Homesteading in Barber County

Hazelton

Founded in July 1883 by J. O. Hazelton and A. H. Peck who had camped in the area with their wives. They admired the beauty that was surrounding them and decided to begin a town. Town lots were set up, and soon settlers were residing on those lots. The town was named in honor of J. O. Hazelton.

Businesses included a lumber yard, grocery stores, a livery stable, a hotel and some banks. Many homes and businesses were moved into Oklahoma when the Cherokee Strip was opened, then on September 29, 1911, a fire destroyed many of the buildings on the north side of Main Street.

The ethnicity of its settlers is unknown.

Sources

Barber County History Committee. "The Chosen Land: A History of Barber County, Kansas."
Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company, 1980.