Historical Directory of Kansas Towns [D]

Dalhart--S.P. R.R.;

Dalrymple--Mitchell; 
   The postoffice/town of Dalrymple was named after my
   great grandmother, Adelaide S. Dalrymple (Kilgore) It was referenced
   in a book about place names in Kansas. The town was never incorporated
   as I can tell. It is located on the 1880 Mitchell County map on this
   webpage. 
[Shaun Dalrymple (spdalrymple.cu@campuscwix.net) contributed this information.]

Dalton--Neosho; M.P. R.R.; (see Kimball);
Damar--Rooks; 
Danville--
Dayton--Labette; The first Dayton in Kansas was only a dummy
station set up in Labette County with a large sign to divert
speculators who might compete with the promoters of Parsons.
Deadwood--
Dearing--Montgomery; named after pioneer;
Decatur--
Deerfield--Kearny; A.T.S.F. R.R.; 
Deighton--
Delavan--Morris
Deleware--
Delia--Jackson; 
Delphos--Ottawa; 
Delta--Jewell; located about 2 m. northeast of Montrose (on US
Hwy 36 and the R.R.), died because the R.R. passed it by; some of
the buildings were apparently moved to Montrose.
Denison--Jackson
Dennis--Labette; Townsite owner
Densmore--Norton; John T. Densmore, town founder
Denton--Doniphan; Moses, John and William Denton, town promoters
Dentonia--Jewell; P.O. from 1882 until 1903, when it was 
discontinued. 
Derby--Sedgwick; 
Dermot--
Desoto--
Detroit--Dickinson; K.P. R.R.
Devon--Bourbon; 
Dexter--
Diamond Springs--Morris; discovered by Ben Jones; When Santa Fe
Trail was first surveyed in 1825, Diamond Springs was called
"Diamond of the Plain"; the Frank Atkinson Ranch was located at
Diamond Springs on Turkey Creek.
Dighton--Lane; seat of Lane County.
Dillon--Dickinson; Dillon brothers, pioneers

Dispatch--Smith; The community was settled in 1881 by Dutch people. 
It was originally called Rotterdam, and until WWI the official language 
of the church was Dutch. But there was confusion and distrust among outlying
communities, and Dutch was thought to be synonymous with German. If you
walk in the small graveyard, you'll find enscriptions in Dutch
predominant until WWI, then a shift to English. At that time the name of
the town was changed to Dispatch.

Dodge City--Ford; Santa Fe Trail; 1871 the first settler at what
is now Dodge City was H. L. Sitler; founded in 1872; A.T.S.F.
R.R. September 1872;  George M. Hoover, first merchant; named after Fort Dodge, KS;
located at five mile marker, corner of Ft. Dodge Military Reservation;
"I am looking for any information on the first mayor of Dodge City,
Kansas, George M. Hoover. Years as mayor, his saloon, his bank."
[Michael Hoover contributed this information]

Dolespark--McPherson; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887
Doniphan City--
Doniphan--Doniphan; 
Dorrance--Russell; K.P. R.R. 1867; 

Doster--Sumner; 
Hi,  My father, C. Quenton Prather, was born in Doster, KS in 1918 
where his father, Louis E. Prather had built a store across from the 
tracks and 3 grainaries.  I would like to begin research on Doster, 
as it is no longer there.  Do you have any photos, 
Thank you, Jeanette Campbell

Douglass--Butler; 
Dover--Shawnee; 

The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Debra Stufflebean 
for providing the following information, 
taken from a book written by Vey Bassett Rutledge Spaulding in 1964 
entitled "Dover - Then and Now":
          
Dover was established in 1870.  The first settlers were John and Alfred 
Sage who came in 1856.  The Sage and Bassett families in Dover came from 
SommersetShire, Bristol, England, near Dover, England (thus the name Dover, 
Kansas).  Dover at one time had two grist mills, three cheese factories, 
a match factory, a wagon making business, two blacksmiths, an Inn and 
Stage Coach Station, livery stable, and General Store.  In fact, the two 
largest cheese factories in the US were in Dover. The stone house cheese 
factory, built between 1856 and 1865 still stands today, as does the stone 
1878 Sage Inn & Stage Coach Station, and the General Store built in 1900.  

Dowell--
Downer--

Downer's Station (Fort Downer)--Trego; 
1860/1861 Smoky Hill Trail;
1865 town/stage station established; 
located south of WaKeeney in Trego County on Downer's Creek 
about 50 miles west of Fort Hays; 
name derived from Downer's Creek, which was named for James P. 
Downer (never a major), a Civil War veteran and member of a party 
that surveyed the Smoky Hill Trail route.
1866 Indians massacred residents;
30 May 1867 fortified to protect the stage route 
and served as a military post called Fort Downer;
1867 Indians burned fort;
1867 it was also used by Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer, 
7th U. S. Cavalry, during his operations against Indians;
28 May 1868 fort abandoned; 

Downs--Osborne; named for William F. Downs; 
Dragoon Creek-Dragoon Grove--Santa Fe Trail;
Dresden--Decatur; German name; 
Drywood--Crawford; Crawford County had a Drywood Creek and a post 
office named Drywood; 
Dubuque--Russell/Barton Counties (ghost town); 
Dunlap--Morris; M.K.T. R.R.; 
Durand--Woodson; located on U.P. R.R. from Piqua, Kansas; 
Durham--Marion; C.R.I.P. R.R. 1887; the trading post of A. A. Moore
was given the post office name of Moore's Ranch; the post office
was moved to Marion Center and the ranch was purchased by Albert
Crane who named the place "Durham Park Ranch" in 1874 (Durham cattle
came from England); name was shortened to Durham in 1887; 
Dwight--Morris; C.R.I.P. R.R. April 16, 1887; named after Dwight
Chapel built in 1883 and named after Dwight W. Rathbone (townsite
owner) who gave the land Feb. 7, 1887;