Society windows honor Rev. King; show Lincoln raising 34-star flag

by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

A mega portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr., famed civil rights leader, dominates a window of the Valley Falls Historical Society Museum. Small military service flags and miniature American flags honor the memory of the slain activist and author of the renowned "I Have A Dream" phrase.

The museum's companion window display celebrates the entry of Kansas Territory into statehood with a colorful mural of sunflowers with "Happy Birthday" greetings and a painting of the Kansas state seal. Also featured is a silhouette drawing of Abraham Lincoln coupled with a Kansas magazine cover featuring Mr. Lincoln at the nation's Constitution Hall Jan. 29, 1861. In it, the President is raising the United States flag with its new 34th star, which adds historical significance in honoring the State of Kansas.

The historical society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.

Sign recognizes Pioneer Cemetery at Valley Falls

by Clarke Davis, The Valley Falls Vindicator

A community project came to fruition Saturday morning when a sign was erected to denote the location of the Pioneer Cemetery at Valley Falls.

Volunteers work to install a new sign at the entrance to the Pioneer Cemetery at Valley Falls. Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Cooperative dug the post holes and erected the sign posts. Photos by Clarke Davis

Joe Heinen, assistant manager of the Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Cooperative, credited Maxine Hefty for being the inspiration behind acquiring the sign.

"We need a sign for that cemetery," Hefty kept reminding people who had been busy in recent years clearing, cleaning, and mowing the cemetery, which had been abandoned.

The Knights of Columbus had adopted the project for a time and many individuals and groups joined them in the restoration.

The tombstones were broken and scattered and small trees and brush had taken over the hilltop. Workers gathered up the stones, leveled the area, and made it possible to be mowed again.

Some of the individuals cited who had gone to extra effort on the project in recent years included Ted Montgomery, Earl Stevens, Bill Klenklen, and the late Tom Abramovitz. Large number of high school students joined the Knights on occasion to provide extra manpower.

Former county commissioner Francis Grollmes located some county funds dedicated to cemeteries that is now helping with the upkeep.

Heinen explained that the Knights were being paid to keep it mowed, but told the Delaware Township board to use the money recently to purchase the sign.

The sign was made by Pat and Vicki Langton, Perry.

The graveyard was first called the "Cemetery of the Lone Tree" according to research done a couple of years ago by Joe Kearns.

Township treasurer Maxine Hefty

According to Kearns' research, on file with the Valley Falls Historical Society, the first death in the new settlement was a 16-year-old son of George S. Hillyer, one of the earliest settlers. This along with the death of a young man named Scanlan in the spring of 1855 caused this area to be used for the burials.

The cemetery was given formal status in 1867 when James Frazier deeded a seven-acre parcel to the township. It took its named from a lone tree that stood atop the hill.

The cemetery was abandoned within two decades of its founding when the community established Rose Hill Cemetery. Some of the earlier graves were relocated. The named changed to Pioneer Cemetery in 1875.

Workers from electric cooperative dug the holes and set the sign posts as part of a community service project. Several volunteers showed up Saturday to drill the holes and mount the sign.

In dedicating the project to Maxine Hefty, Heinen noted that it also marked her retirement from the township board after 15 years as its treasurer. She will be followed by Lee Welborn.

The cemetery is located on the west edge of Valley Falls just off K-16 highway.

Read more…

1855-56: mill construction, Free State victory, and a hard winter

Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

Soon after the town site for Grasshopper (Valley) Falls was laid out and plans for the saw and grist mill building were begun, the town was surveyed by Isaac Cody in the spring of 1855. The town was officially named Grasshopper Falls. Andrew J. Whitney, one of the founders, was named postmaster on Dec. 21, 1855.

The original cabins of the settlers were not built on the town site. The first building on the town site was built by Adam T. Pattie, a pro-slavery man from Leavenworth, who located here in August of 1855, and built a frame building on the corner of Sycamore and Sarah streets. The building was used for a store and saloon.

On January 29, 1856, Adam T. Pattie was appointed postmaster of Grasshopper Falls. Pattie talked pro-slavery sentiments from his saloon and acted the spy on Free State men, sold whiskey, and made money. The Free State men organized a company for offensive and defensive warfare and, under the leadership of one Clark from Iowa, one night made a raid on Pattie's establishment, confiscating everything. Pattie left without ceremony and never returned.

The winter of 1855-56 was one of the most severe winters ever remembered by early settlers. It was bitter and cheerless. Early in December, a deep snow fell, which lay all winter. For six long weeks the sun was powerless to melt ice and snow. In the words of Miss Ring, pioneer school teacher, "The hardships and privations endured by the energetic and unflinching pioneers can never be known or experienced by emigrants now coming to Kansas for homes."

The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7. 

Some early settlers of Valley Falls

- by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

In February 1855, following the December 1854 discovery and founding of Grasshopper Falls, Mrs. Caroline Jolley, wife of H.B. Jolley, one of the founders, arrived. She was the first white woman in the township as well as the town.

