Clifton straddles line between two counties

Story and photographs

by John E. Chambers

Special to The Capital-Journal

If Clifton has a claim to fame, it is the uniqueness of its location.

Clifton sits on a parallel. In Kansas terms, that means it sits right on a county line, or rather it straddles the line between two counties. Indeed, "Parallel" is the name of the main street of the town, where most retail businesses, the bank and post office are located.

The bank, First National, and the Clifton Post Office, are located side by side on the Washington County (north) side of the street. The city hall and city library are side by side in the same building on the Clay County (south) side of the street.

That little curiosity has caused a few problems for City Clerk Connie Burnell. For one thing, two different trash collectors serve the north and south sides and although both are based in Washington, the county seat of Washington County, each has different rates in Clifton. That is because the county landfills used by the haulers charge different rates.

Since the city contracts for its trash pickup, Burnell sends out city billing for customers of both trash services.

Another complication is that businesses and residences pay different sales taxes, and until the last year or so, each county also had a different set of rates for both classes of taxpayers. Burnell said that because of the variations in tax rates until a year or two ago, and the differences in trash billings, "my books were just unreal."

There is a third factor in Clifton's "Claim to Fame." That is Clifton's "twin sister," although it is a much smaller sister. The little town of Vining sits just west of Clifton on a gravel access road. Although Clifton residents report only approximately 35 residents live in Vining, that town does have its own mayor and city council.

Ten years ago, the residents of both cities had a chance to vote on merging the two towns, but neither town wanted that. Still, some people see the prospect of some sort of merger as inevitable.

A placard on the Clifton City Hall states that the town originally was laid out in 1859 by a surveyor named Clifton. The town occupied several locations before the present site finally was created in 1870 by Rufus Berry in anticipation of the coming of a railroad.

The railroad reached the town in December 1877. Three railroads later served the town, and 14 passenger trains came and went daily. The town is now without a railroad, and the last remaining tracks, last owned by the Kyle short line between Waterville and Concordia, is being torn out. The rails have been removed and the used ties are being stacked for removal.

Clifton was incorporated May 21, 1884. Although it is said to be the oldest town in Washington and Clay counties, it wasn't considered as a county seat for either one.

After Kansas became a state in 1861, Clifton was in the running for the state capitol. That attempt was beaten by Topeka with just two votes, said George Kisby, a Clifton businessman who is the historian for the historical society.

A remaining reminder of the railroad history of the town is the Clifton Community Historical Museum, a former depot which actually was moved in from Haddam, after it was donated by the Missouri Pacific. It was dedicated in 1980. Behind the museum, sitting on a short track, is a yellow Union Pacific caboose. Both are within yards of the stacks of blackened railroad ties.

Alvin Veesart is president of the Clifton Historical Society.

Occupying a significant space on Parallel Street, three-fourths of a block wide, is What Not City, a replica of a boom city of the late 1800s. What Not City was started by owner Daniel Lee Deaver in 1996 with the building of the two-story "Pacific Hotel." Material for that structure came from the old Haddam Depot, which Deaver and his stepfather, Daryl L. Schwab, dismantled.

The multiple buildings of What Not City serve as a focal point for the Clifton/Vining Country Music Festival, which takes place the third weekend of August. Musicians come from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska to compete for cash awards at the festival.

The festival also features the SAL Classic Car Show, garage sales, food and crafts booths, a kiddie pedal pull and other activities. This year, What Not City also held a Mountain Man camp and wagon show, fast draw competition and other activities in a Wild West Weekend.

Other major community activities include an Easter egg hunt, the Saturday before Easter; Memorial Day services, conducted by the American Legion; an Alumni Celebration on Memorial weekend; a Fourth of July celebration with fireworks by the Sons of the American Legion, barbecue, ball game, mud volleyball and mud tug-of-war, and horseshoe pitching; a Halloween parade on the holiday; a Veterans Day parade sponsored by the American Legion; and a Christmas celebration with a visit from Santa at City Hall, business open houses and drawings.

Recreational facilities are located at Berner Memorial Park, which also is the site of an American Legion war memorial with three stones, an eternal flame and a flag pole, which honors the community's lost sons in three wars. It also has an avenue of flags that are flown on major holidays.

Other features of the park are the municipal swimming pool, which was built in 1967, a children's park, 50 campsites with hookups, two shelter houses, and Watson Field with its two ball diamonds. Bill Bloomfield heads the Clifton Ball Association.

Daryl L. Schwab stands in front of the first building created in What Not City. Schwab helped his stepson, Daniel Lee Deaver, build the old west town in downtown Clifton. The Pacific Hotel was built of material from the old Haddam depot.

Clifton: Town was created in anticipation of railroad

See CLIFTON, page 3

Clifton: Town has many celebrations each year

Above: George Kisby, owner of Kisby's Pit Stop convenience store, serves a hamburger to customer Walt Slingsby. Kisby is the historian for the local historical society. The Pit Stop is observing its 15th anniversary.

Left: Kirk Cox, who lives in Clay County, demonstrates the unique situation of the city of Clifton, which straddles the parallel between Clay County and Washington County. That situation has complicated tax computations and trash fees collected by the city. Cox has been a deputy sheriff in Washington County and has had a deputy's card in Clay County.

Clifton City Clerk Connie Burnell and Mayor Galen Haas stand in front of one of the two U.S. flags displayed on the fireplace mantel in the city council room of Clifton City Hall. The flags had been flown over the U.S. Capitol. This one flew over the Capitol in 1980, the year the city hall was built.

Bill Peterson, who farms in Clay County, walks from the First National Bank on the main street of Clifton.

Copyright 2002
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