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Read on to learn more about the city and its chimneys:
A Quick History of Spring Hill, KS
A wooded creek bank on the popular trade trail between Olathe and Paola seemed like a good spot to plat the town that James B. Hovey envisioned in 1856. He incorporated the town and built a small hotel for travelers the following year. In 1859, Spring Hill became the home to the first woman doctor in the state of Kansas. Doctor Celia Ann Dayton brought her son and husband from Vermont and established a practice in town. She was also rumored to be part of the Underground Railroad and actively helped runaway slaves to freedom. Celia’s son, Hiram Eugene, was a spy for the Union army. He rode with some of William Quantrill’s crew, who frequently terrorized the area. Hiram did this until his identity was discovered and he was killed in 1862. In the same year, Quantrill’s Raiders attempted to raid Spring Hill but a farmer convinced them that a company of soldiers was waiting in Spring Hill. The guerrillas left but the Quantrill Raiders did return the next year and killed one citizen while they looted businesses and stole from farmers.
Spring Hill continued to grow to approximately 500 people and several small businesses in the 1870s. When the railroad was being built, the lines threatened to bypass the town unless the citizens paid $15,000 to have the land graded. Spring Hillians were stubborn and refused to pay so the tracks were laid about 1/2 mile from the original town square. Businesses moved closer to the tracks and a new downtown began to develop. The first school, Spring Hill Rural High School, was built in the 1920s. The population remained around the same until the 1960s. At that time, the high school merged to include an elementary and junior high as well.
City administrators decided to focus on bringing new industry to the city in the 1980s which successfully brought more businesses and residents to the town. The population increased initially but stayed steadily the same again until the 2000s. Nearby cities in Johnson County sprawled and the last 18 years saw tremendous growth, both in town and in rural parts within city limits. Several new subdivisions were developed leading to new schools and expanding the town out to the east and south. The population between 2000 and 2016 has more than doubled from 2,727 to 6,166 people. Despite its growth, Spring Hill has maintained its small-town values. The historical society has done a great job of preserving early homes and structures as well as the stories that made this small town what it has become today.
The Fireplaces and Chimneys of Spring Hill, KS
By Robert Berry, Owner of Full Service Chimney
Spring Hill, 150 years of living by the hearth
From the simple fireplaces and wood stoves that served the early settlers to the modern gas fireplaces and utility chimneys that serve the homes in recent years, Spring Hill, Kansas and its chimney go back nearly 150 years. Families in Spring Hill know after a hard days work that nothing soothes like time with loved ones around the fire.
Spring Hill founders where a hardy stock
Since some of the city was of the Civil War era, the homes at this time had fireplaces and chimneys that were counted on for survival in the harsh Kansas prairie. Wood and, later, coal stoves and fireplaces were the equivalent of today’s central furnaces and kitchen ranges. Although most of the older stoves are gone, their chimneys continue serving the gas furnaces and water heaters. These older chimneys, many without clay flue liners, often need restoration to ensure “fire stays in its place”. Few fireplaces in homes prior to 1900 were of a decorative design, with smaller fireboxes and ornamental trim. Restoration of these fireplaces is a specialty of Full Service Chimney, allowing families to stay warm and safe.
Modern-day boomtown
Almost one-half of Spring Hill’s current homes were built in the last twenty years, adding a nice mix of historic and modern lifestyles to this robust Kansas community. The home construction of the 2000s often have factory-built fireplaces and the air-cooled chimneys that serve them. In the last few years, gas fireplaces have become a popular choice for builders and homeowners alike. The direct-vent fireplaces and gas inserts provide the conveniences and warmth not available just a few years ago. Both the factory-built fireplaces and direct-vent inserts need the care and attention of their masonry counterparts. Annual servicing of these hearths are essential for trouble-free enjoyment and a long service life. Allow Full Service Chimney to be your Spring Hill chimney sweep. We’ll provide our friendly service to you as we have to Spring Hill for the last thirty years.
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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Hill,_Kansas
https://www.springhillks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/228/historicbrochure