Thursday, March 30, 2017

Our Past Is Present March 30, 2017

This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
            During the winter months our Museum is closed on Sundays. Beginning next Tuesday it will be open Tuesdays through Sunday from 1 until 4 in the afternoon.  This will give more of you an opportunity to visit and learn more about the history in our County.  So stop by and spend a few minutes or a few hours any day except Monday.  Now for today’s story…..

            W.J. Lott returned to Junction City in early March of 1936 after spending four months in Corpus Christi, Texas, which he had done for the previous four winters.  Mr. Lott reported that the city was experiencing a real boom.  In addition to a thriving tourist trade, the countryside was becoming dotted with oil wells.  He stated that traveling men found it quite difficult to get accommodations there with the winter tourist trade being popular by people from Kansas and Nebraska. Mr. Lott’s companion for the trip was his brother-in-law, F.D. Miller, who was a former Junction City resident.  Mr. Miller first came to town in 1881 and worked several years for Sebulon Miller, a clothier on Seventh Street.  While he was in Junction City, F. D. Miller was a city fireman and served as captain of the hose company.  He had been a part of winning many trophies that were kept in the fire department clubroom.  Both Mr. Lott and Mr. Miller had married daughters of Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Heaton. Mr. Heaton was a widely known contractor, who had erected several hundred thousand dollars worth of buildings in the Junction City and Fort Riley area.  F. D. Miller left Junction City in 1890 to obtain work with the New York Central Railroad and retired after 40 years of service.  He still had many friends when he renewed acquaintances during his March visit in 1936.  

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