The Kansas Lost Town Project, a research initiative of the Chapman Center for Rural Studies, is a digital archive of rural town and site studies conducted by undergraduate researchers at Kansas State University since 2010. Students working in selected research based classes may submit their town study for inclusion in the archive. Submissions are edited for accuracy and original content before being published to this site. We encourage you to make your own contribution to the site by telling us your small Kansas town memories. You can use the Contact Us tab to share a story, photo, or video from your personal collection that you would like to contribute. All contributions are subject to editing and verification by Center Staff. Planning for this project was supported by a grant from Mark Chapman and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Walsburg, Riley County
Swedish settlers founded Walsburg in 1866, naming it after nearby Walnut Creek. A small Swedish community grew there for decades. However, after the…
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Bradford, Wabaunsee County
Bradford, located in Section 23 of Wilmington Township, Wabaunsee County, Kansas, was a small community that tells a unique story of racial…
Fort Aubrey, Hamilton County
This study examines Fort Aubrey, a Civil War-era frontier post in Syracuse Township, Hamilton County, and the men who served there. The findings are…
Magic, Riley County
The lost community of Magic, located in Riley County, Kansas, was settled by immigrants from Germany in a process of chain migration. The community’s…
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Riley County
Riley county was one of the original 33 counties created by the Territorial Legislature on March 8, 1855. In 1852...