Editing Dorrance, Kansas (section)

==History==
The [[Kansas Pacific Railway]] reached the site of Dorrance in June 1867. [[German people|German]], [[English people|English]], and [[Irish people|Irish]] settlers followed shortly thereafter, forming a small community by 1870.<ref name=Chamber>{{cite web | title = Area Attractions | publisher = Russell Area Chamber of Commerce | url = http://www.russellks.org/attractions.html | accessdate = 2011-08-28 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727225241/http://www.russellks.org/attractions.html | archive-date = 2011-07-27 }}</ref> In early 1872, they were joined by a colony of settlers from [[Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Cutler | first = William G. | title = Russell County, Part 2 | work = History of the State of Kansas | publisher = A. T. Andreas | location = [[Chicago]] | year = 1883 | url = http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/russell/russell-co-p2.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030708014110/http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/russell/russell-co-p2.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2003-07-08 | accessdate = 2011-08-28}}</ref> A prairie fire destroyed much of the community's business district in March 1879.<ref name=Chamber/> The town of Dorrance was formally laid out in 1880, named for Oliver Dorrance, the-then railroad superintendent.<ref name=FHSU>{{cite web | title = Homesteading in Russell County - Dorrance | work = Kansas Heritage Project | publisher = [[Fort Hays State University]] | url = http://www.fhsu.edu/library/ksheritage/Dorrance/ | accessdate = 2011-08-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927010309/http://www.fhsu.edu/library/ksheritage/Dorrance/ | archive-date = 2011-09-27 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = The Biographical Directory of the Railway Officials of America for 1887 | publisher = The Railway Age Publishing Co. | location = [[Chicago]] | page = 89 | year = 1887 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=m4BKWu0Jf0EC&dq=Dorrance+%22Kansas+Pacific%22+superintendent&pg=PA89 | accessdate = 2011-08-28}}</ref> The first [[post office]] opened in July 1883.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county:RS |title=Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 |publisher=Kansas Historical Society |accessdate=22 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009133403/http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county%3ARS |archive-date=October 9, 2013 }}</ref> Dorrance was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] in April 1910 and became a center of goods and services for eastern Russell County.<ref name=KSHS>{{cite web | title = Dorrance State Bank - Dorrance, Kansas | work = Register of Historic Kansas Places Registration Form | publisher = [[Kansas Historical Society]] | url = http://www.kshs.org/resource/national_register/nominationsNRDB/Russell_DorranceStateBankSR.pdf | accessdate = 2011-08-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C | title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. | publisher=Standard Publishing Company | author=Blackmar, Frank Wilson | year=1912 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C/page/n530 534]}}</ref>