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Pictures of Bird City Kansas 1885 to 1900

The information given with these pictures is what we know to the best of our knowledge. If you have information about any of these pictures, please feel free to share that with us. Also, if you have pictures you would like to share, please let us know that too! We are happy to scan your picture and return the originals back to you. 
If you would like to get a copy of any of the pictures we have, please contact us.  

Bird City
July 4, 1885
Celebrating the completion of the center well

Bird City
1900

Looking at the Johnson Garage. In the background in the band shell. Left to Right: Oak Byers, Orville Witham, Bill Witham, Earl Byers, Olin Smith, Nate Wasner, Jim Brawhill and Olin's Dog. 

Building on to Shahan & Son
Hardware, Implements & Harness

From The Cheyenne County Citizen
This building burned down on Christmas Day 1920.

Published August 11, 1983 in the Bird City Times

​

               Picture was probably taken in 1908 or ha1909, most likely in 1908. This was the hardware store of T.N. Shahan and son (Walter W. Shahan). Tin siding was being put on the building, there is an open door just to the east of the Hardware Store and that was a stable, next to it was a hotel, the next building to the east was the Real Estate office of Albert Weaver the west one third of the hardware Store (west side) were living quarters, both upstairs and downstairs. W.W. Shahan and his family lived upstairs and T.N. Shahan and his wife lived  downstairs.  At the back of the building was a stairway and that is how people got into the kitchens. On the northwest corner was a bedroom and then a living room in the northeast corner. The second bedroom was at the back on the opposite side of the kitchen.

               The people in the picture are: Walter Shahan on the scaffold, the center of the picture (sitting down) the other man in unknown. In front of the building on the left hand side, is a travelling man, they used to come to Bird City on the train, getting off every other town, go to the end of the line, which was St. Francis and on the return trip get off at the towns they had missed. Mr. and Mrs. T.N. Shahan and Mrs. Edna Shahan holding Vernon E. Shahan on the ladder. 

               The reprint of this picture was made from a glass negative.

 

The Pioneer Store

Bessie Woods and Lena Ione  (Byers) Honk in Buggy. Gus J Kerndt Standing by post About 1895.
April 13, 1889 - Cheyenne County Democrat
May 16, 1889 - Bird City News
Dec 18, 1886 - Cheyenne County Democrat

Interior of The Pioneer Store

Workers building a new building

C.W. Trickett Lumber and Coal

Formerly the Howard Lumber Co. Abraham and Wesley purchased the old Howard Lumber Co in 1905 and in 1909 Abraham sold his interest to Wesley.

Kerndt Mercantile Store 1888

Sign above small building reads "Land Office"

Fraker Hotel 1885 Built by John Elliott. Became the Bird City Hotel 1886 to 1888 then Pioneer Hotel 1888 to ? Later became the Hickert Building was located at what is now 4th and Bird Avenue.

Mar 23, 1887 - The Frontiersman
Jan 9, 1890 - Bird City News

Main St. (now 4th) looking East

Main St. (now 4th) looking West

Cheyenne Bank on the left and Franker Hotel on the right
p 094.jpg

Birds Eye View from Old Grade School looking Northwest

Main St. (now 4th) looking East

Kerndt Bros 1885

Oct 16, 1886 - Bird City News
Nov 20, 1886 - Cheyenne County Democrat
Nov 10, 1887 - Bird City News

W.D. Bradley Former M.E. Brown & Co,
Land Office and Printing Office

The printing office housed the Bird City News - Founded in 1885, changed to the Bird City Democrat and then became the Bird City Times in 1925
June 21, 1888 - Bird City News

Railroad June 21, 1888

June 21, 1888 - Bird City News

Piles of corn after harvest

Homestead north of Bird City 1895

Max family residence

CB&O Railroad Station
Bird City

IOOF Building

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