Galena, Kansas – A Lead Mining Maven
Nestled within the rolling, rocky hills and gravel-laden valleys of southeastern Kansas lies the town of Galena, Kansas. Its origins are rooted in the rugged spirit of pioneers who arrived following the discovery of lead in 1877. Before this pivotal moment, the land was sparsely populated by hunters and farmers, eking out a meager existence from the challenging, infertile soil.
Long before the arrival of European settlers, indigenous peoples were aware of the lead deposits in the region. They frequently encountered large, almost pure lumps of the metal on or near the surface. These readily accessible resources were melted down at campfires and fashioned into bullets, demonstrating an early understanding and utilization of the area’s mineral wealth.
The spring of 1877 marked a turning point. Two young men stumbled upon several heavy stones containing a high concentration of lead. The landowner, a German farmer named Egidius Moll, swiftly initiated negotiations with mining companies from nearby Joplin, Missouri. Word spread rapidly, and soon, richer deposits of ore were unearthed. By June 1st, 1877, two competing companies were vying for leases and sales of mining lots. This fierce competition extended beyond the mines themselves, leading to the establishment of two rival townsites: Empire City, located north of Short Creek, and Galena, Kansas, situated south of the creek. The latter was named for the abundance of bluish-grey lead ore found in the surrounding area.
Galena, Kansas was promptly laid out, and the excitement generated by the lead discovery was palpable. As soon as a lot was surveyed and marked, a buyer was readily available with cash in hand. This influx of people was nothing short of extraordinary. Within approximately two months, the population of Galena, Kansas swelled to nearly 3,000. Business establishments were hastily constructed, miners’ shanties sprung up by the dozens, and the townsite was transformed by mining excavations on every corner.
A joint-stock company acquired an 80-acre tract of railroad land adjacent to the townsite, establishing the South Side Town & Mining Company, which eventually became integrated into the growing town.
Reflecting its rapid growth and importance, Galena, Kansas was officially incorporated as a city in May 1877, less than two months after its initial layout. A post office opened its doors that same month, and the Galena Miner newspaper began publication, serving as a vital source of information and community connection.
The burgeoning boomtown continued to expand, with more wagons, tents, and hastily constructed buildings appearing daily. Within a few short months, the population reached nearly 10,000, a testament to the transformative power of the lead mining industry.
For a period, a fierce rivalry characterized the relationship between Galena, Kansas and Empire City. Each town strived to outpace the other, fueled by the competition for resources and residents.
This rivalry, initially confined to the mining companies, permeated the development of the two towns, intrinsically linked by the rich veins of lead that lay beneath the surface. Due to its proximity to the primary mining operations, Empire City initially attracted the majority of new settlers. However, Galena, Kansas possessed a distinct natural advantage: the richest and most extensive lead deposits were located beneath and around the town. This realization soon shifted the balance of power, with Galena, Kansas surpassing Empire City in prominence. The struggling Empire camp made strenuous efforts to reverse this trend and prevent complete absorption.
The presence of two rapidly growing cities in close proximity naturally led to increased friction, particularly as thousands of people flocked to the area. Maintaining order in the two mining camps proved to be a daunting task. Columbus Street in Empire City and "Red Hot" and Main Streets in Galena, Kansas became the primary commercial hubs, lined with hastily erected businesses constructed from logs and simple wooden frames.
The rivalry escalated dramatically when Empire City attempted to prevent its residents from moving to Galena, Kansas. On the night of July 25, 1877, the city council of Empire City passed a resolution mandating the construction of a stockade, eight feet high and half a mile long, along the southern border of their city. This measure, if implemented, would effectively sever all communication between the two cities and impede public travel. The stockade was intended to enclose the southern end of Columbus Street and the bridge spanning Short Creek.
As construction of the stockade commenced, it sparked widespread outrage, necessitating police protection for the workmen involved. Residents of Galena, Kansas protested vehemently, petitioning the city and appealing to the U.S. Government to prevent the closure of a public highway used for U.S. mail delivery.
However, as the gap in the stockade was nearing completion, and the federal government’s response remained slow, the Mayor of Galena, Kansas, acting under the authority of the city council, organized a posse of 50 citizens to prevent the obstruction. On August 15, 1877, at 4:00 a.m., the posse launched a surprise attack, tearing down and burning a significant portion of the wall. Caught off guard, Empire City was unprepared to respond effectively, resulting in only a few shots fired and minimal bloodshed.
For several years, the two towns engaged in a relentless battle for dominance, marked by constant feuds between residents. The conflict escalated to such an extent that the main thoroughfare connecting the two cities became known as "Red Hot Street." As tensions reached their peak, doctors and undertakers found themselves working nights and sleeping during the day, a grim reflection of the prevalent violence.
This ongoing feud, coupled with the influx of countless miners, transients, and outlaws seeking refuge, created a volatile environment ripe for lawlessness. The town was filled with saloons and gambling halls, catering to murderers, outlaws, and gamblers. Many hardworking miners were lured into these establishments, losing their hard-earned gold at the gaming tables and other questionable pursuits, with some never to be seen again.
During the early mining days, the population of Galena, Kansas fluctuated in accordance with the fortunes of the mining operations. Many ambitious entrepreneurs amassed significant wealth during this period, constructing elegant homes and businesses. Others, who failed to strike it rich in Galena, Kansas, sought opportunities elsewhere.
In the fall of 1877, a building was erected to accommodate several church denominations, including Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Methodist congregations.
During the winter of 1877-78, the first school was established in a building originally intended for use as a storeroom.
