Map focus on Chase County. Chase County has a lot of Hidden gems. One of which is the Chase County's Courthouse.

[@kimballamram552]

His other book Blue Highways is a good read.

[@sonsofliberty3158]

Hello from Kansas, thank you for this! Was about to drive some of these places myself!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Have fun!!

[@williammatzek4660]

The buildings that set off the tracks at glad stone. May be a home. May be not. Their may not be any records to tell us anything. I believe you found the most rocks in one place in kansas!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha! There are a lot of rocks out west too!

[@DavidGrapesVinyard]

Interesting old playground equipment shots, great job!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Always love it when those are still around!

[@pamelacrowe4971]

Thanks for the video. Your funny!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha thanks I try 😂

[@francisbarlow9904]

Great video, thanks John!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!!! 😊

[@johngayo8149]

I read a book a few years ago by William Least Heat-Moon entitled "Prairyerth: A Deep Map" wherein the author William Least Heat-Moon travels by car and on foot into the core of our continent, focusing on the landscape and history of Chase County-a sparsely populated tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of central Kansas-exploring its land, plants, animals, and people until this small place feels as large as the universe. He takes an in depth tour of one Kansas county and turns it into a magical discovery. Highly recommend especially those interested in geography and history.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Sounds like a very interesting book!

[@user-ey8pu8ll5u]

Great book! Read it several times.

[@gorrdd]

Interesting, John. A few more clues as to what it takes to establish a successful town back in the day. First, seems to be having a railroad necessary for both timely delivery of goods and services as well as transportation to and from the area. Second, seems to be having a post office. People won't come if they can't get their mail. Third, seems to be having a large school to accommodate growth. People won't come if their children can't get basic high school education. Forth, seems to be some kind of a business that supports the community. There has to be a business magnet of sorts to draw people to the town. In the case of a farming community, a local grain elevator established beside the railroad would be a big plus. But even with all those things established, we see failures. Strategically, one has to look at the surrounding communities to see which survived and why. This requires a deeper dive into the history and that goes way beyond the scope of what you doing. But it would be great to see the results. It brings great insight into what works and what doesn't. It's better for people to agree on preferred locations and then support those locations for the common good and security... rather than being led off on a catastrophic redundant wild goose chases, trying to reinvent unnecessary wheels. Gord

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

There’s a KZbin channel called Midwest Ghost Towns that goes into deep dive podcasts about many of these types of places. You might be interested!

[@gorrdd]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy I'll check it out, John. Thanks... Gord

[@Shglugen]

Really dig the videos man. I’ll have it maybe travel to some of these spots.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much!!

[@marymac674]

Great video!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@tyler_trippin2370]

Crazy to see this on recommended when I live 2 miles from saffordville

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Cool area!

[@sueelliott3206]

The condition of the school and elevator was surprising considering their age. "Holy Toledo" would have definitely gotton snickers. TFS

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂 wish I would’ve thought of it!

[@tyler_trippin2370]

In Ellinor Kansas, the ranch is called “Palenskee Ranch” I believe

[@robchit1]

Nice video, always enjoy them! Spots like Elinor and Neva were junctions on the Santa Fe Railway and they used to have interlocking towers that controlled track movements-long gone of course. Before the railroad line was built between Elinor and Gladstone in 1924, the railroad went from Bazar-Gladstone-Cottonwood Falls until 1940-very strange branch line. Probably used for cattle loading from the ranches. 1901 atlas showed John and Mary Miller had about 400 ares in the Gladstone area (comment section won't allow photos to be pasted here). The line north from Neva was recently removed up to Lost Springs in favor of a short cut on the Union Pacific blah blah blah...less maintenance. That still is a busy branch to Superior NE. On that abandoned section, Rockland according to KCC records had a siding (again maybe stockyard) but no depot. On J Road it looks like a ranching operation wiped out the remnants of Hymer with a feedlot. I read the scouts of the Hymer area saved the old depot after it closed in 1968 but it was torn down decades ago. Just some tidbits, keep up the good work!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome info! Really appreciate the comment, it helps a lot! I’m a novice but enjoy learning this stuff!

[@ralphbuffington9153]

I lived in Toledo from 1943 to 1952 went to High School in Saffordville

[@vickigraves8597]

Thank you John!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@mawi1172]

At 11:00. Highly likely, my Mama would've said. 😂😂❤❤❤❤ That was probably the station house. ❤❤❤

[@kencoconstruction9236]

It's called the Saffordville church because it was moved from Staffordville to Toledo due to flooding. The army corps of engineers built a retention lake in front of my home that no longer lets Saffordville flood.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!

[@simonmacarthur6808]

9.10 pronounced Antrim...love your show, from Ireland..

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you for the correction! Appreciate it!

[@juliogonzales5441]

Great 👍 video 👍

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Julio!

[@ethanvlcek8036]

Those ruins at Hymer were a barn and house. I know the guy who owns the ruins and have explored them. They were interesting there were broken bottles and fine china, there were also many hand made nails and other metal objects.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for the info - interesting stuff!

[@RichBrandt]

Interesting video. Audio sound great

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Rich 😊

[@jstoney6471]

WPA school...similar/same to my 1930's Elementary school in St Johns County FL

[@patrickfox174]

Thanks 😊

[@tinman7130]

Some sketchy bridges in your roaming round Chase county and it got me to wondering. Were any of the Millers named Barney? asking for a friend

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yes from 1975-1982 then they got cancelled! 😂😂

[@lowellstonehocker2785]

I had sent you some information a couple of months ago about small towns around Wellington, Winfield nd Ark City Kansas. I had told you about the small town of Dexter that was the home of Henry’s candy company. If you are interested I just found out that Henry’s will be closing after 70 years on May 31. This little town by itself would make a good video but if you could interview the last family member of the candy company you should get a very good video.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! I’d love to visit Dexter sometime!

