WALNUT

NAME: Walnut COUNTY: Crawford ROADS: 2WD GRID: 4 CLIMATE: Typical Kansas Weather BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime

COMMENTS: Population as of 2000 was 221, and is probably lower now. Still has a 2-block-long homecoming parade & celebration on the Saturday before Labor Day. REMAINS: Many houses, occupied & abandoned, old churches, berms of old rail lines

Walnut was first founded in 1871 at the junction of the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas and Nebraska, Topeka, Iola & Girard Railroads and was originally called Glenwood. It was later renamed Walnut after a post office by this name was established by the Big Walnut Creek, but there is still a cemetery called Glenwood north of town. The N,T,I, & G rail line was later used by the Santa Fe railroad. The town eventually managed to grow and had many businesses, and in the 1960's even had a movie theater. The town appears to have begun its decline by this time, since I remember numerous empty, abandoned buildings on Main Street as a child in the 1970's. Today only a handful of businesses remain, including a cafe/convenience store, a bank, and a bar. Most of the old abandoned buildings downtown have been torn down. The Catholic school closed in the 1960's after being hit by a tornado, and the elementary school closed around 1985 and has been turned into City Hall offices and a library. Roughly half the houses are still occupied and kept up, but there are many abandoned houses all over town, especially the southeast side. Submitted by: Tom

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