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Rome, Ellis County, Kansas

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alignment (locally "Highway 40"), the United States Highway system vacated this alignment in 1947 when the highway and railroad tracks were realigned at Yocemento, moving the highway just to the south of the tracks between Yocemento and Hays. This newer alignment lost the U.S. Route 40 designation
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The Kansas Pacific track defined the southern edge of the Rome townsite. Here, the railroad was constructed at a significantly elevated grade justified by the potential for flooding on Big Creek. However, town residents suspected that the excessively elevated tracks were built intentionally to
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project. This map was compiled by H. R. Pollock from newspaper articles, interviews, and correspondence with people with historical connection with the town, including I. M. Yost, the miller, C. L. Henderson, who had a farm adjoining Rome, and Simon Motz, an early settler in Rome.
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interfere with commerce of the town. The combination of the high track with the deeply cut ravine of Big Creek surrounding the remaining boundaries of Rome resulted in the derisive nickname "The Walled City". Today, the track is operated by the
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to power the mill and provide ice to the fort. While the dam was soon destroyed by animals and flooding and the mill by fire, Yost was committed to the locality and built more mills in and around Hays, and later founded nearby
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Originally constructed as "Yocemento Road", present day Rome Avenue passes through the townsite east and west, crossing Big Creek just east of the townsite (This road was named Noose Road in 1989 for
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In 1868, the Clarkson Brothers, Charlie, Matthew, and George, set their buffalo hunting headquarters at the abandoned Rome site. By 1872, they had completed the requirements for their
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Years ago there was such a road and it was much traveled. It to the Replogle creek crossing, then up his road around Hogback and back to the track.
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James N. Leiker, University of Kansas. "Black Soldiers At Fort Hays, Kansas, 1867-1869 A Study In Civilian And Military Violence".
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In 1867, William Rose, a railroad contractor, and William Cody founded the townsite to take advantage of the recent relocation of
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The historic townsite north of Rome Avenue is presently a private gated facility, managed by Rome Corporation.
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outbreak in Rome the same summer resulted in the wholesale abandonment of the town in favor of Hays City.
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In late 1867, the Kansas Pacific Railway completed a wooden through-truss bridge across Big Creek.
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The short spur Rome Road makes a connection across the track between Rome Avenue and Old Hwy 40.
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The bridge site is particularly associated with the 1869 lynching of three black soldiers of the
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active in early treeless Hays City used the bridge for hangings, and so it is known locally as
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Although the town had quickly failed, Cody maintained an interest in the location. At the 1876
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passed along the north side of the town, crossing Big Creek at the east and west ends. The
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One of greatest contributions to Hays was when he got I. M. Yost to locate here.
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briefly operated a station in Rome, before relocating to Hays City.
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was completed and the road is now named Old Hwy 40.
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services; but, was renamed to Rome Avenue in 2020.)
