Portmanteau

[W. Gray]

Sedalia (Mo) Sunday Sentinel, March 24, 1901




At its height of population, Grenola was about the same size, people wise, that Howard is today.

If someone were to tell you that the town of Grenola was a "portmanteau," you may not immediately know what they might be talking about, although I think most people in Elk County know the story.

[W. Gray]

Independence Itemizer, July 22, 1879




The amount of Capital stock of the Grenola Town Company was valued at $200,000. In 1879 this amount was much greater compared to other towns--but then the railroad coming through probably made a huge difference.

Elk Falls initially had two competing town companies in early 1870. One valued its stock at $400 and the other at $1,020. The Town Company with the $400 stock value won the competition to create the original Howard County seat at Elk Falls.

Howard City, $10,000, late 1870. The higher amount of stock value was probably due to Howard City moving two or three miles from Paw Paw Creek to the center of the northern half of Howard County and believing the move would put it into position of being an excellent choice for a new county derived from a future division of Howard County. A number of citizens were already complaining about the size of the new county.

Elk Rapids (Longton), 1871, $500

Boston, 1871, $8,000. Boston was founded with the idea that it had a good chance at becoming the county seat of Howard County because it was almost in the center of Howard County. Boston actually became the county seat by vote but a state judge threw the results out, causing the Boston War and the subsequent division of Howard County.

Greenfield, 1870, $800.



Coffeyville Journal, August 2, 1879