Kansas Ghost Towns ||| Irving, Bigelow, Barrett, Home ||| Marshall County

[@jerryhorton5708]

I work in Home, Kansas every day. Nice little place and Little Hap’s is awesome

[@brendacejda7069]

Such a wonderful area of Kansas! Rich in history and beautiful vistas! Definitely an area to spend some time in.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I agree! 😊 very interesting places in Marshall County.

[@robertodebeers2551]

It's really nice to see some good roofs on these old buildings, like that huge dairy barn at Barrett. With good roofs, these old building will last a long time.

[@ronfullerton3162]

You must be another old farm boy also. I was thinking about how much hay it would take to fill that lift. We used the pulleys and track to get hay into the barn. And I had the job of "setting the forks". I would of had quite a few hours under that roof peak to of filled that lift up! Beautiful old barn for sure.

[@robertodebeers2551]

@@ronfullerton3162 When I was about seven years old, my job was to trip the hay net when it had rolled on its track (up on the underside of the barn's ridgepole) to where my dad wanted the loose hay to drop. The trip rope was a mile long, it seemed. Usually the fingers pulled loose and the hay dropped. If the load didn't trip, the trip rope would jerk me up and away, right off my feet.

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@robertodebeers2551 Yes, the whole idea was a quick jerk to release the catch, then open the grip enough so the rope could slide through your hands. The tractor, or horse, on the other end of the rope was too big for a punny human to stop! Then the process of pulling the forks back out of the barn began. Our hay barn had a good track and pulley system, and the carriage worked extremely well. So it was easy to pull out of the barn. But my uncle's barn was a different situation entirely. There were weights hooked onto the carriage to help pull the forks back out of the barn. And you had to make sure that the carriage hit the catch on the track hard, to lock the carriage in place at the trip . Otherwise the forks would come down as they should, but the carriage would roll back down the track back into the barn. Even that didn't sour me of the job of "setting the forks". Not that many could, or wanted to do it. And other farmers would pay good money for someone to do it. So I always had spending money when I went to town during the summers. Putting up hay was fun for me because it took a team to put up hay. We needed a minimum of five or six. So there was a social part of the process. It was nice to get together with others to do the job. The old gay barn where I grew up has caved in and fell into a pile. I have thought about seeing if I could get the carriage, and see if I could find a pair of forks, and hang them up as a decoration and remembrance of the old days. But my wife has serious questions about it.

[@thoward4051]

We appreciate your careful diligence in researching the history of these beautiful small towns. The thought of a grasshopper invasion has me wanting to run out and buy some more birdshot…just to be safe.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! I can’t imagine how awful a grasshopper invasion would be!

[@deborahross9974]

Home sure looked like a real nice small town. I didn't even know these towns ever existed. Boy howdy, hit by two tornadoes in one day I bet that was scary as one would have been scary. Thank you for the trip, John. Happy trails to you and God bless.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Home was nice indeed and very crazy about Irving.

[@roberteshaw9520]

Hey Coach. Interesting look at some places that once were. Good to hear the story of the man from Bigelow..Home is looking peaceful Safe travels.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

No doubt! Thanks!

[@JoeDirt-sf8fu]

I was raised on a farm near Belleville KS so I really enjoy these videos.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you like them! Thanks!

[@brettkillin4099]

I live in Bigelow, Missouri which was named after the same railroad promoter. I had never heard of Bigelow in Kansas until seeing this video.

[@lostribe5130]

Sorry for putting this on a Kansas video. There is a defunct place near Ardmore Ok. Called Bywaters. It doesn't come up in search except as a company now. I can't find the link now but it was one I found following old west history. It's right outside Ardmore and the only thing nearby is a fire station. It was small to begin with, mainly a blacksmith shop. What I saw months ago said there might still be a couple fallen shacks in the trees. It is noted in history because Marshall Bass Reeves had a shootout there.

[@jamesbednar8625]

Interesting!!

