Howard City, Kansas

[W. Gray]

We are frequently in receipt of letters of inquiry about Howard City, what kind of place it is, how large, etc.

For the benefit of such we will just say that Howard City is a town of about 300 inhabitants located on section 1, Town 30 s. of Range 10 e., that it is the County Seat of Elk Co., and within one mile of the geographical center of the county.

The town is beautifully situated in the heart of one of the finest agricultural districts of Kansas and in our opinion no town in the State offers better inducements to persons desiring to locate and build themselves up permanently in almost any business, trade or profession.

There are six or seven stores; one bank; two harness and saddle shops; a tin shop; two millinery establishments; one barber shop; two or three hotels; one wagon making and repair shop; two blacksmith shops; two printing offices; one church building (the United Presbyterian), and numerous other Denominations which have organizations here and hold service in the public schoolhouse, there are six lawyers and three physicians, and one livery stable.

The county is new but it is ahead of the town and good men are still welcome in Howard City. And such can undoubtedly do well here if they come with some money and lots of enterprise and pluck.

Buildings, either for store or residences are not to be had for rent, but lots are plenty and not high priced, and it costs comparatively little to build here. Building stone is plenty and easily obtained and good native lumber is to be had at reasonable rates; pine lumber can be had in any quantity by hauling from the railroads 35 miles away.

Persons who are seeking farming lands can get good lands within easy reach of Howard City at $1.25 per acre. This class of land is upland prairie and much of it is good quality and very desirable for farming or stockraising. Those, however, who want farms of bottomlands already partially improved can get them at from three to fifteen dollars per acre—depending on the amount of improvements and how bad the owner wants to sell out and go west.

As yet we have no railroads in the county, but they will soon come and then the price of lands and all kinds of property will be doubled and trebled.

To parties seeking a good county to settle in we can conscientiously recommend Elk county. Come and see it. If you don't like the looks of it you will not be compelled [to] stay and we'll not charge you anything for looking at it.

From editor Adrian J. Reynolds in the August 4, 1877, Howard Elk County Ledger; formerly the Elk Falls Elk County Ledger; formerly the Elk Falls Howard County Ledger; formerly the Longton Weekly Ledger; formerly the Longton Howard County Ledger, the second newspaper established in Howard and Elk counties.