Kackley
Kackley
Community Now 100 Years Old
The Courtland Journal
Dec 1
1988
page 1
Kackley is located six miles south and
two miles east of Courtland on Highway 148. The 100-year old town was named
Kackley since Joe Kackley had agreed to donate the land to the railroad for a
station provided it would bear his name. The warrenty deed issued by D. W.
Hamilton, Register of Deeds, was dated August 15, 1888. It stated "Joseph
Kackley and wife Marian to the Chicago Kansas and Western Rail Road Company 3.25
A 1.68 A for a sum of $1.00." It was recorded October 2, 1988. The acreage
included a diagonal strip of land from the present Highway 148 to the north edge
of Kackley and was used for the depot, the right-of-way, and stock yards. The
bed was built with horse scrapers and man power. The first locomotive pulling
the first train between Concordia and Superior caused five fires. There were two
passenger trains daily and two frieght trains which moved large loads of cattle
from the south to the north. After the establishment of a station, the town grew
rapidly and, at its peak, the population numbered over 200. Over the years
additions to the town included three grocery stores, a meat market, two
elevators (Fulcomer and Bossmeyer) - later the Farmers Union, Foster Lumber
Company, a blacksmith shop, a saloon, a barber shop, a filling station - garage,
a livery barn, a hotel, and a hardware store and, later, a Ford agency. The Post
Office was located at one time in a grocery store and later moved to the
hardware store where it remained until the town's customers were placed on a
Jamestown route. The Woodman Lodge rented its facilities so that movies could be
shown regularly. The hall was also used for dances and other gatherings. Local
entertainment held here included band concerts by the Kackley Band, which was
organized in 1915 with 15 members. The Chautauqua was brought into the town for
two summer sessions. The Kackley Grade School was located in the extreme north
part of town in a frame building. In 1920 the community felt it was in a
position to support a high school; therefore a brick bulding was constructed in
the south part of Kackley for this purpose. The grade school was then moved to
the new building. In later years a gymnasium was added. For a time two
newspapers were published in Kackley, one was religious and the other,
political. A Penecostal Church was built in 1892 and later a Baptist church was
added. When these congregations disbanded, the building were remodeled into
homes. At various times three doctors were located there: Dr. Sjostrum, Dr.
Howland, and Dr. C. V. Haggman. Dr. Haggman began his practice in Kackley. On
its 100th birthday Kackley has gone the way of most small towns. The Santa Fe
Rail Road still services the Co-op elevator. The only other business is a small
mechanics shop. The 1977 population of Kackley is 13. Rearched and written by
Elvie Johnson. (submitted by Sandy DeLauretis)
