User:Sprudden/sandbox

In 1812, the Chouteau brothers made their way from St. Louis Missouri and settled in the area that would become Bonner Springs, starting a trading post named Four Horses. Four Horses allowed easy access to trade items, as well as a ferry to cross the Kansas River. Four Horses was a success, and in 1830, Henry Tiblow took charge of the ferry. Henry Tiblow was a Delaware Indian, who was also an interpreter for the government. He lived in a small cabin on the west side of the city. Soon, the ferry became known as Tiblow Settlement, and continued working for years. The town was originally called Tiblow, because of the ferry, with John McDanield as the town proprietor. Then, in 1885, a man by the name of Philo Clark took over, and the town changed its name to Bonner Springs. The town was named after Robert E. Bonner, a newspaper editor, and from a mineral spring said to have medicinal qualities. Bonner Springs was incorporated as a city in 1898. Philo Clark became the first mayor of Bonner Springs, with the incorporation of the city.

Things in Bonner Springs continued to be prosperous, with growing populations and new businesses. However, in 1908, a fire caused over $70,000 worth of damage, and destroyed between nineteen and twenty-one local businesses. Many locals came to the rescue, and started a water bucket chain to help put out the fire, while they waited for a fire truck from Kansas City to arrive at the scene. After investigation, it was said that a spontaneous combustion at the back of Kelly & Pettit's Drug Store that caused the fire, and the winds carried the flames, making them difficult to control. While difficult, Bonner Springs came back from the fire, and worked to overcome the thousands of dollars worth of repairs. Over more than a century after, Bonner Springs has built up to become a city with many commercial businesses, as well as local retail stores.