Hi Y'all!
I just finished reading the thread about the James Hamilton property, its rock walls and where it was located south of town. Lots of country roads, especially hilly ones, in that discussion, but I thought the following was too far off topic to include there, so here it is instead.
It may seem odd to you have lived in the area many years, but the country roads in Southeast Kansas are vastly different from those in Illinois and Indiana, where I lived most of my life. You see, if you're driving through the country there, sooner or later (usually 15-20 minutes) you come across a major highway, or at least a main road that leads you back into town (or another town). Not so with Elk County roads (and I'm sure other KS counties as well).
Terrell and I discovered this Saturday afternoon when we decided to see where Limestone Road (west of town) would lead us. Nearly two hours later, with a turn north on Road 7 and a turn back east on Rock Road, then north again on Road 15 then back east on a road we still don't know the name of ... we ended up back on 99. And not a moment too soon, either! Those muddy roads were treacherous and seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see. I don't envy the bus drivers or mail carriers in this part of the country, that's for sure! But, of course, no one in their right mind goes "country cruising" when the snow is melting, right? OK, so now you know who you're dealing with here....LOL
The biggest difference between there (IN/IL) and here, in my opinion, is this: the countryside in Elk County is so vast and lovely, so unspoiled, and so close to heaven it takes my breath away. Even as I wondered how we were going to get home on those muddy roads in the middle of Whoknowswhere, I was amazed at how beautiful the landscape is. Indiana and Illinois countrysides are tilled farm land and so barren this time of year, and the the farms seem to be clumped so closely together. Not here....here you will see an occasional house or barn, and maybe some farming equipment, but the majority of space is simply the golden hillsides, gentle valleys and winding waterways, expansive pastures dotted with cattle and crows.
I love it and wouldn't go back east if my life depended on it. I feel blessed to be able to call Elk County home.
As we all do, feel blessed, that is, about Elk County.
Elk County roads and Chautauqua County roads are the way they are due to hills, creeks, rivers, etc. Bridges were expensive, so not very many were built. Some Elk County roads are built around sections, but as you get closer to the Flint Hills on the west side and closer to the Chautauqua Hills on the east side, the counties had to make roads around hill and dale. It is not easy to get back to any highways while travelilng around the county roads as Kansas does not have many major highways, etc. If you are going to travel the back roads, please take a compass and a map. It's not that you will be lost for days like in Colorado, but it would just be helpful to know what is north south east and west.
Sounds like you were out in my old territory. We owned land on Rd. 9, I think it was, and a mile south of Rock Rd. My folks bought a farm 2 miles south of Rock on Rd. 9 and moved there in 1947. My brother now owns what they once owned. As well as I know the area, I wouldn't venture out on those roads when they are like this.
There is one road that I have always enjoyed coming into Elk county on. It is the road that goes straight east out of Latham. At the Elk County line, I think it is, the road turns south for a mile, then continues east. A couple of miles further east, you find yourself at the top of a very long hill. I think you can see all the way across Elk County from this hill. The trouble with this road is that east of this hill there is a small creek that gets up and roars during heavy rains and sometimes washes the bridge out so you never know if you are going to get across it or have to turn around. If you do get across, the first corner you come to, be sure to turn south as the road going north isn't much more than a trail and might even be closed now. It has been a long time since I have gone this route.
And for your own sake, do not travel that road in this kind of weather. Make sure it is spring time, summer time and day time. Have good tires on your vehicle, too.
I knew all about those roads 40-50 years ago, as I used to maintain them. All the roads north and west of Howard was the area that I maintained. The hill that was there by the Green Ranch is the one I think Wilma was talking about, as a person could see for miles looking to the east. That road went over to Latham in Butler County. I haven't been out that way in a long time, so I don't know what shape they're in today. ------Don
I haven't been that way since my husband became too sick to want to do much coming to Howard and he was too sick to take the ride. I won't try it by myself. I need a good, courageous driver with a lot of know how. A good vehicle with very good tires. Seems that any time we had tire trouble it would be on that road. We would take it coming over sometimes as it took us to the corner south of our property. Then sometimes we would take it going home as we could drive around the farm, then take off across country instead of going back to a highway.
Indygal: If you had stayed on Rock Rd. you would have come to Highway 99 at the Cresco Cemetery. Or if you had turned north on Rd. 10 you would have come to Piedmont and Highway 400. Am I right on that , Janet?
You folks are awesome! Somehow I knew you'd understand what I was talking about. Terrell is a great driver, but I know there were times even he was concerned about the road conditions, especially when we were traveling north on Road 7 (or it may have been 12...I can't really recall) that the road came up then dropped sharply down to a narrow "bridge" (if you want to call it that!) that was still snow covered the rose sharply up again on the other side, and that part of the road was very muddy. Terrell slowed the car, looked at me and said "Hold on, honey!" and he navigated across that bridge and up that slippery slope like a true master. I admit I gasped, as it looked like that bridge might collapse as soon as the car tires touched it. What an adventure that drive turned out to be!
Then, at one point, we both were astonished to see a pigeon standing in the middle of the road. (I wasn't aware pigeons lived out in the wild, as I've only seen them in cities, but I digress...). This pigeon just stood there and watched as we approached. Terrell again slowed the car, but the pigeon didn't budge. The car passed right over the top of it and we both were sure it was dead, but Terrell then said he saw it fly off into the brush on the north side of the road. Neither of us could believe this bird wouldn't fly away when it saw the car coming so close.
