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Ray Terry has extensive family history for all around that area and in the Cawker city library. Very important for everyo...
Norma (Kuiken) Kimble McCallister
Downs, KS
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NC Kansas
Cawker City Explorations
Learn more about Cawker City by following the links below:

Lincoln Park

Address: Western edge of town on U.S. 24
Cawker City, KS 67430
Telephone Number: 785.781.4470
Second Telephone Number: 785.781.4961



About this Exploration:

 
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Chautauqua movement was a major educational and cultural part of our country. 

Just west of Cawker City, on land settled in 1870 by William Belk, the area was named Lincoln Park after first being called Shady Bend.  Lincoln Park was situated among the large oak trees on Oak Creek which flowed into the Solomon River.

Many well known musicians and speakers entertained crowds from the area and those who traveled came to spend time with their families.  William Jennings Bryan and Booker T. Washington might have been more famous but Margaret Hill McCarter wrote "Peace of the Solomon Valley" exclaiming her love for the grove of trees on the creek giving comfort and relaxation all who attended the Chautauqua's.

In the 1930s it became a CCC Camp and in the 1940s a German prisoner of war camp and later it was still used by churches and organizations for camps and meetings.  Finally, despite much resistance, the Glen Elder Dam was built in the 1960s for flood control but flooded the park area and in the 1993 flood the huge oak trees were kept under water so long they were killed.

contact info
Linda Clover
321 Maple St
Cawker City, KS 67430
Phone: 785.781.4470
 
City Clerk
804 Locust St
Cawker City, KS 67430
Phone: 785.781.4713
 
 
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