In the fall of 1878, H. Webb founded a newspaper called the Short Creek Banner, which was later sold the following year. The name was changed to The Messenger, and the publication relocated to Columbus.
In 1879, the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad extended its line to Galena, Kansas, followed shortly by the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, which extended its line from Joplin, Missouri. Deeper mining operations commenced in earnest, and the town became a hub for the transportation of passengers, freight, and lead ore. That same year, the Presbyterians constructed their church, a single-story frame building.
A dedicated school building was also constructed in 1879, featuring a large two-story frame structure with four classrooms. The school district acquired four lots for the schoolhouse site, which were later discovered to contain valuable lead deposits. A second school building, a two-story frame structure with two classrooms, was erected in 1880. The land on which the previous school stood was leased for mining purposes, generating substantial revenue for the school district. The Episcopalians also constructed their single-story church building in the same year.
The Short Creek Republican newspaper was established on September 16, 1880. The name was later changed to the Galena Republican. It remained in publication until 1900. Another newspaper, the Galena Times, was founded in 1890 but ceased publication in 1899.
By the late 1890s, Galena, Kansas boasted 265 producing mines, two banks, 36 grocers, and more than four dozen other retail stores, reflecting its economic prosperity and commercial vibrancy.
Galena, Kansas continued to prosper, and by 1904, over 30 mining companies were based in or near the town.
The long-standing dispute between Galena, Kansas and Empire City eventually reached the courts. After a prolonged period of litigation, a truce was declared, and the two cities began to collaborate in building one of the world’s most successful mining districts.
When Empire City became a suburb of Galena, Kansas on July 9, 1907, the surrender of its rights as an incorporated city was celebrated with great fanfare. Citizens from both settlements collected pieces of the old stockade as souvenirs. Empire City was annexed into Galena, Kansas as its Fifth Ward in 1910.
By this time, Galena, Kansas boasted three banks, three newspapers, and an opera house. While lead and zinc mining and smelting remained the primary industries, the town also supported foundries, stamping works, grain elevators, novelty works, and a broom factory. The population in 1910 stood at 6,096.
When Route 66 was established through Kansas in 1926, Galena, Kansas, like other small towns along the Mother Road, capitalized on the influx of travelers, providing services and bolstering its economy.
However, just a few years later, labor strikes between miners and mining companies resulted in widespread unemployment and violence along Route 66. In 1935, members of the Mine, Mills, and Smelter Workers’ International Union went on strike in the Tri-State Mining District. The mining companies responded by replacing the strikers with non-union workers organized into a company union, known as the Blue Card Union.
In response, a mob of angry, unemployed miners blockaded Route 66 and attacked passing vehicles with bullets and rocks if they failed to comply with their demands. They targeted vehicles transporting workers belonging to the Blue Card Union. Police officers were forced to detour traffic, and Governor Alf Landon declared martial law in Galena, Kansas, dispatching National Guard troops to restore order.
The unrest persisted for several years before erupting into violence again in April 1937, when the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) intervened to support the unemployed workers of the Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers’ Union. While distributing leaflets for the CIO at a smelter in Joplin, Missouri, unemployed miners were attacked and severely beaten by Blue Card unionists on April 10, 1937. The following day, approximately 5,000 members of the Blue Card Union, armed with clubs and pick handles, converged on Picher, Oklahoma, to disrupt a meeting of CIO organizers and vandalized the local Union Hall. They then proceeded to Treece, Kansas, where they destroyed another Union Hall, before continuing to Galena, Kansas.
Unemployed union members in Galena, Kansas, having been forewarned, barricaded their meeting hall. When the Blue Card mob arrived, brandishing clubs, gunfire erupted, resulting in nine men shot, one fatally. The hall was ultimately wrecked, and the union records were stolen. Twenty-five members of the Blue Card Union and ten members of the CIO were later arrested.
Although mining continued until the 1970s, it never regained its former prominence. The mines were eventually depleted, and the population dwindled to less than a tenth of its peak.
By the time the last lead and zinc mines closed in Cherokee County, nearly 2.9 million tons of zinc and 700,000 tons of lead had been extracted.
Until recently, the Galena, Kansas area and the Tri-State Mining District were characterized by chat piles and mine tailings. However, these remnants of mining activity posed environmental challenges as lead, zinc, and other minerals leached into the shallow groundwater, contaminating wells and nearby streams and rivers. The Environmental Protection Agency initiated a cleanup effort in 1983, and most of the old sites have been restored to their natural state. Few mining remnants remain, apart from buildings, foundations, and scattered equipment.
Despite the cleanup efforts, the area remained hazardous due to the presence of old mining shafts and tunnels. In 2006, a mine collapse caused two historic buildings in Galena, Kansas to partially collapse. Building stabilization efforts are ongoing.
Today, Galena, Kansas is home to approximately 3,000 residents and showcases several historic buildings, including vintage examples of Route 66 architecture and structures dating back to the city’s cattle and mining boom.
A must-see attraction along Route 66 is Cars on the Route (formerly 4 Women on the Route), housed in a historic Kan-O-Tex Service Station. Adjacent to the station is "Tow Tater," a 1951 International boom truck that inspired the character of "Tow Mater" in the movie Cars, along with vehicles resembling Doc Hudson, Red (the fire truck), and a Buick as the Sheriff of Radiator Springs.
Visitors should also make time to explore the Historical and Mining Museum to delve into the rich history of Galena, Kansas.
Galena, Kansas is located four miles north of the Oklahoma border and immediately west of the Missouri state line.
For travelers along Route 66, the next small town on the Kansas Mother Road, Riverton, is only three miles down the road.