Editing Concordia, Kansas (section)

===19th century===
[[File:Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Cloud County.png|thumb|left|1915 Railroad Map of Cloud County]]
Concordia holds the distinction of being elected the [[county seat]] before the town was created.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/cloud/cloud-co-p2.html#CONCORDIA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030425112044/http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/cloud/cloud-co-p2.html#CONCORDIA|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 April 2003|title=Cloud County, Part 2|website=www.kancoll.org|access-date=13 April 2018}}</ref>  The founder of the town, [[James Manney Hagaman|James M. Hagaman]], had created a complete layout of the town on paper including streets, blocks, courthouse, and parks. The name "Concordia" was chosen because a member of the early group of promoters ("Cap" Snyder) had once lived in [[Concordia, Missouri]], and liked the name because it paid homage to the settlers-to-be's German heritage; the name "Concordia" is a German name found in many early Germanic poems.

December 1869 was the first election for the county seat with Concordia, [[Clyde, Kansas|Clyde]], and the now defunct town, [[Sibley, Kansas|Sibley]]. Without a clear majority, a second election was held between Concordia and Sibley on January 4, 1870.  Concordia was declared the winner over Sibley, 165 votes to 129.

It was over a year later when Concordia officially became a community when the Republican Land District Office opened on January 16, 1871. The Concordia Land Office continued until February 28, 1889, when it was consolidated with the land office in [[Topeka, Kansas]].

Also in 1871, Concordia elected its first mayor, R. E. Allen. Under his leadership, Concordia was officially incorporated as a third class city under Kansas law in August 1872.

Concordia was visited in its early years by many traveling shows. As early as 1876, various traveling entertainers, including [[Wild Bill Hickok]], [[Buffalo Bill Cody]], [[Ringling Brothers]], and others came to Concordia.  In 1892, the Ringling train wrecked east of the town killing two men and 20 horses, but the show played the next day to a crowd of 4,000.

The first schoolteacher to teach inside the city limits was Milo Stevens, who was paid a salary of $20 per month.<ref>[http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/cloud/1903/kansas8.shtml#07901 ''Biographical history of Cloud County, Kansas''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231062510/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/cloud/1903/kansas8.shtml#07901 |date=2006-12-31 }} "First School in Concordia" by E.F. Hollibaugh, 1903</ref> A state [[normal school]] was set up in Concordia in 1874 with F. E. Robinson as principal and former state Superintendent H. D. McCarty became president the second year.  In 1876, the state ceased to provide funding and the school was closed.<ref>[http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1918ks/v2/1035.html#103905 A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019235006/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1918ks/v2/1035.html#103905 |date=October 19, 2013 }}, by William E. Connelley, transcribed by Carolyn Ward, 2000</ref>

In 1887, [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] built a branch line from [[Neva, Kansas|Neva]] (three miles west of [[Strong City, Kansas|Strong City]]) through Concordia to [[Superior, Nebraska]].  In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] and renamed to the current [[BNSF Railway]].  Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe."

In 1897, [[Pope Leo XIII]] founded the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Concordia, Kansas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04206b.htm|title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Concordia (In America)|website=www.newadvent.org|access-date=13 April 2018}}</ref>  The diocese operated until 1947 when it was merged with the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina]].  It was later restored as a titular see in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0556.htm|title=Titular See of Concordia, USA|website=gcatholic.org|access-date=13 April 2018}}</ref>