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City of Norwich



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City of Norwich, Kingman County, Kansas

Administration: Mayor and Council
Population: 500
Location: 37º27´26"N 97º50´55"W

At its peak, Norwich had about fifteen hundred persons. Today it's a progressive town of about five hundred people, also filling the needs of surrounding farm families. The four churches in town are: Baptist, Christian, Church of Christ, and United Methodist. There are new modern spacious grade and high schools in use.
Friendship Meals are served five days a week at the Recreation Center.

The Farrar Corporation was founded in the 30's by EC Farrar. They're currently employing 80 persons to produce ductile iron castings for equipment manufacturers throughout the United States.
Doug Eshnaur purchased the grocery store in 1983 and is currently operating it. Harry Eshnaur started Eshnaur Hardware in 1946. In 1979, Gary and Deanna Vavra purchased it and are currently operating it. Additional businesses include a bank, appliance and general merchandise store, honey shop, barber shop. beauty salon, two restaurants, a truck stop, grain elevator, jewelry store, repair shop book store, and car lot. There's also a City Hall. post office. library. Lodge hall. a solar house (Methodist parsonage) and Wheatland Manor, a Senior Citizen complex.

A History of Norwich
Kindly provided by Karlene Skillen, Historian.

The City of Norwich was in the Osage Indian Trust lands. The townsite was purchased by William Willhower and James Skillen.
The surrounding farms and ranches in this 'wheat state' and the arrival of the railroad made it an excellent site for a town.
Amongst the sophistications there was even an Opera House and within some of the many new inhabitants was a colourful character called Everitt who was an excellent Carpenter except when the town 'druggists' sold him too much 'joy juice'.
Doctor Eugene Wallace moved in 1928 and immediately established a ten bed hospital.
Norwich was confirmed as a third class city and E.N.Haag was elected first Mayor.

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City of Norwich