Alta Vista was founded in 1887, and it was incorporated as a city in 1905. Alta Vista is derived from the Spanish word for "high view", and the city was so named from its lofty elevation.
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Topeka through Alta Vista to Herington. The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was foreclosed in 1891 and taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
The first post office in Alta Vista was established in March 1887.
Passages that mention Alta Vista, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Early history of Wabaunsee County, Kansas1901Read the page →
Read the text
This substantial combination of stone and steel is but one of the eight strong bridges spanning Mill creek along the line of the Rock Island between the mouth of the stream and Alta Vista — besides quite a number of smaller bridges crossing the many pretty streams emptying into the main creek along the route in Wabaunsee county.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Early history of Wabaunsee County, Kansas, with stories of pioneer days and glimpses of our western border..1901Read the page →
Read the text
This substantial combination of stone and steel is but one of the eight strongbridges spanning Mill creek along tlie line of the Rock Island between the mouth of the stream and Alta Vista— besides quite a number of smaller bridges crossing the many pretty streams emptying into the main creek along the route in Wabaunsee county.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Early history of Wabaunsee County, Kansas, with stories of pioneer days and glimpses of our western border..1901 · page 250Read the page →
Read the text
In 1870, Mr. Woodard came to Kansas, locating near Beman, but came to Alta Vista on the completion of the Rock Island to that place. Was elected probate judge of Wabaunsee county in 1894 and re-elected in 1896, serving the people four years in one of the most responsible otlices within the gift of the people. Since his retirement from ottice. Judge Woodard, and his estimable help-meet, are enjoying 1,he fruits of a well spent life in one of the neatest and most plea.santly l(jcated homes in Alta Vista.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Early history of Wabaunsee County, Kansas1901 · page 250Read the page →
Read the text
In 1870, Mr. Woodard came to Kansas, locating near Beman, but came to Alta Vista on the completion of the Rock Island to that place. Was elected probate judge of Wabaunsee county in 1894 and re-elected in 1896, serving the people four years in one of the most responsible offices within the gift of the people. Since his retirement from office, Judge Woodard, and his estimable help-meet, are enjoying the fruits of a well spent life in one of the neatest and most pleasantly located homes in Alta Yista.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Alta Vista, 1885 to 1949
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1905Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Then & now
Stand where they stood
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Retake this viewAlta Vista, Kansas (1905), 1905
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Alta Vista’s page.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1907
1907
1907
1907
2014