ZARAH
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ZARAH |
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NAME: ZARAH COUNTY: Johnson ROADS: 2WD GRID: 3 CLIMATE: Snow in the winter & hot in the summer BEST TIME TO VISIT: Fall Spring or Summer |
COMMENTS:
There are no original buildings left in the town, there are a couple on old foundations and that's all. Where the foundations are has completely grown up in forest, there is also a couple of old wells and a cistern in the woods. The entirety of the town is on private property owner by the BNSF Railway. To get to the town from Hwy 435: go west on Shawnee Mission Pkwy 2 miles until you reach the second stoplight, turn left onto Martindale Ave. go past the QT and on left you will see 66th Terr. turn left. You will go down 66th and curve around alley. You can see the woods where the town used to be from there. REMAINS: Two old foundations, to wells, a cistern, and an old metal fence. |
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In 1869, the Town of Zarah was platted near present day 69th and Martindale. Between 1880 and the mid 1920's, the town had a boom. There was a rail stop (where the train would stop to water cattle on the way to the KC Stock Yards), Cream Depot, two car repair shops (Midland and Lynn Bros.), King's General Store (w/post office), the Zarah State Bank, and the Zarah Cooperative Grain Elevator. The town also contained Starwood Park (which is now Knight of Columbus Park) at present day Shawnee Msn. Pkwy and Midland Dr. The park was an amusement park with a Merry-go-round, fishing and other attractions. Also there was the Zarah Baseball team. However, the depression hit Zarah hard, causing the bank, store, elevator, cream depot, and the Lynn Bros. Garage to close. The train continued stopping to water the cattle through the 1950's. What once was the Midland Garage changed hands two more times, and now belongs to the Peavler Family, who operate it today; In 1988, the town was annexed into Shawnee, KS along with Monticello, Holliday, Wilder, Chouteau, and Frisbie, KS.
Submitted by: Michael Wray |
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