Communities
Marietta
The town of Marietta began in 1889 as the railroad needed ground for a siding to load livestock. Three wealthy landowners gave 40 acres for the siding and a town site. At first the town was called the Mann-McLeod switch. The Oketo paper was reporting this and said James Daikens was erecting a business building and the McLeod brothers an elevator.
In 1892 a river bridge was built and that helped build up the trade area and a post office was established in the Depot. Peavy Grain Co built an elevator in 1899 and hurt the McLeod brothers business.
In 1900 the first Co-op was formed in the state of Kansas. In 1908 it was reformed into the Marietta Stock & Grain. Gilbert Howell was the manager followed by his brother Henry “Doc” Howell. Doc became well known in the grain business all across the Midwest.
The United Evangelical Church was established in 1902, Marietta State Bank in 1909 and Cottrell Brothers Lumber yard in 1914.
Three brothers similar to the McLeod’s took over. Ben Bull was cashier at the bank; Sidney Bull had a general store and Victor Bull a hardware store all in a row on the south side of Main Street.
The Marietta picnics and June festivals were big social events, a town hall or community center was built in 1918. Dances, corn shows, plays and other social events were held there.
When the town was 45 years old its star faded. The bank was sold to Oketo State Bank; the church closed and was torn down. Many other businesses closed too. The Post Office closed in 1957.
The Marietta Stock & Grain was sold to Leon Burger and later to the Beattie Co-op. It remains today with five or six other homes in Marietta. For more information contact Kent Obermeyer at 785.744.3497.