Leonardville and Riley, Riley County
Title
Leonardville and Riley, Riley County
Subject
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate - Leonardville and Riley: The Evolution Of A Small Town Rivalry
Description
Two towns located five miles apart make for instant rivals. Located in Riley County, the towns of Leonardville and Riley competed to establish a post office and attract the attention of a railroad. Leonardville won the first battle and boomed while for several years the town of Riley struggled to survive. The town of Riley was revived when the Rock Island railroad connected Bala, Riley and Keats. From that point, the two towns competed on most everything from church building to school sports.
In 1959 consolidation forced the two communities together to form one district. A new high school was built half-way between the two towns. The new district was called Riley County Schools, not Riley and not Leonardville.
In 1959 consolidation forced the two communities together to form one district. A new high school was built half-way between the two towns. The new district was called Riley County Schools, not Riley and not Leonardville.
Creator
Angela Schnee
Source
The Chapman Center For Rural Studies
Publisher
The Chapman Center for Rural Studies
Date
Fall 2010
Rights
The Chapman Center for Rural Studies
Relation
Kansas State University, Department of History
Format
pdf
Files
Collection
Citation
Angela Schnee, “Leonardville and Riley, Riley County,” Chapman Center Research Collections, accessed February 16, 2020, https://ccrsresearchcollections.omeka.net/items/show/8.