Lois Hammer from the Ellinwood Historical Society– a historian herself, spoke to the seniors after their potluck dinner on Sept. 28 at the Ellinwood Heritage Senior Center. She had put up the latest attractions with the idea of “what was it like here 250 years ago and then who were passed through our area those many years ago.” She talked about George Washington, who was first a surveyor, and reminded us that our area belonged to Spain 250 years ago, then France, and it was through the Louisiana Purchase from France when Kansas “got bought” in 1803 and became a state in 1861.

In 1776 it was prairie and bison roamed the land with a few frontiersmen roaming around. She talked about Kit Carson, Wild Bill Hickok, and Buffalo Bill Cody, who also all passed through our Ellinwood territory.

It has also been documented that Wild Bill Hickok visited the brewery. Cody killed over 5,000 buffalo. A newspaper documented that Carrie Nation shook her fist at the brewery while the train was stopped Ellinwood. In the 1929 era, gangsters like Pretty Boy Floyd “got” gas from a farmer east of town. Tim Holt, the movie star, was also here in 1954 and three of our Ellinwood people got to meet him. Kay Weber, whose father was a mortician here, also became famous singing with the Glenn Miller Band.

So, “Hey Folks – Ellinwood has had its share of famous people coming through. Who knows who will come along or who will leave our great town and go on to do great things? It’s our town and we’re proud to live here and call it home.”

By Marian DeWerff, club secretary.