Parsons in Labette County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Here Stands MKT Caboose #119
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 23, 2023
1. Here Stands MKT Caboose #119 Marker
Here stands MKT caboose #119, restored to its original splendor and resting on a set of track hand laid by Gandy Dancers at the 2014 Katy Days Festival. It stands proudly as a remembrance of the men and women who dedicated their lives working for the railroad. While building our past, they forged the future of the City of Parsons, lest we forget.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 2014.
Location. 37° 20.232′ N, 95° 15.252′ W. Marker is in Parsons, Kansas, in Labette County. It is on South 13th Street just north of Grand Avenue, on the right when traveling north. The marker and caboose are near the southwest corner of Forest Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 214 South 13th Street, Parsons KS 67357, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: World War II Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); First Presbyterian Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Carnegie Library (approx. 0.4 miles away); Peace Garden (approx. 0.4 miles away); Replica of the Statue of Liberty (approx. 1.3 miles away); Oak Grove & the Osage Trail (approx. 6.3 miles away); Oak Grove School District No. 20 (approx. 6.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Parsons.
Also see . . .
1. Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (reporting mark MKT) (1870–1988) was a Class I railroad company in the United States, with its last headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Its predecessor was established in 1865 under the name Union Pacific Railroad (UP), Southern Branch, and came to serve an extensive rail network in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. In 1988, it merged with(Submitted on October 23, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)the Missouri Pacific Railroad and together they were part of the UP.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 23, 20232. Here Stands MKT Caboose #119 MarkerLooking southeast from South 13th Street across the southwest corner of Forest Park.
In the 1890s, the MKT was commonly referred to as “the K-T”, because for a time it was the Kansas–Texas division of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and “KT” was its abbreviation in timetables as well as its stock exchange symbol. This soon evolved into the nickname “the Katy”.
2. Gandy Dancer (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Gandy dancer is a slang term used for early railroad workers in the United States and Canada, more formally referred to as section hands, who laid and maintained railroad tracks in the years before the work was done by machines. Early section crews were often made up of recent immigrants and ethnic minorities who vied for steady work despite poor wages and working conditions, and hard physical labor. The Chinese, Mexican Americans, and Native Americans in the Western United States, the Irish in the Midwestern United States, African Americans in the Southern United States, and East Europeans and Italians in the Northeastern United States all worked as gandy dancers.(Submitted on October 23, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 23, 20233. MKT Caboose #119
There are various theories about the derivation of the term, but most refer to the “dancing” movements of the workers using a specially manufactured five-foot “lining” bar, which came to be called a “gandy”, as a lever to keep the tracks in alignment.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 13 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 23, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
