Editing Elbing, Kansas (section)

==History==

===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===
[[File:Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Marion County.png|thumb|left|1915 Railroad Map of [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]]]]
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 828,000 square mile [[Louisiana Purchase]] for 2.83 [[Penny (United States coin)|cents]] per [[acre]].

In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]].  In 1855, [[Butler County, Kansas|Butler County]] was established within the [[Kansas Territory]], which included the land for modern day Elbing.

In 1887, the [[Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway]] built a branch line north–south from [[Herington, Kansas|Herington]] through Elbing to [[Caldwell, Kansas|Caldwell]].<ref name="Rock Island Rail History">{{Cite web |url=http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm |title=Rock Island Rail History |access-date=2010-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619230000/http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm |archive-date=2011-06-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  It foreclosed in 1891 and was 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]], merged in 1997 with [[Union Pacific Railroad]].  Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

The track passed through the land of Jacob W. Regier in section 17 of the Fairmount Township in Butler county in south central Kansas. The Regiers sold {{convert|80|acre|m2}} of section 17 to the Elbing Town Company for $5,000. The 1/4 mile by 1/2 mile plot ran along the west side of the CK&NR tracks. The railroad wanted to call the town '''Regier''' but Mr. Regier suggested three other possibilities: [[Elbląg|Elbing]], [[Danzig]] and [[Malbork|Marienburg]], all cities in [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] (Prussian Partition of Poland), where he had lived. '''Elbing''' was chosen. The town was founded May 18, 1887. Within a few months people began to build houses and businesses in Elbing. By November four passenger trains (two in each direction) served Elbing. The trains also provided mail delivery and pick-up twice daily.

A post office was established in '''Worth''' (an extinct town) on March 16, 1886, but  was moved to '''Elbing''' on November 2, 1887.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county:BU |title=Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived) |publisher=Kansas Historical Society |access-date=June 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009125851/http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/county%3ABU |archive-date=October 9, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/page:2/county:BU |title=Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961, page 2 (archived) |publisher=Kansas Historical Society |access-date=June 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009184935/http://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_postoffices/search/page%3A2/county%3ABU |archive-date=October 9, 2013 }}</ref>

School district 160 for the Elbing community was established in 1887 and provided public education for several local primary school students. The original frame building was replaced by a red brick building in 1919. The brick building stands vacant today and students who attend a public school travel to nearby cities.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, Elbing's first church, was built in 1905, but the church disbanded in 1937. The Missionary Church, built in Elbing in 1910, was used until the 1960s when the congregation moved to nearby Newton. The building was razed in 1975. The Zion Mennonite Church, which was built in Elbing in 1924, is the only church which remains in town.<ref>[http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/Z57733.html Zion Mennonite Church; Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.]</ref>

Elbing grew slowly. By 1895, it had a few businesses and 50 residents. By the turn of the century, telephone service was available to the residents of Elbing on a party-line basis–four families for each telephone line. By 1910, the population had reached 100 and the town had several businesses: general store (with a post office), hardware store, implement store, bank, blacksmith shop, lumber yard, barber shop, cafe, and hotel. The town also had a doctor. Electricity did not come to Elbing until 1929 and residents had to provide their own water from wells or cisterns until the city installed a citywide water system in 1967. The city sewer system was installed in 1972. Until then, each residence had its own septic tank.

In 1919, the first of several oil wells were drilled near Elbing. As a result of the oil boom, Elbing grew dramatically for a brief time. Although the town's population increased for a few years, the new residents had little lasting effect upon the town. The oil field rapidly declined and a fire destroyed much of Elbing in 1933. Although new residences were eventually rebuilt, Elbing never regained its businesses. For several decades downtown Elbing included only a grocery/hardware store, a gas station/garage, a post office, and a [[grain elevator]]. Elbing's grocery/hardware store closed a little over a year ago. Today the garage and grain elevator are the only downtown businesses.

In 1946, [[Berean Academy (Kansas)|Berean Academy]] was founded at the south end of Elbing.<ref>[http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B4502.html Berean Academy; Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.]</ref> Although it began with fifteen students in grades nine and ten, it quickly expanded to include grades nine through twelve. By the 1970 Berean Academy had an enrollment of 300 students. Today, Berean Academy includes grades K to 12. The academy was established as a Mennonite school, but in 1966 it dropped its Mennonite distinctives to become an interdenominational Christian school. Berean Academy, probably more than any business or group of people, has sustained the life of Elbing. Although the town has several residents who are retired or are employed in nearby towns, a significant number of families reside in Elbing because of their connection to Berean Academy. Some live here because they teach at the school and others make it their home here so that their children can attend Berean Academy.

Today, Elbing has about 350 residents. It still has only three north and south streets (Main, Regier, and Johnson); and with the exception of about {{convert|20|acre|m2}} that were added at the south end by annexing Berean Academy, it is still 1/4 mile wide and 1/2 mile long. The area surrounding Elbing is mostly devoted to grain farming–primarily red winter wheat and sorghum grain. Nearby farms also raise a few cattle and hogs. During the last three decades, almost forty houses have been built in Elbing, so only a few of its original lots remain unoccupied. The town still has a small Post Office and is in the process of building its first fire station. Until the fire station is in operation, Elbing continues to depend upon the help of volunteer firemen and the fire protection services of nearby Newton.

<ref>Much of this information was found in Elbing-Next Stop which was written by Arnold and Helen Regier and published in 1994</ref>

In 1961, [[Frederic Remington High School]] was built immediately north of Brainerd.  Leading up to this new school, [[Whitewater, Kansas|Whitewater]], [[Potwin, Kansas|Potwin]], [[Brainerd, Kansas|Brainerd]], Elbing, [[Furley, Kansas|Furley]], Countryside, and Golden Gate schools merged to form [[Remington USD 206]] public school district. Heated opposition between Whitewater and Potwin occurred during the discussion for the location of the new high school.  Rural voters pushed for a centralized location in neither town.  A public vote was passed to build the new school near Brainerd.<ref>[http://www.usd206.org/?PN=AboutUs USD 206 History]</ref>