Sterling Digital Collections

Sterling, Kansas

Homestead Shanty
Collection: Alden, Kansas

Title

Homestead Shanty

Subject

History -- Alden, Kansas

Description

The 1881 Homestead house of Madison and Jane (McCillian) Wellman. "For sixteen years, he lived in his pioneer shanty, discharged all his indebtedness and invested capital in the erection of a good residence and barn." (Biographical History Central Kansas)

This house was still the home of Madison, Jane and their children during the blizzard of 1886. E.C. Wellman recalled that the powdery snow pyramided from the floor to the latch string hole in the door. "We didn't venture out into the howling wind the first day. On the second day, we tried to wrap hay from the barn in our lariats to take the cattle, but the wind whipped it away the second we stepped around the corner of the barn. We lost no cattle during the blizzard, but many during the spring, as we were out of feed."

Source

Sterling Free Public Library, Sterling, Kansas

Publisher

Sterling Free Public Library, Sterling, Kansas

Date

around the 1880's

Contributor

Seneca Bates

Format

image/jpeg

Language

English

Type

Photographs

Identifier

MM_ALDENshanty1.jpg
MM_ALDENshanty1b.jpg



Citation
“Homestead Shanty,” Sterling Digital Collections, accessed December 3, 2024, https://sterling.digitalsckls.info/item/211.
Physical Dimensions

7 inches by 5 inches