Saffordville, Kansas

Saffordville is an unincorporated community in Chase County, Kansas, United States.

Saffordville, Kansas
Unincorporated community
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway depot in Saffordville, circa 1890-1900
KDOT map of Chase County (legend)
Saffordville
Saffordville
Coordinates: 38°24′0″N 96°23′34″W
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountyChase
Elevation
1,148 ft (350 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code620
FIPS code20-62050 [1]
GNIS ID477269 [1]

History

For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1859, Chase County was founded.

In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a main line east–west through Safford.[2] In 1996, it merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway. The Santa Fe depot building still exists, but has been closed for decades. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".

A post office was established in Safford on December 31, 1872. The post office was renamed to Kenyon on October 27, 1887, then again to Saffordville on October 3, 1888. The post office closed on January 6, 1957.[3]

There has been numerous floods during the history of Saffordville. In June and July 1951, due to heavy rains, rivers and streams flooded numerous cities in Kansas, including Saffordville. Many reservoirs and levees were built in Kansas as part of a response to the Great Flood of 1951.

Saffordville was particularly impacted by the 1951 flood, as the entire town (which had 200 people at the time) was under five feet of water. Residents had to be evacuated, and when the waters receded many of them moved elsewhere, and the town quickly became a ghost town. Today, little remains other than two homes and a schoolbuilding.

Geography

Saffordville is located in the Flint Hills of the Great Plains. The Cottonwood River is approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) south of the community.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Saffordville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[4]

Education
1914 Regional Railroad Map

The community is served by Chase County USD 284 public school district. It has two schools.

Transportation

U.S. Route 50 highway passes near Saffordville, and BNSF Railway passes through it.

Notable people

References
  1. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. Santa Fe Rail History
  3. "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  4. Climate Summary for Saffordville, Kansas

Further reading
See also: List of books about Chase County, Kansas
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