Troy's Early Days

Troy's Early Days. An early river town prospers and finds its role in a bountiful region. , When the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act first allowed settlement in Kansas speculators flooded across the Missouri River to survey new towns. Within a few days, Leavenworth was platted as the first city in Kansas. Additional towns on and near the river were established soon thereafter, including many of those along the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway like White Cloud, lowa Point, Troy, and Atchison., Troy , Named after the ancient Greek city, Troy was surveyed to be Doniphan County's seat in 1855. One of the town's first buildings was the Nelson Rodgers House, soon followed by several commercial buildings still visible downtown today. The town grew gradually at first, supported as a stop along the wagon route from St. Joseph, Missouri to California. The city incorporated in 1860, but because it was 15 miles from the Missouri River, it played a secondary role to the many river towns until the coming of the railroad., In 1869, the St. Joseph and Denver City Railroad connected Troy to the growing network of rail. Troy became an important local hub and shipping point, continuing to grow until it stabilized around 1,000 residents at the turn of the century. Fruit growing became increasingly important as an industry through the 1920s and 1930s with an estimated 25,000 acres of apple orchards around the city. While its apple orchards have decreased, Troy has remained a farming community with a rich history., Doniphan County Courthouse , The current Doniphan County Courthouse is the county's fourth courthouse bullding When Troy was first settled, the former Higby House served as a courthouse until 1859 when a new courthouse was built on the central square. About a decade later it was destroyed by fire, so another courthouse replaced it. Additions accommodated growing demands for space, but a new building was needed by the turn of the century, leading to the demolition of the third courthouse to make room for another., The fourth and current Doniphan County Courthouse was designed by George P Washburn, one of Kansas famous architects. The three-story Romanesque building was completed in 1906 on courthouse square with towers at each corner and a prominent cupola. Its exterior features red brick and a native limestone foundation, and the interior still boasts beautiful finishes. Notably, the third story contains several items of interest, including artifacts from the Iowa and Sac and Fox Mission, a chair showcasing all native woods from the 1896 Chicago World's Fair, and items from the S.L.K. Library established by the oldest women's club in the state.