13 June 2023
ELLIS, Kan. (KSNW) — The KSN News crew will be back in Ellis this year. We should arrive at the Ellis Railroad Museum, 911 Washington Street, by 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13. Come see us as we go live on KSN News at 5 and 6.
Ellis is located 16 miles northwest of Hays. The town has 1,958 residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income is $61,250.
The town has a rich railroad history and was founded in 1870 when the Kansas Pacific Railroad purchased the site for $1,200. The Kansas Pacific laid out the town in 1873, establishing a depot, hotel and shops. Ellis was a cowtown, serving as a shipping point for cattle herds from the south. In the late 1880s, Wyatt Earp and Buffalo Bill Cody were often seen in town.
The women’s “law and order committee” slate won the local elections in 1886, and Ellis’ all-women council and mayor became one of the first in the United States.
The founder of Chrysler Corporation, Walter P. Chrysler, grew up in Ellis and learned about mechanical repair and machinery at the Ellis Union Pacific shop. He used that knowledge to build the automotive giant. His museum and boyhood home are near 10th and Washington in downtown Ellis.
Walt Disney’s father, grandfather and other relatives lived in Ellis.
The Ellis Railroad Museum features historical artifacts and tools of the railroad trade. The museum houses an extensive model train built by the Western Kansas Model Railroad Club. A miniature passenger train operates along a 2.5-mile track for passengers to view the original railroad machine shops and former rail yard. Outside the museum is a yellow caboose, donated by the Union Pacific Railroad, and an authentic train depot originally located in Penokee.
The Bukovina Society of Americas Museum provides information about the history of German immigrants who arrived from Bukovina, which is currently part of Romania and Ukraine.
Things to do in Ellis:
Walter P. Chrysler Boyhood Home and Museum
Bukovina Society of the Americas
Community & Government:
Sponsor:
Take a picture and upload it to the Summer Road Trip Photo Contest for your chance to win a road trip prize pack from SCHEELS!