Willard Bridge Video

    Here is a video by WIBW showing construction of the Willard Bridge.
http://www.wibw.com/video?vid=415788544

Thomas G Smatla's First Tractor

This is Thomas G. Smatla  with the first tractor (John Deere) he ever had.

The photo probably dates from the 1930s.

Click on the photo and click on the notes from the rear of the photo to read.

Willard Bridge Under Construction 1902

Recent Willard Bridge Photos

Photos by Shawnee Co.

Alumni Reunion and Dinner On June 3.

Plans are being made for the Rossville High Alumni annual reunion, 

dinner and program on Saturday, June 3rd.  

All alumni are invited.  

For information, contact 

June Burgett at meburg@embarqmail.com or call 785-584-6080.   

Alumni Found. To Give $4,500 In Scholarships

       The Rossville High Alumni Foundation in conjunction with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation will give three $1,500 scholarships this year to graduating Rossville High seniors.          The Alumni Foundation has given a total of over $16,000 in scholarships in previous years.   The winners will be announced in May and honored at the Alumni Party on June 3rd.  

Dueling Pianos At Am. Leg.

ROSSVILLE: AMERICAN LEGION POST 31, 442 N. Main: 

Dueling Pianos, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, March 11. 

Tickets: $25 advance, $30 at the door. (785) 584-6177.

Shawnee Co. Willard Bridge Photos

Shawnee County Public Works has been taking pictures of the Willard Bridge Construction.  For photos,  and also other info about the bridge,  go to:

http://www.snco.us/publicworks/willard_bridge.asp

Oscar McCoy Passes Away At 97 Years

1.     “Oscar” McCoy, age 97, formerly of Delia passed away Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Oakley Place of Rossville.
       Oscar was born June 14, 1919 in El Paso, Texas the son of Allen and Clara Armstrong McCoy.
       Oscar graduated from Perry High School. During World War II he worked at Beechcraft Corperation. Oscar farmed northwest of Perry, Kansas. When Perry Reservoir was constructed, he moved north of Delia and farmed there the rest of his life.  
2.     Inurnment will be in the Oak Ridge Cemetery at Perry, Kansas  

Willard Bridge Under Budget

From the Capital Journal:

Replacing the aged Willard Bridge in rural Shawnee County could be done sooner and for nearly $6 million less than expected.

Tom Flanagan, deputy director of public works, briefed the public and Shawnee County Commissioners on Thursday about the progress of the multi-million dollar project spanning the Kansas River. Crews have been working since early last year and by contract are required to finish by Dec. 1, but Flanagan said it’s likely the project will wrap up sooner. About 70 percent of the total construction is complete, he said.

“I’m going to hold them to (the Dec. 1 deadline) but I’m hoping we can beat that by at least a couple months,” he said.

Commission Shelly Buhler, who lives in Rossville, north of the bridge, said she’s heard from many who are happy with the project. Willard Bridge has been a concern since 2009 when a commission reported said that if one of the bridge’s eight steel pins failed, it would collapse without warning.

“In the coffee shop, they tell me they’re pleased with the progress,” Buhler said.

In June, Carlson Road and the old bridge will close so crews can connect the road to the new bridge. The closure should last no longer than 90 days, Flanagan said. A marked detour, about 25 miles long, will lead people around the bridge to another crossing.

The old bridge, which was constructed in 1955 and has several structural deficiencies, is still open to traffic with a weight limit. Reinforcements were added on the north bank of the river, but Flanagan stressed that the weight limit is 9 tons.

“We still have a lot of violators,” he said.

The commission approved a little more than $24.7 million for the bridge in 2015, but since the beginning it has been under budget. A.M. Cohron & Co returned a bid of about $16.028 million, and with design and other fees of about $2.6 million, Flanagan said he expected the total cost to be between $18 million and $19 million.

“We saved some big bucks,” he said

The update came after Carol Marple inquired during public comment about the bridge’s status.

“The rumor mill was alive and well about closing the bridge,” she said.

Allen Rose Pases Away

Allen Leroy Rose, 86, of Rossville passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at the Colmery-O’Neil V.A. Hospital in Topeka.

He was born May 26, 1930 in Metcalf, Illinois, the son of James and Dorothy Rogers Rose.

Allen attended Charleston High School in Charleston, IL.  He was an Army veteran of the Korean War, and was wounded in combat on February 22, 1951.  Allen was awarded a purple heart and a bronze star for bravery.  He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He was married to Dolores Britt on October 24, 1952.  She survives at the home.  Other survivors are two sons, Steve (Nancy) of Delia and Randy, of Sabetha; his daughter, Sandee (Steve Schnelz) Milwaukee, WI; a sister, Donna Satterfield, Charleston, IL; eight grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Allen was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson; three sisters and three brothers.

Memorial services will be at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys.  Inurnment will be in the Rossville Cemetery with military services conducted by Jimmie Lillard Post No. 31 of the American Legion.  Memorial contributions may be made in Allen’s name and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, Kansas 66536.

Concert Rescheduled For Friday

Monday night's school concert 

has been RESCHEDULED 

for this 

FRIDAY, MARCH 10th at 7:00 PM.

Swans near Rossville

    This is a link to a video of about 120 Trumpeter and Tundra Swans in a field near Rosssville.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJugrYfDGg

Football Team Honored

The Rossville State Champion Bulldawg football team was honored at the Kansas State Capitol.