[@kencoconstruction9236]

The grain elevator you passed was ran by Stanley North.

[@phmoffett]

7:35 Former Santa Fe depot, Ellinor, KS

[@kencoconstruction9236]

The school house is used for lots of different things, but a group of guys that donate and eat breakfast every Wednesday in it are the reason the schoolhouse is being renovated.

[@MrPrattjeanette72]

I'm curious if you have been to Jewell County. My family lived in Burr Oak for many years. Would love to see parts of Burr Oak if you're ever up in that direction!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I’ve been through there but haven’t done any videos … yet

[@davyhenry8985]

I live in Cedar Point,Kansas

[@justnana2256]

The Saffordville church was either moved to Toledo because of the floods that wiped out Saffordville.

[@ricsmith2185]

Hey John great video...are they using the school in saffordville today? P.S...great East bound and Down reference!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I think someone mentioned in these comments that they were possibly using it or getting it fixed up for something. And thanks! That “fixings” part always cracks me up 😂😂

[@deborahross9974]

Heck, shoot and darn, a lot of places in Kansas flooded in 1951 including Kansas City Mo and Kansas City Kansas. My Mother told a story of my Father walking through the flood water to get home from work. There's even a place outside of Paola Kansas that a road was flooded by that flood because the road is low in that area and it's near a creek. There's a pole that has a sign on it that indicates where on the pole the water reached. So Chase County isn't the only area that was flooded in 1951. The town I live in has been flooded several times since my family and I moved here in 1990. We live in a valley near the Marais des Cygnes river. A woman I know said it would flood when a lake over 50 miles from here opened the gates to let water out. I've even driven through flood waters. Thankfully I know not to drive too fast or knowing that if I couldn't see the stripes on the road. Only once did I but I wouldn't have if there hadn't been a city truck parked nearby and then the water came up to the bottom of the doors. God bless.

[@campingman2156]

Man you sure do your homework just curious have you read the book “PrairyErth”? Such a fantastic read.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I haven’t but a couple people have suggested it! Thank you!

[@francisbarlow9904]

1868 to 1880 William Gladstone was Prime minister in Gt Britain, maybe named after him?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Possibly!

[@Surfguitarist59]

Wonderful video my friend. Now I ain't no genius or rocket scientist, but I noticed a relatively modern air conditioner in the corner room of the old high school. I know you said the town pretty well died off before that type of window air conditioner was invented. Are parts of the school leased to either businesses or county government branches?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! I’m not sure about the school but I’m guessing it’s either still used for meetings of some sort or someone may be trying to restore/maintain it. Very cool building!

[@oldradiosnphonographs]

Ok the building in the trees could have possibly been a depot stop or someone’s home? I’m looking at an aerial shot from 1956 and it was a building that was L shaped?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Interesting! Would make sense to me!

[@Eriugena8]

US 50 FTW !!

[@Eriugena8]

and gee, in Rockland there looks to be an ancient mound o rocks. just sayin 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Agreed! Very interesting!

[@marvinwilbur9903]

try glasco ks. in cloud county.. may only have 300 or so still liveing there now...

[@chrismoody1342]

Nice although not much to see I enjoyed your excursion. So many towns just dry up and die. Farms get consolidated, feed stores and the like move to bigger communities. I’d say many communities grow up around the communities one grain elevator and slowly fill in with other businesses and homes.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Even though often there isn’t much left to find, I love learning about or trying to figure out what happened. 😊

[@DavidsExecutiveTouch17]

Seems like there was neva that much to speak of in Neva🤔.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂

[@julieschossow9315]

I'm still rooting for Woodson county and maybe Chautauqua county.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Someday haha!

[@user-iq1ou8bx6o]

After the 1951 flood the church moved north to Toledo

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Ahh makes sense - thank you!

[@kd5inm]

​@Travel with a Wiseguy Did you get the email I sent to your shockers email?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yes I did. Sorry I haven’t replied - I’ve been on the road the last few days!

[@kd5inm]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy It's no problem, just wanted to make sure you got it. It would be a great place to visit. Lots of good history from 100 years ago. From a time of yesteryear. It could turn into a couple of videos for you and get some new subs to grow the channel.

[@ZeRowe]

Probably Nēva Ks 🧐😁

[@RobloxianPilot457]

I believe Toledo has a small airstrip.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Oh yeah? Interesting!

[@Atwater20]

Kind of boring video when there's no actual ghost town. A real ghost town has buildings that still stand, if there's nothing there it not a ghost town, its just gone.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Ghost towns can be defined in a few ways and where there is nothing remaining is the literal definition of a ghost town.

[@Atwater20]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy I'm afraid your definition of a ghost town is incorrect. Per Websters dictionary - "a deserted town with few or no remaining inhabitants." Ex: "it's like a ghost town at weekends" A ghost town is an existing town with no residents.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

@@Atwater20 with all due respect to Websters, I go by the definition of experts in the field (not me). There have been many, many books written on this subject and the term ghost town does not mean exactly one thing (according to the experts).

[@Atwater20]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy People can make up whatever definition they want for a word or words. For most people, if they want to find out what a word actually means, they check a dictionary. Using your friends definition, we could call a Viking village from centuries ago a ghost town. I've never heard one called that.