[@aliceevans3357]

You knew the longer you roamed that you would find Home! 😉 Nice area. Beautiful day for exploring. Stay safe and GOD bless

[@Partzman23]

Hey John, thanks for sharing another great video of Kansas. I enjoy watching these types of videos and you do a great job of capturing the history of each place. The drone footage really adds to the video. I would live at Home. 😀 Drive safe and God Bless

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much 😊

[@robchit1]

When I used to deliver cemetery memorials, I visited Barrett and Bigelow years ago and was fascinated by the area. The Missouri Pacific RR was moved a bit north on a ridge out of the flood plain when the towns were abandoned in 1960. Irving actually had two railroads, the UP was taken out as the lake was developed and the other was moved, then abandoned several years later. I'm sure the notebook I signed in Bigelow has been changed by now lol. I almost got stuck on a former muddy street by a quarry

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

It’s so interesting to think how the railroad went through there before and now there’s nothing.

[@kordmeyering3925]

I live in home Kansas 1 block from the sign in your thumbnail. I love it so much and wouldn’t change it for anything!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome 😎

[@allenantonio4389]

😎😎😎😎😎..Nice trip..Like the pioneer history

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks 👍 fun day trip!

[@philipcollins5440]

Congrats on going over 30,000. I do enjoy your small towns 😅

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! Thank you vey much!

[@williammatzek4660]

John their is a non maintained road in this area that looks like the one you showed , two wheel tracks. My mother called that road the cow path!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Nice 😊

[@faithgibbs4913]

Great video. Poor Irving. That place really had some bad luck. I really liked seeing all the markers in the different places. Thanks again. Take care.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you enjoyed it! I’m glad they have the markers too. Wish more ghost towns did that!

[@asimplehorseman4648]

I used to have a sign at the gate that read "Welcome To Home". I've watched A LOT of your videos and I still can't get over how flat the central USA Inc is. Love the history lessons in each video. Thanks for sharing.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Sounds like you should live in Marshall County 😂

[@brentnearhood8874]

Thanks! 👠

[@papabear562]

Another great video. It was good to see that a couple of those towns had markers indicating where they once were. It's sad when you find the location of a ghost town but there's nothing to indicate it was ever there. So that's cool. Home looks nice and peaceful, a nice place to call "home." 🤣 Sorry, couldn't resist. Good to see you survived Alaska. Looking forward to the next Marshall County video and hopefully some from your trip up north. Thanks again Coach!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! This was the last Marshall County video for a while as we’ll start Alaska Thursday 😊

[@papabear562]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy That's cool. I'm anxious to see all things Alaska in the coming videos!

[@robertodebeers2551]

This looks like really nice country. Bugs, yes, but lots of timber and probably some big white tail bucks.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yes other than the bugs in Bigelow it was great 😊

[@chriswilson9230]

I am hooked on your videos. I travel vicariously through…lol. My wife and I are traveling to southern Alabama just before Christmas. I thought about doing a video, but I think I’ll probably take a lot of photos throughout the trip, especially fire stations. Keep up the good work. I love the traveling.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much! Alabama definitely has some interesting places down there! Have fun!

[@topekasub]

My Grandfather had a doctor’s office there as one of his first practices.

[@crystalynkoch1806]

Glad you found the restaurant. I was going to see if you found Little Haps. Miss living there actually. We used to walk to the graveyard all the time and look at all the old grave stones. We didnt live far from the graveyard.

[@pamlaenger6870]

COOL OREGON TRAIL MARKER!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I agree - cool to find that!

[@lindafreeman1687]

Interesting about the grasshopper invasion. My father used to tell about a grasshopper invasion that they were so bad that they ate the handles from the pitchforks. But, that would have been later since he was born in 1918. I don't know how old he would have been when the grasshoppers were that bad but I'm guessing right after he returned from WWII and farming around Abbyville, KS. He quit school and joined the Army, when he was 17 years old, because of the war. It also could have been when he was a teenager living on a farm near Partridge, KS. Home looks like a very neat and well kept town.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow that's crazy to think about!

[@Hobotraveler82]

Been through Home Ks alot when i lived in Horton Ks. It was an interesting town. Actually the first time passing through I was on a family trip. Then as an adult on my many trips out to western Kansas. Great video. 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks! Glad I visited as well!

