Dunavant, 1889

From the Oskaloosa Independent, August 31, 1889

Ed. Independent: In the roundup your correspondent stopped over this week at the new town of Dunavant, six miles northwest of Oskaloosa, on the K.C., W. & N.W.

A little more than 12 months ago the first building was erected, and the village now has some 5 or 6 dwellings, two stores, a blacksmith shop, carpenter and wagon shop, a hotel and livery stable, and a lumber yard second to none.

This photograph shows an exterior view of businesses in Dunavant, Kansas.
The business on the left is identified as Becker Hardware Store, and the business
on the right is identified as a drug store. A small sign at the top of the post
on the right corner of the building appears to read "Doctor Cole," and appears to
have the traditional mortar and pestle pharmacy symbol on it.
Several men are visible standing in front of the businesses.

from Wikimedia Commons

Mr. W.I. McCrea, the lumber man, is wide awake and is selling lots of material; sold several bills to farmers who live close to other places, carries a large and well-selected stock of all kinds of lumber; shingles from $1.90 to $3.50 per M; all his various grades of lumber are of the highest standard and cheap.

Mr. G.W. Elson is a great rustler*. He keeps a general merchandise store, takes produce in exchange for goods, and also keeps a first-class place where the hungry can get fried chicken and mashed potatoes. He can furnish the weary with a good bed for the night; he can furnish a good team and buggy when you want to drive, and last but not least he dishes out the mail to all his fellow citizens. On the whole he is a first-class business man, and it is the wish of your correspondent that he may enjoy the trade of his community.

Mr. S.M. Gourley, the carpenter and contractor, is ready at all times to do your work on short notice, and in the best and neatest style, always busy and ever ready for a new job. I saw some of his work and it is certainly commendable.

Mr. F.M. James, the village blacksmith, was so busy that it was a matter of some concern to your correspondent to get him to spare a few moments long enough to subscribe to the Independent. This gentleman is doing a fair business, is very accommodating, does his work in workmanship manner. He, like all the other business men of this enterprising little city, carries an ad. in the Ind.

Train station: Pacific Express Co., Dunavant, Kansas

Mr. John P. Herries, the agent of the Northwestern, is always busy looking after the interest of his road. If you have any business to transact with the R.R. he stands ready to accommodate you.

I could not help but go out to Mr. L. Clark’s and see his fine lot of stable horses, which I say without fear of contradiction is one of the finest in the broad state of Kansas. Indeed, they are so handsome that I can not refrain from giving a limited description of them as follows: Young Jefferson is a pretty brown, five years old, and of the Norman and Highlander stock; Prince Napoleon, 6 years old, a beautiful dapple gray, is of the Norman and Morgan stock; Young Cain, 4 years old, dark iron gray, is of the Norman and Prophet stock; Cragie Lee is 5 years old, a blood bay, with Clydesdale and some other strain which I did not learn. The weights run from 1,600 to 1,900 lbs. each. A fuller description of these fine horses will be given by Mr. Clark through the Independent next spring in his advertisements.

Messrs. Lake Clark and J. Pence are soliciting means to erect a Methodist church at Dunavant, and have collected about $600, enough to insure the success of the enterprise. Work will begin in about ten days or two weeks.

*Secondary, colloquial meaning of “rustle:” “Hustle, move energetically.”

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1983.