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| Not Just For Kids |
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| Not Just For Kids |
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STUDENT'S PAGE
Each year the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce receives a number of requests from students throughout the United States for information on our community suitable for a school report. Below are some historical tidbits plus links to other pages on coffeyville.com where you can find additional information for your report or project. The Osage Indians were the first settlers in this area. As early as 1803, Chief Black Dog and his band of Osage Indians made a trail through Coffeyville. Chief Black Dog was 7 feet tall, weighed 300 pounds and was blind in his left eye. During the Civil War in the 1860's, many Osage Indians camped in the Verdigris Valley area west of the Verdigris River. They had to cross the river to trade with the white men. Soon the white man began to settle in this area with many of them settling on the east side of the Verdigris River in a settlement established by James Parker. James A. Coffey traveled from Humboldt specifically to trade with the Osage and set up a trading post - on what is now known as South Walnut - on the west side of the River. The Indians deciding it was easier not to have to cross the River began trading with Coffey and soon his trading center became a thriving town. Thus, Coffeyville was founded in 1869 and named for James A. Coffey. The area between 13th and 15th Streets on Walnut became a hub of activity because of the Indian trading. There was also some farming done in the area along with cattle grazing and herding. At this same time the Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railroad selected Coffeyville to be a terminal city because of all the grain trading and cattle shipping that could be done. This was set up north of Coffey's trading center. There were now two Coffeyville's - the old Coffeyville on South Walnut (Old Town) and the railroad addition. The first school was conducted in 1869 in Colonel Coffey's house and taught by his daughter, Mary. The first public tax supported school began in 1870 in a building on Walnut. Also in 1869, the Methodist Church began in a building at Tenth and Elm Street which is the present site of the church. Many small towns sprung up around Coffeyville, and the trading competition was intense. In 1871, a wrought iron bridge was completed across the Verdigris River at Parker. This made it a lot easier for people to travel back and forth. Coffeyville became a third class city upon approval of the State legislature on February 26, 1872. Oil was first discovered in 1881 by a man digging a water well on West Ninth Street. Farmers plowing their fields also reported an oily substance oozing out of the ground. Coffeyville became an important grain station. By 1890, Coffeyville citizens were becoming aware of their natural resources: fertile soils, sufficient water to supply many factories, large deposits of shale suitable for brick and tile plants, and large quantities of limestone and building stone. Many factories were begun at this time including glass and brick plants. Coffeyville was the first community in Kansas to discover and develop gas, a valuable fuel. A charter was granted to the First National Bank of Coffeyville on March 17, 1885. The bank remained in the same building at 809 Union and it was this bank and the Condon Bank that the Dalton Gang rode into town in 1892 to rob. Coffeyville continued to grow in the late 1890's and early 1900's. The Coffeyville Commercial Club promoted Coffeyville by advertising the community as having a good geographical location, excellent shipping and a mild climate. They were able to attract many businesses and factories. At the time Coffeyville had a fire station, electric light plant, six newspapers, seven schools, 4 brick plants, 10 glass companies, a roofing tile plant, six lumber yards and an overall and clothing factory. The Interurban Line was begun which connected Coffeyville to Nowata, Independence and Parsons. There were three railroads operating out of Coffeyville - the Missouri Pacific, Katy and the Santa Fe. When Coffeyville's four brick factories were operating to capacity some 765,500 bricks were made every day. Today these bricks can be seen literally throughout the world and have become a collector's item to many. In the 1900's bricks were in great demand for sidewalk and street paving. Also, many railroads used bricks for their passenger platforms. Each factory would imprint their brick with a company name or a special design. One of the best known Coffeyville bricks is the yoke brick made by the Yoke Vitrified Brick Company. Another popular brick is the "Don't Spit on Sidewalk" brick. According to Montgomery County Historian Ivan Pfalser, this brick kicked off a health campaign that eventually swept the country. Dr. Samuel Crumbine of the Kansas State Board of Health badgered the state legislature into passing several laws in relation to public health and food sanitation to public health and food sanitation inspection practices. This caused much concern with manufacturers within and outside the state. Although Crumbine had few facts to back him up, he knew that tuberculosis carriers could transmit the disease to others through contact. he centered his campaign around the public drinking cup, roller towels and sidewalk spitting, thus the wording on the bricks. Norman and Betty Roller, who reside on Route 2 east of Coffeyville, have a great collection of bricks on display. The Rollers are very knowledgeable about bricks and belong to the International Brick Collectors Association. Contact the Rollers at 620-251-2647 or e-mail tweetybj@netscape.com; they are always happy to show their collection. Click here for a webpage of information about Kansas bricks.
Wendell Wilkie, who was defeated by Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 Presidential election, taught school here. Walter "Big Train" Johnson, former Washington Senators pitcher and one of the first inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame, lived in Coffeyville during the off season. Reb Russell, early western movie star, called Coffeyville home. Johnny Rutherford, race car driver and winner of the Indianapolis 500, was born here. Gary Busey, movie and television actor, attended Coffeyville Community College as did Buster Douglass, former heavyweight boxing champion. The first frozen carbonated drink machine - the Icee Machine - was invented in Coffeyville by Omar Knedlik. Funk airplanes were designed by Joe and Howard Funk and manufactured in Coffeyville. The Funk Fly-In is held annually with many of the Funk owners flying into Coffeyville. Dixon ZTR - zero turning radius - lawnmowers are manufactured in the Coffeyville Industrial Park. The record has been broken. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a hailstone fell in Aurora, Nebraska, on June 22, 2003, which had a diameter of 7 inches and circumference of 18.75 inches. This hailstone, however, only weighed 1.3 pounds. Early on the evening of September 3, 1970, the heaviest hailstone on record fell in Coffeyville. The hailstone measured 17.5 inches in circumference, weighed 1.67 pounds and scientists estimated that it struck the ground at the speed of 105 MPH. The stone was sent to the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and a replica is on display at the Dalton Defenders Museum. Click on picture below for a larger view.
Kansas became the 34th state in the Union on January 29, 1861. Topeka is the state capital. The state legislature convenes each January for approximately 90 days. There are 40 state senators and 125 state legislators. Kansas has 105 counties and 627 incorporated cities. The state population as of the 2000 census was 2,688,418. Commerce and industry in Kansas is varied, but is dominated by the aircraft industry and agriculture-related enterprises along with education. State Symbols *A local student, Jeff Woods, was instrumental in
getting the honey bee named as the state Highest point in Kansas - Mount Sunflower in western
Kansas - 4,039 feet More Coffeyville information can be found on the demographics, history and tourism pages. |
information@coffeyville.com