[@robertwynn5844]

Love the Monowi T-Shirt.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Population 1 😊

[@taylorkesl2694]

Great video!! Barrett was my 700th town documented. Got Bigelow and Irving off my list the same day. Happy you got a burger at Lil Haps. Good place to eat!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow that’s a heckuva list of towns you have!

[@taylorkesl2694]

Yes, I am now 20 towns away from 1,600.​@@TravelwithaWiseguy

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

@@taylorkesl2694 Wow that's great!

[@jamesbednar8625]

Awesome video!! Have visited the ghost town sites numerous times - always liked the Bigelow spot the best. Home, KS - I always refuel at the Sinclair gas station whenever in that area. South of Marysville, KS, is the ghost town of SCHROYER (featured in the beginning of this video at the Blue Rapids Museum). Nothing in Schroyer to see but a sign at an intersection with the town name. Also, the town cemetery is just north of that intersection and is supposedly H-A-U-N-T-E-D!!!! Supposed to be one of the top 10 haunted cemeteries in Kansas for whatever reason. Is on private property and my found out during my last visit to location about 6-years ago that the property owners do not allow visitors unless you can prove you have relatives buried there. Nothing says an overflight by a drone is not allowed.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I read about Schroyer but didn’t have time to put it in the video this day. But hopefully I make it back to Marshall County to explore more someday!

[@GailWoodyard-ov5lw]

The founder of Schroyer was a Civil War and Andersonville POW camp survivor.

[@curlyfries5095]

The name was actually supposed to be Shroyer, but a painter added a “C” to the name and the railroad refused to change it! And I believe the cemetery is across the river on what is locally called Shroyer Hill. The bridge is now gone so have to take the long way around thru Marysville.

[@justnerdystuff]

So. Are you going to visit this place during the holidays? Because you know, 🎶There's no place like Home for the Holidays" 🥸🤓

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha I’m sure it’s a great place for that time of year 😊

[@steveharry8762]

My grandfather was a banker in Home City. My dad farmed 1/2 mile east of town.

[@curlyfries5095]

Heya Hairball!

[@curlyfries5095]

Excellent informative video Coach! Glad you got to return for another trip through Marshall County. Learned a few new things about my home county. Safe travels!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! I did this right after visiting Blue Rapids so it was fresh in my mind!

[@SusanHL]

Fascinating history in Irving, the word that leaps to my mind is tenacity - they gave it a go for about a hundred years. Stories like this are one of the many reasons I admire what you do here - it's valuable information disseminated in a visually appealing way that captures imagination, and so the history doesn't die (I think that's important). Grateful for the sunshine and fresh air that is your channel! 🌞

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yes they hung in there as long as they could and I imagine they’d still be there if not for the lake. Thank you for the kind words as always!!

[@senzanome8294]

Great trip. I think that we are going to see more ghost towns as people move larger towns.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you!

[@darthjason7019]

I grew up and went to high-school in Kanas . A town called Smallville. If you heard of it . Thats where im from.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I haven’t heard of it except for in Superman 😊

[@raygalles2517]

Your videos should be utilized in public school Kansas history classes.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Aww so nice of you to say 😊

[@larryclark4791]

So very interesting, thank you.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@UMtiger311]

not much google street view there.. thanks for the ground view and drone views!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks! Yeah some of them are pretty “out there” 😊

[@Siggi-Bean]

That's pretty country😍

[@user-gc2op6mc7y]

Great video brother 🎉

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you 😊

[@davewinter2688]

