Towns on the Plains: An Introduction, part 3

Not everyone who moved onto the Plains became a homesteader. Some folks saw the wide-open spaces as an ideal place to start towns. The reason for starting a town might be because the railroad was coming through or gold had been discovered nearby, or any of a dozen different reasons. But once that was settled the big question was--how do you start a town?

Back in 1844, someone must have posed just such a question because the United States government managed to come up with some rules on the subject. Under the terms of the Townsite Act that Congress passed that year, any group of people could stake out 320 acres and take possession of it for $1.25 an acre. The next thing you had to do was to divide this land into lots of 125 by 25 feet. Now you need some people to live in your town. To do this you have to sell these lots to whomever you can convince that your town is the best in the west. So how do you let folks back east know that you have a town ready for them to buy lots and build on?

One of the best ways is to start a newspaper that carries articles and advertisements about your new town, and get these papers to the east. So one of the first persons you want to attract is a newspaperman. If you can afford it, you hire one. Next it would be a good idea to build a hotel and get someone to run it. After all, folks moving to your fine city will need a place to stay until they can construct a house.

Here we get down to the important part - a saloon, or two, or even eleven, just as Abilene, Kansas had in 1871, including the bars operating in the Drovers Cottage and the Planters Hotel. Granted, Abilene's population only amounted to 800 citizens at the time but as to body count, there were another some 5,000 thirsty cowboys up from Texas to accommodate - and relieve of their pay. And just in case these cowpokes have any extra money you had best start a store. But, for the most part, your town is on its way.

So let's get that store built and stocked before all of those cowboys show up. First off, just what do you put in the General Store? Well, if you need to rub it on, pour it in, drape it around, wash it off, feed the mind or soul or soil, fill the stomach of man and beast, or shoot something or somebody then a good well-stocked general store should have what's required.

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