–Not graded

History · McFarland

McFarland’s post office opened in 1887, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1889 on, and the census since 1910.

1887first post office

0on the National Register

41%homes built before 1940

3old photos & papers

Add an old photo Share a memory

From McFarland’s archive · credits on each photo

Quick answers

How McFarland began, and where its name came from

When was McFarland founded?

1887

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

First census: 388 in 19102020 census: 272139 years

How did McFarland get its name?

McFarland was named after J. N. McFarland, a Topeka, Kansas judge and member of the town company.

Founding year: the first McFarland post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about McFarland’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18896 editions of the USGS map, 1889 to 1990. Watch McFarland change.Boom and bustPeaked at 579 in 1920; 272 people lived here in 2020.

★ What stands out · Help out

Start McFarland’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

Retake an old view1907 CJ Comstock home: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

On the map

McFarland on the map, 1889 to 1990

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

1889Wamego 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 McFarland.

People over time

McFarland, census by census

Peaked at 579 in 1920; 272 people lived here in 2020.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on McFarland’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How McFarland came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of McFarland.

Read it all →

McFarland was established in June 1887 by S.H. Fairfield. It was named after J. N. McFarland, a Topeka, Kansas judge and member of the town company.

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Topeka through McFarland 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".

Circa 1910, over 30 passenger trains per day passed through McFarland.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

McFarland, 1887 to 1920

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

19th century
1887Post officeThe McFarland post office opens
1889On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
20th century
1907In the archive1907 CJ Comstock home
1920CensusPopulation peaks at 579

By decade

McFarland, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s3 items

19071907 CJ Comstock home

19071907 Hahn store

19071907 Noller store

1910s–1990snothing yet

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.

Add from your album

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 view1907 CJ Comstock home, 1907

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on McFarland’s page.

Retake this view · +15

Famous people

Famous people close to McFarland

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

See all →

Wendell HallAmerican musician · b. 1896

John CarrollAmerican politician · b. 1929

Dean GriffingGridiron football player, coach, and executive · b. 1913

Lew LaneAmerican football coach · b. 1899

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Newbury Township3 historic placesA⁻Alma Township4 historic placesA⁻

Questions about McFarland’s history

What year was McFarland founded?

The McFarland 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 →

Start a conversation

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 Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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