Another great educational and entertaining video. The scene in Irving looks much cleaner than I remember as I commented in the previous video in Blue Rapids. When I was last there before September of 1980 the mailbox which I referred to was not built into the stone holder but rather mounted on a post next to the memorial style stone monument. It looks like someone has spent a lot of time cleaning up the area to make that spot look like a park. I’m sure that Irving would have been inundated by the flood of 1993. If I’m wrong about that maybe some local folks can correct me. This all gives me an idea to suggest to you an idea for a future video or series of videos about the towns that were ended by the Tuttle Creek Reservoir project. A Rand McNally Road Atlas I have dated 1944 shows ten towns starting on the northeast side of Manhattan and following the general line of the reservoir from Manhattan to Blue Rapids: Casement, Rocky Ford, Stockdale, Garrison, Randolph, Olsburg, Mariahdahl, Cleburne, Alley, Irving and Florena which was located straight north of Irving and southest of Blue Rapids.Folks in and around Manhattan will be familiar with Casement Road which goes through the Rocky Ford area just southeast of Tuttle Creek dam. When we lived in Manhattan I had no idea there was ever a town of Casement but often drove through the area referred to as Rocky Ford on Casement Road but was mostly a mobile home park. On the north end of the reservoir the atlas shows Alley southeast of Blue Rapids before you get to Irving. Garrison was actually shown as two separate towns with their own separate circles on the map directly across from each other separated by the Big Blue River with then Kansas highway 13 going through generally in south to north direction. In the1957 Rand McNally atlas, Casement, Alley and Florena are no longer shown. Casement was probably annexed with the growth of Manhattan. Interestingly a lot of these towns are still shown on the DeLorme atlas although most of those original town sites are absolutely not accessible. DeLorme also appears to show the road going east out of Irving and crossing the river. I remember the old bridge abuttments but I’m sure the bridge is long gone. Actually there was another town but it was gone before the reservoir project was started. The man who gave the land and founded Mariadahl also started Bellegard just across a ridge from Mariadahl at the same time. It had its own post office, school and a large children’s home. I’m not sure but I think that became the Mariadahl orphanage which was closed when the reservoir came. It’s services are continued today by a Lutheran children’s services (not sure about the correct name) organization in Manhattan Randolph was the only town that was relocated by the Corps of Engineers during the reservoir project but twelve cemeteries were moved. Some smaller family cemeteries were combined with others at the new locations. The Mariadahl cemetery is located on the west edge of Olsburg directly north of the Olsburg cemetery. The steeple from the Mariadahl church is located in the cemetery along with a monument to the orphanage. I know this is a long “comment” but I hope it gives you some Ideas. I know you can’t directly visit most of these original town sites but you can drive through the area and give folks who will probably never have the opportunity to see the area. All of the cemeteries can be found. They are the collective memorials to the people who settled the Blue River Valley. You can see Randolph on new U.S. Highway 77. Olsburg’s elevation was high enough so that it was not threatened by the reservoir. In the area south and west of Blue Rapids and Waterville there are several interesting places in Marshall, Riley and Clay counties. Winkler, May Day, Bodaville, Fact and Walsburg come to mind at the moment. If you look closely on your DeLorme atlas you will see Bellegard road in the Mariadahl area. A few miles south of Randolph is LK&W road. The Leavenworth, Kansas and Western was a narrow gauge railroad that ran from Leavenworth through the middle of Kansas to at least Leonardville. As you drive across the county road that runs west from U.S. Highway 77 to Leonardville, if you watch carefully you can see the remaining grade for that railroad. I once found a remaining stone culvert that was marked LK&W. The last time I was in Leonardville there was a blacksmith shop in the building that was the original LK&W depot. You could still see the insulators where the telegraph lines came into the building. Again I hope this will give you some ideas for future videos with history mixed in. Thanks. Dave

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks Dave - great comment and thanks for the ideas! Hopefully I can do a more thorough exploration of the area someday like I have with other Kansas counties. That's my goal at least - so many interesting stories to tell out there!

[@bertholini2810]

Nice video. Tell us about Alaska. My friends across the street went ( to Alasks) and they flew into the state and got stuck in there. They sent photos and they looked really bad (seriously they did). They just had a blast (10 day vacation) up there. They did make it back though.... anyway, be good, be safe !!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Alaska videos begin Thursday - fortunately I didn’t have the issues your friends did!

[@sandiewilliams238]

Coach, if the spirit of the Sioux looked upon you, I wonder if they would see friend or foe...something tells me they would see a friend. 🙏🏽

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I would hope so 😊♥️

[@londategethoff9413]

Know these places well

[@imanutnur7]

Keep it up I sure enjoy your ventures. Come over to Missouri Ozarks on 60 Highway near Mountain View.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for the invite!