My car (a 98 Taurus) has relatively new tires on it, which I'm sure was one of the reasons we made it back to the "mainland." But I also have a strong hunch we'll be getting some sort of truck with 4-wheel drive once we're permanent residents. There's so much countryside I want to see!
Wilma, I'm not sure which road we took east to get back to 99, but the little stone house on the east side of 99 (the one with all the hay bales in front) was just to our north. That's a wonderful little building, by the way. Bet it could tell some stories!
Indygal, You was on Turkey Road.
I have been told that it is a historical building. There is some history to it but I don't know all of it. However, I have a daughter, other than Janet, that is a nut about things like that. While she is here this coming weekend, I will have her post what she knows.
If you were on Turkey Rd., I am surprised you made it back.
Now Turkey Road is not all that bad. It just has one hill that if you are driving west can be tricky as it comes up to a blind intersection. That intersection has seen many wrecks.
Anyway, Indygal, I think you guys did great.
Indygal, that little rock house belongs to my sister, Darlene Riggs. It is listed as a historical site. Maragret Gregg wants a roof put on it. Anybody want to help?
/
I didn't know who owns it now. It should have the roof repaired and then the inside restored and turn it into a tourist attraction. Charge admission. Think Darlene and Leon would go for that?
Well, how appropriate that we were on Turkey Road.......LOL....I'm surprised we made it back too, Wilma! Thank you, Janet, for the compliment. I think we did great too, considering the risk we took without really knowing it. Terrell gets most of the credit, and the Ford gets the rest. All I did was gawk out the window and make weird groaning sounds when the road got squishy under the tires. OK, and I laughed and joked about "If we ever get back to Howard......"
It would be great for that little stone house to get a new roof. However, Terrell and I have a big enough project to tackle -- Harmony -- so, alas, it won't be the two of us out there with hammers and shingles. Maybe someone could train those cows out there to do it; all they're doing now is just standing around anyway, salivating about all those bales of hay just out of their reach.
The road coming from Latham past what I've always heard called the Green Ranch goes down what quite a few call "Jesus Hill", because when you start down it you exclaim "Jesussssss!. It is one of the steepest and tallest hills in the state of Kansas. The river crossing at the bottom has washed out so many times that the county finaly stopped putting in back in and instead just grade a path through all the river gravel after a big rain. This is one of the only major stream crossings in the county that doesn't have a watershed dam somewhere upstream of it.
When you get to the corner east of the crossing, and turn south a half mile you are near the ghost community of Western Park, which was one of the earliest and longest lasting communities in Elk County. In fact since Western Park lost it's post office in 1905, only three have been closed: Busby, 1906; Upola, 1909; and Oak Valley, 1954.
Well, Flint, you have successfully discouraged me from trying Jesus Hill. I might get someone to take me there from the east to see how the crossing is. If it looks alright, we could cross, go up the hill, turn around and come back. That view is worth the trouble anytime. I had never heard it called Jesus Hill, but I can understand why. You could also call it "WOW Hill", That is my first thought when you are at the top looking East.
THIS WAS WONDERFUL READING this morning.......Thank you ladies.
I was born and raised in Elk County, but honestly, I don't think I have ever been on this road, but I will bet that Fred has - while he was delivering propane and butane gas to all of his customers. He has had some scary-mary rides and most of his time was on the worst days of snow and ice. That is when most of the customers needed the fuel for heat and cooking in their homes. No matter how deep the snow - nor what hour of the day or night -- he, like the postman - made his deliveries.
i know what you mean about indiana. i have relatives up there. there are very few dirt roads, just a lot of pavement!
The little rock house mentioned appears to have been the Oscar Y. Halleen Place, spelling per the 1930 Federal Census and per the same census Oscar was from Sweden.They had chickens and sold eggs, in the 40's they delivered eggs to my brother Neil's store every Saturday and I boxed the eggs to sell. They were really a neat couple and talked with a strong Scandanavian accent. When they moved to town in the late 50s they came into Garison Farm Supply where I was working then and bought a new 1957 Plymouth, they were so excited and proud of it . They moved to town into the house on the corner in the next block South of Gibbons Lumber yard, I think they always missed life on the farm and their chickens. I don't think they ever had children. This website brings back so many pleasant memories.
What is now Turkey Road brings back lots of memeories, my wife was born and raised on that road and over the 45 years since I started dating her, I have travelled it in all kinds of weather. My wife's family have lived on that road for almost a hundred years and my Mother-in-law still lives there.There have always been a couple of places that were bad, had water seeping out of the road and stayed muddy long after the weather improved.
To add to what Frank just posted, the Elk County History book shows a picture of that house and states that it was "built by a stonemason in the late 1800's as a gift to his daughter". The story I remember was that it was her father who built it. It is said that he (her father) lived a mile east her there.
Even though I grew up a few miles west of there, I don't remember the people personally.
Myrna
We would drive that road sometimes, stop and see Irene for a bit, then go on over to Rd. 9 and Quail. Or do it the other way around. Now I don't have any reason to go either way. I liked it though because you never knew what might be on the other side of a hill.
I have never heard the hill out by the Green Ranch called "Jesus Hill". I can't remember what we named the road, but the road will take you to Latham. I always love to come back to Elk County that way. Kyle Wham grew up on the Green Ranch and on a clear day, you could see the Howard water tower and the courthouse tower. It is not a good road, but it is fun to travel.