On March 16, 1855, Stephen H. Dunn, a blacksmith, accompanied by his wife and children come to the township. Sarah Dunn was the second white woman in the new town and lived there with her husband until her death a few years later.

Since Mrs. Jolley remained only a short time, Mrs. Dunn may be said to be the first pioneer woman. In April 1855, a company was organized to build a saw and grist mill. The mill was erected by James Frazier, Robert Riddle, Isaac Cody, and A.J. Whitney.

J.M. Piazzek worked for these men and in 1860 he became interested in buying the mill and making it into a grist mill as well as a sawmill.

Isaac Cody was never a resident of Grasshopper (Valley) Falls; however, he was elected to the Legislature.

These brief historical facts of the founding of Valley Falls and history of the founders gleaned from the historical society files may be verified and expanded from the Kansas History quarterlies and countless books of authority housed at the Valley Falls Museum.

The museum is open Saturdays at 10 a.m. and other times with advance arrangements.

Founding of Valley Falls

— Researched by the late historian Arthur Strawn
"Ten foot falls!" yelled pioneer James Frazier. His three companions came running and in a minute Grasshopper Falls was discovered. Traditionally, the story is repeated in December as "A Happy Birthday Grasshopper Falls (Valley Falls)" greeting.
Christmas Day, 1854
THE VALLEY FALLS VINDICATOR, Dec. 26, 1963
On the morning of Saturday, December 23, 1854, four men — James Frazier, Robert Riddle, Andrew J. Whitney, and Hozea B. Jolly — set out on foot from their camp on the west side of the Grasshopper River (Delaware). After traveling north about three or four miles, they crossed the present site of Valley Falls, at the corner of Sycamore and Sarah streets. A short distance farther up, they crossed the Grasshopper River and wandered up to about the mouth of Coal Creek before they started their return trip. A short distance above the present town site, at the mouth of Cedar Creek, they found an Indian village and tried to make them understand that the object of their search was a waterfall for a mill site, but did not get any intelligible directions. Continuing their return trip, they reached the point where they had crossed the river. Here James Frazier wandered down a trail along the river hoping to find a fjord. While still in the hazel brush, he heard water running over the rocks, and yelled, "ten foot falls!" (really only about three feet high), at the top of his voice. The others came running and in a minute more, Grasshopper Falls (Valley Falls) was discovered. They returned to the high prairie and moved their camp up to this point on the 24th, and drove stakes for their claim on Monday, December 25th, Christmas Day, then commenced the erection of a cabin. Thus Christmas Day, which has so many meanings for everyone, has a very special meaning for the people of Valley Falls.
The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will be closed Saturday, Dec. 24, and open Saturday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Delaware Township Hall: still serving the community after 70 years

Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

The Wednesday, Dec. 11, 1940, issue of the Valley Falls Vindicator carried a front page sketch of a building identified as Delaware Township Hall.

"Work on the township hall started Monday morning (December 9) when about 40 *WPA  workers reported for duty. Much progress has been made on clearing away the debris in preparation for the actual construction work."

Read the explanation beneath the sketch. Little report on progress of construction of the building can be found until the following note in the Feb. 

19, 1941, issue of the Vindicator.
 

"Disposition and cleaning of the bricks has been completed at the site of the new township hall."

The next item of interest appeared in the Oct. 8, 1941, Vindicator, Quote:

"WPA crews are working rapidly to get the basement of the new township hall ready for the dance to be held the three nights of the Carnival (Corn Carnival October 15, 16, 17.)

"It will be in readiness. Ken Worsley's 10-piece orchestra from Topeka will play."

The December 10, 2011, Valley Falls Hometown Christmas schedule includes a 4-H soup supper at the Delaware Township Hall; community choir carol singing at Delaware Township Hall; Hometown Christmas prize drawing at Delaware Township Hall, (upstairs); and kids can decorate ornaments for a main street Christmas tree at Delaware Township Hall. Proof positive that 71 years since the ground breaking announcement, the Delaware Township Hall chalks up with pride more than 3 1/2 decades of service for all ages as city center for entertainment and civic and community activities.

The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will be open  at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. The museum will be closed Saturday, Dec. 24, and open Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

*Works Project Administration, a part of the New Deal to put unskilled men back to work part time who had suffered long-term unemployment.

Museum open for Hometown Christmas

The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will observe extended hours, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10, in observance of Valley Falls' Hometown Christmas celebration, Betty Jane Wilson, president, advises.

Photo albums with pictures of Valley Falls people, businesses, street scenes, etc. of yesteryear will be available for browsing and guided tours will be available.

The society is also sponsoring a contest of which visitors of all ages will be invited to guess the number of marbles in a jar on display.

The winning number will be awarded a prize during the drawings at the the Delaware Township Hall beginning at 6 p.m.

The museum will observe regular hours Saturday, Dec. 17, opening at 10 a.m. However, it will be closed Saturday, Dec. 24, and open Saturday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.