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History · Furley

Furley’s post office opened in 1887, and 32% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1889 on.

1887first post office
0on the National Register
32%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Art davis · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Furley began

When was Furley founded?

1887

The Furley post office opened in 1887, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 39139 years
Founding year: the first Furley post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Furley’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Furley are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18896 editions of the USGS map, 1889 to 1990. Watch Furley change.Old housesHalf of Furley’s homes were built before 1956.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Furley’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Furley’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Furley on the map, 1889 to 1990

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Furley. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Furley on the 1889 USGS mapFurley on the 1894 USGS mapFurley on the 1962 USGS mapFurley on the 1978 USGS mapFurley on the 1985 USGS mapFurley on the 1990 USGS map1889Wichita sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Furley.

The story

How Furley came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Furley.

Read it all →

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north–south from Herington through Furley to Caldwell. By 1893, this branch line was incrementally built to Fort Worth, Texas. It foreclosed in 1891 and was 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, and finally merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

A post office was opened in Furley in 1887, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1953.

Chapters19th century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

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Famous people

Famous people close to Furley

Nobody well known was born in Furley itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
B
Bradley DentonAmerican science fiction author · b. 1958
Garner E. ShriverAmerican politician · b. 1912
H
Harold ManningAmerican steeplechase and long-distance runner · b. 1909
Allen B. KanavelAmerican surgeon · b. 1874
R
Ralph WinegarnerAmerican baseball player · b. 1909

Questions about Furley’s history

What year was Furley founded?

The Furley post office opened in 1887, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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 Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.