The Czech Capital - of Kansas - A Town Named Wilson

Good evening.

Today, again, we look for three digit temps.  Kansas is brittle and dry dust, and let me not forget, billowy winds.  Big winds come in off the wide open plains, and they “feel” big when they arrive.  Todays winds are forest to reach gusts of twenty-five mile per hour.  I now know at 9:00 p.m. the temp reached 102 degrees.

In 1883 Wilson was founded; the Butterfield Stagecoach line built a small station here in 1865; in 1870 large numbers of immigrants arrived from Czechoslovakia to work on the railroad; In 1874 Francis Swehla was the first Bohemian homesteader; he is credited with bringing more Czech settlers to the area, this lead to the Charter naming Wilson the Czech Capital of Kansas, 100 years later, in 1974.

J. T. McKittrick was one of the early settlers who built businesses, hotels, and he brought the Pennsylvania Dutch to this area.  At one time it was hoped Wilson would become big cattle company, but this never happened.

Wilson is a small friendly town, resting in the Smokey Hills.  A modest 781 residents, and one grocery store.  Beautiful wide streets.  Most everyone waves a welcome.  This is a beautiful town and must be lush in greens when not suffering drought.  

Buildings from the early 1900’s remain in the town.  It is easy for me to imagine the pioneers shuffling down the streets.  The men and women overdressed in the hot weather, and layered in long johns and homespun in the long hard winters.

The immigrants who built these mid western towns knew hard work.  They were courageous in their new homeland.  It is good they left their cultural mark;  buildings; trades;  strong character, Czech and Pennsylvania recipes; give us a glimpse of their first homeland. 

We are late comers to Wilson, but on time to enjoy the history.

❤