FARGO SPRINGS

NAME: FARGO SPRINGS COUNTY: Seward ROADS: 2WD GRID: 2 CLIMATE: mild most of the year BEST TIME TO VISIT: anytime

COMMENTS: 16 Miles north of Liberal KS REMAINS: School Foundation at Fargo

The importance of railroads to the early settlement and prosperity of the West is nowhere better illustrated than in the stories of two Seward county towns. Fargo Springs, founded in 1885 about three miles south of Sprinfield, was the first town established in the county. The next year Springfield was located 16 Miles North of Liberal. In June it was named the temporary county seat but in August, after an election, the government was moved to Fargo Springs. The vote was contested and when recanvassed in 1887 the county seat was returned to Springfield. Fargo Springs ended its brief existence on 1888. It not only had lost its fight with Springfield, but more disastrously had been bypassed by the rapidly building Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska railway, part of the Rock Island. Springfield in turn failed to get its railroad and in 1892 lost the county seat to Liberal (16 miles south). In 1897 the Springfield and Fargo Springs town- sites were officially vacated. Submitted by: Kevin Parker

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