380:A map of Rome was reconstructed in the 1930s as a 575: 1139: 1153:Former populated places in Ellis County, Kansas 585:Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains 548:"Hays' tumultuous beginnings originate in Rome" 571: 569: 567: 1122: 784: 486: 484: 482: 680: 519: 409:38th United States Colored Infantry Regiment 564: 545: 1129: 1115: 791: 777: 714: 479: 622: 19:For other places with the same name, see 747:List of books about Ellis County, Kansas 321: 870:Map of Kansas highlighting Ellis County 522:"Extinct Towns of Ellis County, Kansas" 1140: 593:Page 268 has a reprint of the WPA map. 772: 490: 308:William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody 1158:Populated places established in 1867 1081: 649:"Hangman's Bridge Hays City, Kansas" 338:adjacent to the planned crossing of 717:"Noose Road changed to Rome Avenue" 694:. Hays, Kansas: 4. February 2, 1910 445:While Rome Avenue was the original 391: 26:Ghost town in Kansas, United States 13: 865: 799:Municipalities and communities of 740: 16:Ghost town in Ellis County, Kansas 14: 1179: 1093:This article about a location in 751: 578:"The Mathew Clarkson Manuscripts" 414: 326:Monument to Rome and co-founder, 1168:Northwest Kansas geography stubs 1085: 130: 123: 100: 93: 65: 48: 708: 606:"Historical Mt. Allen Cemetery" 576:Rodney Staab, ed. (1982–1983). 357:on the land Rome had occupied. 330:, located on Main Street, Hays. 665: 653:The Historical Marker Database 641: 616: 598: 539: 513: 1: 1163:1867 establishments in Kansas 472: 467:List of ghost towns in Kansas 433:Butterfield Overland Despatch 144:Show map of the United States 1101:. You can help Knowledge by 131: 101: 7: 629:The William F. Cody Archive 625:"Blueprint of Rome, Kansas" 497:The William F. Cody Archive 460: 10: 1184: 1080: 744: 546:Bob Maxwell (2009-11-25). 520:Kathy Weiser, ed. (2017). 317: 226:1,909 ft (582 m) 18: 1056: 998: 945: 900: 877: 863: 832: 813: 277: 260: 243: 235: 230: 222: 210: 198: 188: 173:38.8787750°N 99.3443639°W 153: 87: 64: 56: 47: 38: 31: 178:38.8787750; -99.3443639 871: 674:Great Plains Quarterly 422:Union Pacific Railroad 344:Kansas Pacific Railway 331: 869: 362:Centennial Exposition 325: 262: • Summer ( 1095:Ellis County, Kansas 1069:United States portal 802:Ellis County, Kansas 591:(4): 257, 259, 268. 528:. Legends Of America 304:Ellis County, Kansas 757:Ellis County maps: 722:The Hays Daily News 692:The Hays Free Press 552:The Hays Daily News 296:postbellum frontier 169: /  872: 332: 300:Big Creek Township 294:was a short-lived 236: • Total 114:Show map of Kansas 1110: 1109: 1078: 1077: 526:Legends of Kansas 364:, Cody convinced 289: 288: 1175: 1131: 1124: 1117: 1089: 1082: 1070: 1063: 868: 825: 818: 808: 803: 793: 786: 779: 770: 769: 734: 733: 731: 729: 715:Margaret Allen. 712: 706: 705: 700: 699: 688:"Yocemento Road" 684: 678: 677: 669: 663: 662: 660: 659: 645: 639: 638: 636: 635: 620: 614: 613: 602: 596: 595: 582: 573: 562: 561: 559: 558: 543: 537: 536: 534: 533: 517: 511: 510: 505: 504: 499:. pp. 12–13 488: 402:Hangman's Bridge 392:Hangman's Bridge 267: 184: 183: 181: 180: 179: 174: 170: 167: 166: 165: 162: 145: 134: 133: 127: 115: 104: 103: 97: 69: 52: 29: 28: 1183: 1182: 1178: 1177: 1176: 1174: 1173: 1172: 1138: 1137: 1136: 1135: 1079: 1074: 1068: 1061: 1052: 994: 980:Smoky Hill City 941: 903: 896: 873: 861: 828: 823: 816: 809: 806: 801: 797: 754: 749: 743: 741:Further reading 738: 737: 727: 725: 713: 709: 697: 695: 686: 685: 681: 670: 666: 657: 655: 647: 646: 642: 633: 631: 623:H. R. Pollock. 621: 617: 604: 603: 599: 580: 574: 565: 556: 554: 544: 540: 531: 529: 518: 514: 502: 500: 489: 480: 475: 463: 417: 394: 355:homestead claim 320: 261: 177: 175: 171: 168: 163: 160: 158: 156: 155: 149: 148: 147: 146: 143: 142: 141: 140: 139: 135: 118: 117: 116: 113: 112: 111: 110: 109: 105: 83: 60: 59:The Walled City 57:Nickname:  43: 34: 27: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1181: 1171: 1170: 1165: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1134: 1133: 1126: 1119: 1111: 1108: 1107: 1090: 1076: 1075: 1073: 1072: 1065: 1057: 1054: 1053: 1051: 1050: 1045: 1040: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1020: 1015: 1010: 1004: 1002: 996: 995: 993: 992: 987: 982: 977: 972: 967: 962: 957: 951: 949: 943: 942: 940: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 914: 908: 906: 902:Unincorporated 898: 897: 895: 894: 889: 883: 881: 875: 874: 864: 862: 860: 859: 854: 849: 844: 