Dublin Core
Title
The Story of Silver Lake, Kansas
Subject
How Silver Lake, KS first became a town
Description
A story written by Linda Kleim past school teacher, 1987
Publisher
Silver Lake Library
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
In the 1800's, Kansas was mostly Indian Territory. The white people had started taking away the Indian's land in the East. Kansas was one of the reservations where the Indians were sent to live. The Indians were forced to leave homes they loved, where they had lived all of their lives.
The Indians had built log cabins, raised food for themselves and began a new life for their families. There was no town until the Indians and the Pioneers who had also left their homes in the East to begin new lives.
In 1826 the Army sent soldiers to Kansas to look at the land and decide which parts to keep for the white people and which parts to give to the Indians. While they were in the area close to Silver Lake the soldiers began building a stone home for the winter, hauling rock from a quarry just north of Soldier Creek. The house was completed in 1827 and still stands to this day on July 12, 2021. It is the oldest house in Shawnee County still used as a home.
Finally in 1835 the U. S. Army and the Indian leader decided the land in the Northeast part of Kansas, near the soldiers stone house would be given to the Pottawatomie Indians for their reservation.
Because the lake was a clear silvery color the Indians called it
"Silver Lake" Another story often told is that the Indian Chief had a prize bird dog whom he called "Silver" who loved to hunt ducks on the lake and legend has it that it then became known as "Silver's Lake".
In 849 one thousand Pottawatomie Indians were sent to this area from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These new Pottawatomies became friends with Chief LaFromboise, of the local tribe. Both of these tribes were friendly with white people in the area. Stories are told what kind, friendly people they were.
More and more white settlers began moving into the area so the population grew. Many began to marry and learned to be farmers and traders who set up stores.
In 1854, a man named Madore B. Beaubien came to this area. His Father was French and his Mother, an Indian. Madore fell in love with Chief LaFromboise's daughter Theresa and married her, settling in Silver Lake.
When the Union Pacific Railroad reached Silver Lake in 1866 people began complaining that streets and shops should be planned out to improve the community. Madore and Theresa Beaubien gave some of their land on which the town's stores and shops could be built. Since the land belonged to him he named the fist streets. Madore, Theresa, Lake, and Masche (an Indian friend of his). In the middle of these streets is the Beaubien house, a large 2 story building still standing as a private home.
The Indians had built log cabins, raised food for themselves and began a new life for their families. There was no town until the Indians and the Pioneers who had also left their homes in the East to begin new lives.
In 1826 the Army sent soldiers to Kansas to look at the land and decide which parts to keep for the white people and which parts to give to the Indians. While they were in the area close to Silver Lake the soldiers began building a stone home for the winter, hauling rock from a quarry just north of Soldier Creek. The house was completed in 1827 and still stands to this day on July 12, 2021. It is the oldest house in Shawnee County still used as a home.
Finally in 1835 the U. S. Army and the Indian leader decided the land in the Northeast part of Kansas, near the soldiers stone house would be given to the Pottawatomie Indians for their reservation.
Because the lake was a clear silvery color the Indians called it
"Silver Lake" Another story often told is that the Indian Chief had a prize bird dog whom he called "Silver" who loved to hunt ducks on the lake and legend has it that it then became known as "Silver's Lake".
In 849 one thousand Pottawatomie Indians were sent to this area from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These new Pottawatomies became friends with Chief LaFromboise, of the local tribe. Both of these tribes were friendly with white people in the area. Stories are told what kind, friendly people they were.
More and more white settlers began moving into the area so the population grew. Many began to marry and learned to be farmers and traders who set up stores.
In 1854, a man named Madore B. Beaubien came to this area. His Father was French and his Mother, an Indian. Madore fell in love with Chief LaFromboise's daughter Theresa and married her, settling in Silver Lake.
When the Union Pacific Railroad reached Silver Lake in 1866 people began complaining that streets and shops should be planned out to improve the community. Madore and Theresa Beaubien gave some of their land on which the town's stores and shops could be built. Since the land belonged to him he named the fist streets. Madore, Theresa, Lake, and Masche (an Indian friend of his). In the middle of these streets is the Beaubien house, a large 2 story building still standing as a private home.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.