Homesteading in Finney County

Sherlock / Holcomb

Founded along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad line by railroad officials in 1872, it was named in honor of Thos. Sherlock, Sr. who was a director of the A T & SF railroad company. Settlers didn't arrive until seven years later when people came from the east to purchase government land. By May 1879, Sherlock had a store, a lumber yard, a restaurant, and in July, a saloon was opened for business. The town flourished for several months, but when Garden City made an offer for the citizens to move to their town, free of charge, many citizens took up that offer.

But Sherlock began building back up and on December 6, 1883, a post office was established; it was discontinued on March 27, 1890 with mail coming from Dodge City.

In 1910, the post office was re-established with a name change to Holcomb, in honor of D. C. Holcomb, who had been active in developing that area.

The ethnicity of its settlers is unknown.

Sources

Blanchard, Leola Howard. Conquest of Southwest Kansas: A History and Thrilling Stories of Frontier Life in the State of Kansas. Wichita, KS: Wichita Eagle Press, 1931.

These pictures were taken by Lyman Wooster during a visit to the Holcomb Consolidated School sometime in the early part of the 20th century. Mr. Wooster was a professor at Fort Hays Normal School and later became president when the name of the school was Fort Hays State College.

Finney County - Holcomb school auditorium School Auditorium

Finney County - Holcomb primary room Primary Grade Room with teacher Laura Laudamen

Finney County - Holcomb visit from FHS Visitors from the Fort Hays Normal School
From left: Clarence E. Rarick, unidentified man and two girls, Lyman D. Wooster,
Dean F. B. Lee, President William A. Lewis and two unidentified men

Finney County - Holcomb school drawing Plan for the Holcomb Consolidated School Group
From left in front: Grade School, High School, Future Building From left in back: Superintendent's Cottage, Faculty House, Agriculture Cottage