Editing Durham, Kansas (section)

==History==
[[File:Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Marion County.png|thumb|left|1915 Railroad Map of [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]]]]

===Early history===
{{See also|History of Kansas}}
For many [[millennia]], the [[Great Plains]] of [[North America]] was inhabited by [[nomadic]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]].  From the 16th century to 18th century, the [[Kingdom of France]] claimed ownership of large parts of [[North America]].  In 1762, after the [[French and Indian War]], France secretly ceded [[New France]] to [[Spain]], per the [[Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762)|Treaty of Fontainebleau]].

===19th century===
In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France.  In 1803, most of the land for [[History of Kansas|modern day Kansas]] was acquired by the United States from France as part of the {{Convert|828,000|sqmi|adj=on}} [[Louisiana Purchase]] for {{Convert|2.83|cent/acre|lk=in}}.

In 1806, [[Zebulon Pike]] led the [[Pike Expedition]] westward from [[St Louis, Missouri]], of which part of their journey followed the [[Cottonwood River (Kansas)|Cottonwood River]] through [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] near the current cities of [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]], [[Marion, Kansas|Marion]], Durham.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://zebulonpike.org/maps/kansas/MAINSEKS.pdf |title=1806 Pike Expedition map through Marion County. |access-date=2011-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317175019/http://zebulonpike.org/maps/kansas/MAINSEKS.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

From the 1820s to the 1870s, one of the most significant land routes in the United States was the [[Santa Fe Trail]].  It was located about {{Convert|1|mi|round=0.5}} northwest of Durham.  The trail was active across [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] from 1821 to 1866.<ref>[http://www.santafetrail.org/chapters/cottonwood/ History of the Cottonwood Crossing Chapter, Santa Fe Trail Association.]</ref>

In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]].  In 1855, [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] was established within the [[Kansas Territory]], which included the land for modern day Durham.<ref name="Marion-Co-History">{{Cite web |url=http://www.marioncoks.net/AboutMarionCounty/History/tabid/7634/Default.aspx |title=The History of Marion County and Courthouse |access-date=2014-04-23 |archive-date=2018-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227021903/http://www.marioncoks.net/AboutMarionCounty/History/tabid/7634/Default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1887, the [[Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway]] built a main line from [[Herington, Kansas|Herington]] through Durham to [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]].<ref name="Rock Island Rail History">{{Cite web |url=http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm |title=Rock Island Rail History |access-date=2011-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619230000/http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm |archive-date=2011-06-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In 1888, this line was extended to [[Liberal, Kansas|Liberal]].  Later, it was extended to [[Tucumcari, New Mexico]] and [[El Paso, Texas]].  It foreclosed in 1891 and taken over by [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway]], which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as [[Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad]], merged in 1988 with [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]], and finally merged in 1997 with [[Union Pacific Railroad]].  Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

A post office was established in '''Durham Park''' on June 22, 1874 (near current Cottonwood Grove Christian School northwest of Durham), then it was moved to the community of '''Durham''' on September 19, 1887<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county:MN |title=Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived) |publisher=Kansas Historical Society |accessdate=14 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009130856/http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county%3AMN |archivedate=October 9, 2013 }}</ref> around the time the new railroad was built through the area.

===20th century===
In 1906, Durham incorporated as a city.<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/n550 554]}}</ref>

In 1962, James C. Donahue established the Donahue Corporation, maker of farm implement carriers, and has grown to a {{convert|40000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} facility.  They have built and distributed over 50,000 implement carriers.<ref name="Donahue"/>  It currently is located approximately {{Convert|0.5|mi|sigfig=1}} northeast of Durham on 290th St.