Editing Tampa, 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 828,000 square mile [[Louisiana Purchase]] for 2.83 [[Penny (United States coin)|cents]] per [[acre]].

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 along the edge of what would become Tampa. Two Santa Fe Trail markers were located on the trail near Tampa.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santafetrailresearch.com/research/dar-marker-location-ks.html|title=Santa Fe Trail DAR Marker Location in Kansas 1997 Survey|author=Santa Fe Trail Research Site Larry and Carolyn Mix|work=santafetrailresearch.com|accessdate=4 September 2015}}</ref> The trail was active across [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] from 1821 to 1866.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santafetrail.org/chapters/cottonwood/|title=Official Santa Fe Trail Association|work=santafetrail.org|accessdate=4 September 2015}}</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 Tampa.<ref name="Marion-Co-History">[http://www.marioncoks.net/AboutMarionCounty/History/tabid/7634/Default.aspx The History of Marion County and Courthouse]</ref>

In 1887, the [[Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway]] built a main line from [[Herington, Kansas|Herington]] through Tampa to [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]].<ref name="Rock Island Rail History">{{cite web|url=http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm|title=Rock Island's Family Tree – Page 4|work=covad.net|accessdate=4 September 2015}}</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 was taken over by [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway]], which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as [[Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad]]. The company merged in 1988 with [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]], and merged again in 1997 with [[Union Pacific Railroad]]. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

The Golden Belt Town Company filed the plat for Tampa in 1887. The source of the city name is said to have been suggested by a railroad engineer who rode one of the first trains through Tampa.  Tampa was incorporated as a city in 1908.<ref>Marion County Kansas, Past and Present; Sondra Van Meter; 1972.</ref><ref name="Cyclopedia">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Qi9cXyTWt9EC | title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Volume 2 | publisher=Standard Publishing Company | author=Blackmar, Frank Wilson | year=1912 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Qi9cXyTWt9EC/page/n778 796]}}</ref>

A post office was established in Tampa on April 17, 1888.<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:MN |archivedate=October 9, 2013 }}</ref>