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Jenkins Building Morris Co Kansas 1Photo: SharonPapierdreams · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
History · White City

White City’s post office opened in 1872, and 38% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Jenkins Building.

1872first post office
1on the National Register
38%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How White City began, and where its name came from

When was White City founded?

1872

The White City post office opened in 1872, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 447154 years

How did White City get its name?

White City was named for F.C. White, superintendent of the Neosho division of the M-K-T Railroad, which was built on the land in 1868, prior to the existence of the community.

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

What stands out about White City’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 White City are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of White City’s homes were built before 1962.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start White City’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how White City’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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The story

How White City came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of White City.

Read it all →

White City was founded in 1871 by a colony from Chicago. It was named for F.C. White, superintendent of the Neosho division of the M-K-T Railroad, which was built on the land in 1868, prior to the existence of the community. Prior to the naming of the community, other names considered were "New Chicago" (because the founders came from Chicago) and "Swedeland" (because so many Swedes settled in the community).

The first post office in White City was established in January 1872.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

White City, 1872 to 1931

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1872Post officeThe White City post office opens
  3. 20th century
  4. 1921Born hereDuane Gish is born here
  5. 1931Born hereJack Morris is born here
By decade

White City, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Detailed map of2010Detailed map ofMapKSMap-doton-White City2004KSMap-doton-White City
On the National Register

1 historic place in White City

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2004
Jenkins Building
Jenkins Building
Buildings
Jenkins BuildingBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in White City

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
D
Duane GishAmerican biochemist an creationist · b. 1921
Jack MorrisAmerican football player · b. 1931

Questions about White City’s history

What year was White City founded?

The White City post office opened in 1872, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

What is on the National Register in White City?

One place: the Jenkins Building (listed 2004).

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 (2), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.