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Walton City Hall in Walton, KansasPhoto: Steve Meirowsky (Wikipedia) (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0
–Not graded
History · Walton Township

Walton Township’s post office opened in 1871, and 61% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1889 on and the census since 1880.

1871first post office
0on the National Register
61%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Steve Meirowsky (Wikipedia) (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers

How Walton Township began

When was Walton Township founded?

1871

The Walton Township post office opened in 1871, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 162 in 18802020 census: 469155 years
Founding year: the first Walton Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Walton Township’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 Walton Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18893 editions of the USGS map, 1889 to 1985. Watch Walton Township change.Old housesHalf of Walton Township’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 357 in 1910; 219 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Walton Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Walton Township’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

Walton Township on the map, 1889 to 1985

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

Walton Township on the 1889 USGS mapWalton Township on the 1894 USGS mapWalton Township on the 1985 USGS map1889Newton 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 Walton Township.

The story

How Walton Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Walton Township.

Read it all →

In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a main line from Emporia through Walton to Newton, reaching Walton and Newton in July. In 1996, it merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".

ChaptersEarly history19th century20th century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Walton Township, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Walton Elementary School in Walton, Kansas2010Walton Elementary School in Walton, KansasWalton City Hall in Walton, Kansas2010Walton City Hall in Walton, KansasMid Kansas Cooperative in Walton, Kansas2010Mid Kansas Cooperative in Walton, KansasHarvey County Rural Water District in Walton, Kansas2010Harvey County Rural Water District in Walton, KansasDetailed map of Walton, Kansas2010Detailed map of Walton, KansasMapKSMap-doton-Walton2004KSMap-doton-Walton
People over time

Walton Township, census by census

010020030018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 357

Peaked at 357 in 1910; 219 people lived here in 2020.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Walton Township

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

See all →
Shirley KnightAmerican actress · b. 1936
Katie SowersAmerican football coach · b. 1986
E
E. T. KlassenAmerican Postmaster general · b. 1908
Duane D. ThiessenUnited States Marine Corps general · b. 1951
I
Ira AndersAmerican politician · b. 1942
D
Donald DahlAmerican politician · b. 1945
Places that used to be

Places now gone and burying grounds

Gone or out of use
Gilley's Airportairport
1cemetery inside Walton Township
Walton

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

East Branch TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townPeabody Township6 historic placesAPleasant TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHighland TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Walton Township’s history

What year was Walton Township founded?

The Walton Township post office opened in 1871, 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 Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.