The story
Read it all →How Republic came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Republic.
Republic was founded in 1871. It was named from Republic County.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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History · Republic
Republic dates to 1871, and 66% of its homes were built before 1940
Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1880.
1871founded
0on the National Register
66%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Quick answers
How Republic began, and where its name came from
When was Republic founded?
1871
Republic dates its founding to 1871 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
First census: 50 in 18802020 census: 82155 years
How did Republic get its name?
Republic was named from Republic County.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1870. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
What stands out about Republic’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 Republic are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18923 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1985. Watch Republic change.Old housesHalf of Republic’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 450 in 1910; 82 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Republic’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Republic’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.On the map
Republic on the map, 1892 to 1985
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Republic. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1892Concordia sheet · 1:125,000U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Republic.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Republic, 1883–1901
Passages that mention Republic, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Republic county, Kansas1901 · page 42Read the page →
Read the text
We are indebted to A. B. Whiting, formerly of Clay county, but now living in Topeka, for the following account of an Indian massacre committed in Republic county, near the present town site of Republic City, in the year 1857, nearly four years prior to the first settlement of the county.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Republic County, Kansas1901 · page 42Read the page →
Read the text
We are indebted to A. B. Whiting, formerly of Clay county, but now living in Topeka, for the following account of an Indian massacre committed in Republic county, near the present town site of Republic City, in the year 1857, nearly four years prior to the first settlement of the county.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Republic County, Kansas1901 · page 82Read the page →
Read the text
At a called meeting of the citizens of Republic county held at Belleville, April 26th, 1878, for the purpose of taking into consideration the proper steps to be taken to secure a railroad, the following named persons were chosen as a committee to visit Kansas City to confer with the officers of the Kansas Pacific railroad and the Kansas City Board of Trade in relation to railroad matters: namely, Hon. W. H. Pilkenton, I. O. Savage, Ed. E. Chapman, Dr.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Republic County, Kansas, embracing a full ... account of all the leading events in its history, from its first settlement down to June 1st, 18831883Read the page →
Read the text
Republic county is located in what was known, from 1872 to 1878, as the spring wheat belt of Kansas, composed of seven counties lying in a compact body in the northwest, five of Avhich, Marshall, Washington, Republic, Jewell and Smith, being in the northern tier, and the other two, Cloud and Mitchell, adjoining. In 1878, these seven counties produced 3,345,340 bushels, or nearly three-fifths the entire spring wheat product of the State. In the number of bushels raised, Republic county ranked in the State as follows :
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
Republic, 1870 to 1913
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 19th century
- 1870Post officeThe Gomeria post office opens
- 1871FoundingRepublic is established
- 1880Post officeThe Gomeria post office closes
- 1880Post officeThe Republic post office opens
- 1885
Born hereJesse Ray Ward is born here - 1892
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey - 20th century
- 1910CensusPopulation peaks at 450
- 1913Born hereLloyd Cardwell is born here
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.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Add from your albumEvery building
Republic, building by building, 1905–1911
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 1Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
People over time
Republic, census by census
Peaked at 450 in 1910; 82 people lived here in 2020.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Republic’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
See all →2 famous people were born in Republic
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices
Republic’s post office has been open since 1880. Another post office, Gomeria, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Gomeria
Republic
18701950today
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Republic’s history
What year was Republic founded?
In 1871, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Republic’s post office opened in 1870, and the census of 1880 counted 50 people here.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 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.