Elk Falls, Kansas
Freeman BLOODGOOD Self M Male W 48 NY Retired Hotel Keeper NY NY
Ophelia BLOODGOOD Wife M Female W 37 NY Milliner NY NY
Elsworth BLOODGOOD Son S Male W 17 NY At Home NY NY
Clement COMBS Other M Male W 58 CT Minister Of Gospel CT CT
Eliza A. COMBS Other M Female W 53 NY Milliner CT CT
https://combs-families.org/combs/records/ks/elk.htm
Elk Falls is situated in the Southern part of Elk County, on the line of the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas Railroad, and about thirty miles west of the city of Independence. The town is favorably located near the fork of Wild Cat Creek with Elk River, and in consequence enjoys the advantages of a large amount of surrounding valley land. The greater portion of the country surrounding, however, is rough and broken, much of it being useless for agriculture.
The town derived its name from the presence of a waterfall in Elk River close by, and which is formed by the falling of the water over a projecting ledge of rock ten feet high and about one hundred feet wide.
The first house marking the place was the claim-house built by Nichols - a small box house, ten by twelve feet.
The first house for public entertainment was a two-story frame built and run by F. Bloodgood in 1871.
After running the house about seven years,
it was sold to Josiah Carr, who kept it only two years, and it was again sold to H. C. Hitchen, and is now known as the Cape Cod House, under the management of J. M. Lufkin.
https://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/elk/elk-co-p5.html
'The only manufacturing at this place is a grist and flouring mill. This establishment was constructed in 1875 by E. A. Hall and L. J. Johnson, and is located on Elk River near the Falls, and from which the propelling power is derived, a turbine water wheel being used. The mill is a three-story frame with basement underneath, contains four run of buhrs, and was built at a cost of $1,600. In 1880, it changed hands, becoming the property of John Longfellow, the present owner and proprietor. This mill besides being the first and only one in the town of Elk Falls, was also the first built in Elk County."
"As to what the future of the town may be, little can be said more than mere conjecture.
It is certain, however, even under ordinary favorable circumstances, that the place cannot attain to any considerable size, owing to the absence of those requisites and conditions as are necessary to its support, such as manufacturing and mining interests, and the surroundings of a good agricultural country, etc."
"The present tendency of the place is backward rather than progressive,
and to predict for her a more prosperous situation than she now occupies
would be extremely hazardous and unwise."
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