838: 836: 830: 829: 814: 811: 810: 796: 795: 788: 781: 773: 767: 766: 753: 752:External links 750: 742: 739: 736: 735: 707: 679: 664: 640: 615: 597: 563: 538: 512: 477: 476: 474: 471: 470: 469: 462: 459: 416: 415:Transportation 413: 393: 390: 319: 316: 298:settlement in 287: 286: 281: 275: 274: 268: 258: 257: 247: 241: 240: 237: 233: 232: 228: 227: 224: 220: 219: 214: 208: 207: 202: 196: 195: 192: 186: 185: 151: 150: 137: 136: 129: 128: 122: 121: 120: 119: 107: 106: 99: 98: 92: 91: 90: 89: 88: 85: 84: 70: 62: 61: 58: 54: 53: 45: 44: 39: 36: 35: 32: 25: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1180: 1169: 1166: 1164: 1161: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1145: 1143: 1132: 1127: 1125: 1120: 1118: 1113: 1112: 1106: 1104: 1100: 1096: 1091: 1088: 1084: 1083: 1071: 1066: 1064: 1062:Kansas portal 1059: 1058: 1055: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1019: 1016: 1014: 1011: 1009: 1006: 1005: 1003: 1001: 997: 991: 988: 986: 983: 981: 978: 976: 973: 971: 968: 966: 963: 961: 958: 956: 953: 952: 950: 948: 944: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 913: 910: 909: 907: 905: 899: 893: 890: 888: 885: 884: 882: 880: 876: 858: 855: 853: 850: 848: 845: 843: 840: 839: 837: 835: 831: 827: 826: 819: 812: 807:United States 804: 794: 789: 787: 782: 780: 775: 774: 771: 764: 760: 756: 755: 748: 724: 723: 718: 711: 704: 693: 689: 683: 675: 668: 654: 650: 644: 630: 626: 619: 611: 607: 601: 594: 590: 586: 579: 572: 570: 568: 553: 549: 542: 527: 523: 516: 509: 498: 494: 487: 485: 483: 478: 468: 465: 464: 458: 455: 453: 452:Interstate 70 448: 447:U.S. Route 40 443: 441: 436: 434: 430: 427:In 1867, the 425: 423: 412: 410: 405: 403: 399: 389: 386: 383: 378: 376: 371: 367: 363: 358: 356: 351: 349: 345: 341: 337: 329: 324: 315: 313: 309: 305: 301: 297: 293: 285: 282: 280: 276: 272: 269: 265: 259: 255: 251: 248: 246: 242: 238: 234: 229: 225: 221: 218: 215: 213: 209: 206: 203: 201: 197: 194:United States 193: 191: 187: 182: 164:99°20′39.71″W 161:38°52′43.59″N 154:Coordinates: 152: 126: 96: 86: 81: 77: 73: 68: 63: 55: 51: 46: 42: 37: 30: 22: 1148:Buffalo Bill 1103:expanding it 1092: 974: 821: 726:. Retrieved 720: 710: 702: 696:. Retrieved 691: 682: 673: 667: 656:. Retrieved 652: 643: 632:. Retrieved 628: 618: 610:City of Hays 609: 600: 592: 588: 584: 555:. Retrieved 551: 541: 530:. Retrieved 525: 515: 507: 501:. Retrieved 496: 456: 444: 437: 426: 418: 406: 401: 395: 387: 379: 359: 352: 333: 328:Buffalo Bill 291: 290: 76:Ellis County 33:Rome, Kansas 21:Rome, Kansas 947:Ghost towns 904:communities 817:County seat 728:January 31, 491:W.A. Hill. 429:Ellis Trail 176: / 1142:Categories 985:Stockrange 852:Schoenchen 745:See also: 698:2017-02-16 658:2018-07-19 634:2018-07-18 557:2018-03-29 532:2018-03-29 503:2018-07-18 473:References 398:Vigilantes 366:I. M. Yost 231:Population 41:Ghost town 1048:Wheatland 1018:Catherine 1008:Big Creek 1000:Townships 990:Turkville 937:Yocemento 887:Catharine 375:Yocemento 370:Big Creek 340:Big Creek 336:Fort Hays 312:Hays City 279:Area code 245:Time zone 223:Elevation 1043:Victoria 965:Hog Back 955:Chetolah 912:Antonino 857:Victoria 763:Historic 461:See also 1038:Lookout 1028:Freedom 1013:Buckeye 970:Mendota 960:Easdale 922:Pfeifer 917:Emmeram 759:Current 348:cholera 342:by the 318:History 190:Country 74:map of 1033:Herzog 932:Walker 927:Toulon 892:Munjor 834:Cities 765:, KDOT 212:County 205:Kansas 80:legend 1097:is a 1023:Ellis 842:Ellis 581:(PDF) 450:when 440:9-1-1 273:(CDT) 271:UTC-5 250:UTC-6 217:Ellis 200:State 1099:stub 975:Rome 879:CDPs 847:Hays 824:Hays 730:2021 292:Rome 138:Rome 108:Rome 72:KDOT 424:. 382:WPA 284:785 264:DST 254:CST 1144:: 820:: 805:, 761:, 719:. 701:. 690:. 651:. 627:. 608:. 587:. 583:. 566:^ 550:. 524:. 506:. 495:. 481:^ 411:. 377:. 314:. 302:, 1130:e 1123:t 1116:v 1105:. 792:e 785:t 778:v 732:. 661:. 637:. 612:. 589:5 560:. 535:. 266:) 256:) 252:( 239:0 82:) 78:( 23:.

Index

Rome, Kansas
Ghost town

KDOT map of Ellis County (legend)
KDOT
Ellis County
legend
Rome is located in Kansas
Rome is located in the United States
38°52′43.59″N 99°20′39.71″W / 38.8787750°N 99.3443639°W / 38.8787750; -99.3443639
Country
State
Kansas
County
Ellis
Time zone
UTC-6
CST
DST
UTC-5
Area code
785
postbellum frontier
Big Creek Township
Ellis County, Kansas
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody
Hays City

Buffalo Bill
Fort Hays

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