Village of Eddyville

The founding of Eddyville dates back to 1886, four years before the coming of the railroad. From the arrival of the Kearney and Black Hills branch of the Union Pacific in 1890, the town experienced steady growth in business and population, interrupted by the drought year of 1894.

A census taken in March 1906 by G. H. Blakeslee recorded a population of 287, with the present population estimated at 300 to 325. Blakeslee was one of the oldest settlers of Dawson County, having lived near the area as early as 1879.

Eddyville had been incorporated as a village about six years earlier. Village officials listed in the account included W. A. Summers as president, B. R. Hedglin, Robert Carty, Dr. J. H. Boylan, Russell Kuhlman, Chris Welliver, Fred E. Brown, G. H. Blakeslee, and Miss Gertrude Irvin as postmistress.

Three churches were represented in Eddyville: Evangelical Lutheran, Church of Christ, and Roman Catholic. The Lutheran church had a church home and parsonage in the north part of town. The Christian Church also had a church home, while the Catholic congregation was planning a larger structure to replace an inadequate building.

The school facilities were described with pride. The schoolhouse stood northeast of the main business section, enrollment was 113, and nine grades were maintained under Principal Miss Leila Bliss and Assistant Principal Miss Maggie Lavin.

Two lodges also maintained a strong presence: the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, with their auxiliary organizations holding regular meetings in the A. O. U. W. Hall over the Farmers State Bank.

Business Interests

The account describes Eddyville’s business interests as varied and broad for a town of its size.

• 2 Banks
• 2 Lumber Yards
• 4 General Department Stores
• 2 Elevators
• 1 Drug Store
• 2 Implement Dealers
• 1 Hardware, Harness, Furniture and Undertaking
• 1 Pump, Windmills, Wells, etc.
• 1 Racket Store
• 1 Flour, Feed and Poultry
• 1 Hotel
• 2 Coal Dealers
• 1 Restaurant
• 2 Real Estate Firms
• 1 Confectionery
• 2 Gangs Carpenters and Masons
• 1 Jewelry Store
• 3 Insurance Agencies
• 1 Millinery
• 1 Livery
• 1 Butcher
• 2 Dray Lines
• 1 Physician
• 4 Cream Stations
• 1 Barber
• 1 Pool Hall
• 1 Horse Buyer
• 2 Stock Buyers

Rail Shipments

A shipment table recorded the movement of goods in and out of Eddyville over a twelve-month period.

The February bank statement showed total deposits of $54,216.51 in the two banks.

Lot Ownership Record

The following pages begin a list of people owning lots in Eddyville between 1890 and 1920, on land originally belonging to the Wood River Improvement Company. The list includes many family names that will be useful for later cross-referencing.

Names visible in this section include J. B. Colton, George Brown, Charles Blakeslee, George Blakeslee, Herbert C. Blakeslee, Lizzie Blakeslee, Martha Blakeslee, Abe A. Edmisten, Sara Edmisten, Bill Edmisten, W. W. Edmisten, J. B. Kile, Louise A. Kile, John O’Mara, Robert O’Meara, George Sarver, John Walter, and others.

Our Town · Dolores McFarland · 2000