Near Kismet in Seward County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Fargo Springs and Springfield

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 5, 2014

1. Fargo Springs and Springfield Marker

Inscription. The importance of railroads to the early settlement and prosperity of the West is nowhere better illustrated than in the stories of two Seward county towns. Fargo Springs, founded in 1885 about three miles south of here, was the first town established in the county. The next year Springfield was located where this marker stands. In June it was named the temporary county seat but in August, after an election, the government was moved to Fargo Springs. The vote was contested and when re-canvassed in 1887 the county seat was returned to Springfield.

Fargo Springs ended its brief existence in 1888. It not only had lost its fight with Springfield, but more disastrously had been bypassed by the rapidly building Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska railway, part of the Rock Island. Springfield in turn failed to get its railroad and in 1892 lost the county seat to Liberal (16 miles south). In 1897 the Springfield and Fargo Springs town- sites were officially vacated.

Two towns withered and died~unhappy proof of the vital need for rail connections in the vast and then underdeveloped Western frontier.

Erected by Kansas Historical

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Society and State Highway Commission. (Marker Number 92.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Kansas Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 37° 16.362′ N, 100° 52.108′ W. Marker is near Kismet, Kansas, in Seward County. It is at the intersection of U.S. 160 and U.S. 83, on the right when traveling west on U.S. 160. Marker is on the northeast corner. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kismet KS 67859, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

on the Great Plains,

on the Southern Plains,

and specifically on the High Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

the Dust Bowl,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies:

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 5, 2014

2. Fargo Springs and Springfield Marker

Arkalon and the Samson of the Cimarron (approx. 10.7 miles away); Satanta Veterans Memorial (approx. 13.1 miles away).

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 5, 2014

3. Fargo Springs and Springfield Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,680 times since then and 156 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 11, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.