Beaumont in Butler County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Beaumont Becomes a Railroad Town
Beaumont Historical Marker
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 24, 2011
1. Beaumont Becomes a Railroad Town Marker
In 1879, Beaumont was established as a railroad town. It became one of the most important shipping points in the Flint Hills. Beaumont sat atop the divide that separated Otter Creek and Little Walnut Creek. Westbound trains from Piedmont had nearly ten miles of steep grade before cresting the divide. The 25,000 gallon wooden water tower was constructed and there were 7 trains consuming 35 thousand gallons of water daily. A steam engine alone used approximately 5,000 gallons between Piedmont and Beaumont. The roundhouse was built in 1890 and had six engine stalls, with pits underneath for inspection and repair. At that time, Beaumont was established as the overhaul station between St. Louis and Wichita. They employed 90 people and built structures to house the coal, office, store rooms, ice house, showers and a depot. By 1950 shipping of cattle had been taken over by trucks; in 1955 the last steam engine passenger train went through Beaumont. This wooden water tower was the last one used on the mainline of a railroad in the United States.
Erected by Beaumont Hotel.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 37° 39.307′ N, 96°
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Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas, in the Flint Hills, and in Greater Wichita. 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 World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 1885 Frisco Water Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); The Beaumont Grass Landing Strip (within shouting distance of this marker); Livestock in the Flint Hills (within shouting distance of this marker); The Historic Beaumont Hotel / The Beaumont Hotel Restoration (within shouting distance of this marker); The Frisco Ponds (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line).
Also see . . . The Frisco: A Look Back at the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. The Library website entry (Submitted on October 30, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 24, 2011
2. Beaumont Becomes a Railroad Town Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 19, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 804 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 29, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
