Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Bazaar was actually located on two different sites. The first one was a half-mile west of the present location and situated on an old trail that ran south from Cottonwood Falls, seven miles distant. It was also a short distance north of where the trail crossed Rock Creek, an important fording place.
Chase county was organized in 1859 and by this time Bazaar had developed into a small town with about six homes. Some of the town’s early businesses included William Metcalf’s blacksmith shop, Dr. McKinley’s drug store, and Strehle’s general store. The town retained the name of Bazaar until July 20, 1876, when the name was changed to Mary in honor of Mary Walton Leonard, M.R.’s second wife. William Metcalf was then postmaster of Bazaar. This change lasted until March 19, 1878, when the name was changed back to Bazaar. When the Santa Fe railroad progressed to the area in 1887, the town was moved to its present site, and in 1889, the original town site was officially vacated by the State Legislature. The arrival of the railroad increased the town’s role in the vicinity. Now local cattlemen could use Bazaar to ship their cattle to market instead of Cottonwood Falls or Matfield Green. For many years Bazaar was the southern term of this branch of the Santa Fe that ran to Strong City, used specific for cattle shipping. Some early businesses at the new town site include Tom Sharp’s store, William Bigelow’s store, and the Joseph Harrison grocery store. John McCabe had a blacksmith shop and F.M. Gaddie kept a boarding house where meals were served to cattlemen and travelers, By 1910 the population was 75, perhaps the highest it ever became, and the town consisted of two retail stores, a telephone exchange, a garage, and a lumber yard. A school building was built about a mile north of town, now on Highway 177. After the school was consolidated with Cottonwood Falls, the majestic old building served as a community center. A United Methodist church was also built and is still used. Bazaar remained a major cattle shipping point until the highways and the trucks took away much of the railroad business. Some cattle, how.. ever, have been shipped from here recently.
Today about 50 people live on and around Bazaar though its main attraction is the scenic Flint Hills .
Chase county was organized in 1859 and by this time Bazaar had developed into a small town with about six homes. Some of the town’s early businesses included William Metcalf’s blacksmith shop, Dr. McKinley’s drug store, and Strehle’s general store. The town retained the name of Bazaar until July 20, 1876, when the name was changed to Mary in honor of Mary Walton Leonard, M.R.’s second wife. William Metcalf was then postmaster of Bazaar. This change lasted until March 19, 1878, when the name was changed back to Bazaar. When the Santa Fe railroad progressed to the area in 1887, the town was moved to its present site, and in 1889, the original town site was officially vacated by the State Legislature. The arrival of the railroad increased the town’s role in the vicinity. Now local cattlemen could use Bazaar to ship their cattle to market instead of Cottonwood Falls or Matfield Green. For many years Bazaar was the southern term of this branch of the Santa Fe that ran to Strong City, used specific for cattle shipping. Some early businesses at the new town site include Tom Sharp’s store, William Bigelow’s store, and the Joseph Harrison grocery store. John McCabe had a blacksmith shop and F.M. Gaddie kept a boarding house where meals were served to cattlemen and travelers, By 1910 the population was 75, perhaps the highest it ever became, and the town consisted of two retail stores, a telephone exchange, a garage, and a lumber yard. A school building was built about a mile north of town, now on Highway 177. After the school was consolidated with Cottonwood Falls, the majestic old building served as a community center. A United Methodist church was also built and is still used. Bazaar remained a major cattle shipping point until the highways and the trucks took away much of the railroad business. Some cattle, how.. ever, have been shipped from here recently.
Today about 50 people live on and around Bazaar though its main attraction is the scenic Flint Hills .
