Cherokee, KS, Afton Subdivision, MP 135.9, Parsons Subdivision, MP 145.6

This 1906 map locates the roundhouse, turntable and stock pens.

The roundhouse and turntable are in the northwest quadrant of the diamond crossing, north of the depot. The roundhouse and turntable are west of the Afton Subdivision, north of the Parsons Subdivision.

The stock pens are in the northeast quadrant of the diamond crossing, just southeast of the roundhouse and turntable. The stock pens are on the east side of the Afton Subdivision, north of the Parsons Subdivision.

Map from the Kansas Historical Society.

Source: kansasmemory.org

 

The 1885 Sanborn map shows the Kansas City , Ft. Scott and Gulf (KCFS&G) office and the original passenger depot.

I am curious if this original passenger depot became a freight depot, as it is near the location of one shown in later maps.

Source: https://digital.lib.ku.edu/ku-sanborn/745



Later Map

Source: https://digital.lib.ku.edu/ku-sanborn/751

 

Some weekend research tracking the construction of the Cherokee depot (KCFS&G, SLSF) from the Cherokee Sentinel newspaper.

An excellent digital archive of the Cherokee Sentinel newspaper is available through the Kansas Historical Open Archive. It is text searchable by page.

While the station blueprint book on this site states that the depot was built by the KCFS&M in 1888, it was well into 1889 before completion.

The depot is often referred to by the folks of Cherokee, KS as the "Memphis Depot".

06 JUL 1888



20 JUL 1888



03 AUG 1888



05 OCT 1888



26 OCT 1888



02 NOV 1888



21 DEC 1888



28 DEC 1888 - Referencing Columbus depot?



To be continued....

 

15 FEB 1889



01 MAR 1889



08 MAR 1889



22 MAR 1889



29 MAR 1889



05 APR 1889



12 APR 1889



19 APR 1889





26 APR 1889



to be continued...

 

03 MAY 1889



24 MAY 1889



14 JUN 1889



21 JUN 1889



28 JUN 1889



To be continued....

 

19 JUL 1889





26 JUL 1889





02 AUG 1889







09 AUG 1889



16 AUG 1889



To be continued....

 

30 AUG 1889



06 SEP 1889







13 SEP 1889







27 SEP 1889



To be continued...

 

27 SEP 1889



04 OCT 1889



18 OCT 1889



01 NOV 1889



08 NOV 1889



That is about it, other than news of people arriving and departing from the new depot.

 

Earliest Frisco Schedule at Cherokee, KS effective 25 AUG 1901

Schedule clipping from the Cherokee Sentinel newspaper.

 

Incredible finds Bob.

The biggest thing that caught my eye was the report in July 1889 that the Santa Fe would be running through town within 90 days "for sure".

As far as I can tell, that never happened. According to the map I am looking at, the Santa Fe extended its branch from Chanute, KS to Girard, KS on over to Frontenac, KS in 1887.

It does not give a date when it was extended on down to Pittsburg, KS and out to Chicopee, KS but I would assume around the same time.

This would make me think they wanted to extend further back west through Cherokee to somewhere?

Maybe down to West Mineral, KS and Oswego, KS to pick up some more business in coal country?

Might need to take a deeper dive on this at some point.

 

Thanks Ethan, the part I really enjoyed were the insults back and forth between the communities of Columbus, KS and Cherokee, KS.

-Bob T.

 

Cherokee, KS depot.

Another later photograph of the depot at Cherokee, KS. It lost the turret at some point and now has a much steeper roof pitch.

View looking southwest.

 

Cherokee, KS depot.

The eastbound, railroad north, train is stopped taking water on the parsons Subdivision.

View looking west.