Alanthus | Buffalo
Park | Campus | Gove
| Grainfield | Grinnell
| Jerome | Orion
| Pyramid | Quinter
| Teller | Hackberry
Community - Plum Creek Community - Swedish Community
Homesteading in Gove County
Buffalo Park / Park
Park began as a railroad station for
the Union Pacific Railroad. The station known as "Buffalo
Station" was established in 1868. William (Billy) Sternberg
became the agent at Buffalo Station because of his ability with
a telegraph and his promise to stay 3 1/2 years. His brother,
Charles Sternberg, was a noted fossil hunter who made his first
trip to Buffalo Station in 1876.
The Buffalo Town Company was formed
February 2, 1878. Buffalo was the first platted town site in Gove
County. The first Post Office for Buffalo Station, established
in 1873, was called Hill Gove. On April 28, 1879, the name was
changed to Buffalo Park. In 1880 the second newspaper in Gove
County, "The Express", was established in Buffalo Park.
In June of 1880, "The Express" stated that by the end
of 1879, Buffalo Park had 12 stores, 3 hotels, 3 livery stables,
3 restaurants, 3 saloons, 1 barbershop, 2 blacksmith shops, 1
harness maker, 1 bakery, 1 newspaper, and 1 physician/surgeon.
Buffalo Park had the first school district
in Gove County. It was formed in 1878. The first church in Buffalo
Park was a Congregational Church built around 1880. In 1889, the
first Catholic Church was built.
The "Buffalo Park Pioneer"
replaced "The Express": in 1885. In May 1886, the "Buffalo
Park Pioneer" listed numerous businesses which included:
Buffalo Meat Market, Buffalo Hotel, Real Estate, General Store,
Fancy Boot and Shoemaker, Hay, Feed and Grain, and G.A.R. Post
367. In 1889, the G.A.R. Memorial College of Buffalo Park was
chartered by the state as a college for children of Union Soldiers.
Among the settlers who came to the
Buffalo Park area in 1878 was Pennsylvania Dutch from Pennsylvania.
Beginning around 1900, the Volga-Germans began immigrating to
the Buffalo Park area in large numbers.
The town of Buffalo Park was incorporated
as a city of the 3rd class in 1950 when the name was changed to
Park.
Sources
Gove County Historical Museum
They used the following sources in writing this information.
"History and Heritage of
Gove County". Gove County Historical Museum.
Harrington, W. P. "History
of Gove County, Kansas".