[@tallboy2234]

Great video! 😀👍

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! 👍

[@RonaldDailey-z8b]

Not many riuns this time. Will catch you on the flip side.

[@robchit1]

The streets can be traced in Irving and Bigelow but most are not drivable

[@RustyHinge]

In the 1980s, packs of wild dogs roamed around Irving and Bigelow. I don't know that anyone got hurt, but did hear of close encounters, as well as hunters picking them off. I'm disappointed I grew up in Marshall County and never remember hearing of Barrett. Interesting. The Tuttle Creek Reservoir was originally supposed to extend up into Blue Rapids, but was later decided not to extend that far north. Unfortunately, Irving, Bigelow and Cleburne (Riley County) had already been wiped out. I'm curious why you label these as ghost towns, which typically have remaining structures but no inhabitants. Shroyer would have been another good one to cover in Marshall County. It was near where the Oregon Trail crossed the Big Blue River, by Alcove Spring.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow that’s crazy - wild dogs!

[@jeffstaxi1]

Great video. You usually find a cemetery in most ghost towns you visit but not in Irving or Bigelow. Any thoughts why? Thanks for all your hard work producing these videos for us all to enjoy.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I think there was one a couple miles north of Bigelow, but maybe because of the lake they were moved? Thank you!

[@robchit1]

Antioch Cemetery is just north of Bigelow and is well kept and used

[@lobogary6990]

Great video thanks

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

You bet!

[@empressvogt]

I love Barrett. Too bad the buildings were on private property. I personally would have loved to explore that stuff. I wonder if it was all moved there.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Me too - fortunately I had the drone 😊

[@chrisheinen9628]

My home town’s original name was Grasshopper Falls. But after its grasshopper invasion, they changed the name.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

What did they change it to?

[@chrisheinen9628]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy Valley Falls

[@philwhite5815]

Home is where my oldest sister lives.

[@philwhite5815]

Her husband past away last week and after 47 years of her living there she is moving to Paola Kansas

[@GailWoodyard-ov5lw]

Some dark history regarding Home, KS: in 1896 a lady named Hannah Hildebrand killed herself and seven of her children by giving them poison. One child survived (Charlie) and alerted their neighbors. The husband was away in Kansas City for cancer treatment at the time and died a year after the murder/suicide from his cancer. Charlie, the lone survivor of the family, died in a train accident in Wyoming, ten years after the murder/suicide. The entire family is buried in the Home City cemetery, north of town off 16th road. I have never been able to pin the exact location down that the family lived, but I think it was just west of town along US 36. This is the 24th worst famlicide in history according to Wikipedia.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Wow I had no idea 😮

[@lostribe5130]

Poor Irving.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😔

[@juliogonzales5441]

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME...KANSAS 😅

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@daryllinkugel3804]

I work for the Elevator in Home City and that's what we have called it for as long as I can remember, you didn't list Haul, KS. It was washed away years ago by a flood. Why is Home City a ghost town?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Ghost town has a lot of descriptions. One is that it’s a small fraction of what it used to be. Home would be that - and it’s gone from a town to being unincorporated as well.

[@rossbryan6102]

I HVE WANDERED THE AREA A BIT, AND ALSO DELIVERED AN HIGHRAIL TRUCK TO THE GYPSUM QUARRY BETWEEN BLUE RAPIDS AND MARYSVILLE KS! HOW GOES THE ALASKA TRIP??

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I’m back and beginning to edit Alaska. It was a great trip!

[@rossbryan6102]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy 👀👀👀👀👀WATCHING FOR SURE!!!

[@stanleybest8833]

These ghost town videos make me wonder if land is affordable, but the answer is blank. You don't ask a realtor, because they blatantly overprice vacant land. The same for the owner finance websites.

[@denisem.1042]

As a map geek, who loves to find the locations you visit on Google Maps, I was disappointed to not see your traced routes on your atlas as you usually do. I hope that hasn't gone away forever. The big red Xs were much harder to try to find.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I was in Alaska when editing this video, so I didn't have access to my normal stuff. But you can find the exact locations on my Google map: www.travelwithawiseguy.com/maps

[@tinman7130]

I guess this only proves false that old saying you can never go home again.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