Eudora Area Historical Society

10/16/2026

Did you know that legendary KU coach Phog Allen delivered the commencement address at Eudora High School's 1941 graduation ceremony?! The college basketball season starts tonight! Tonight, the Kansas Jayhawks host Pittsburg State for an exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse.

Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen (1885–1974) coached Kansas men's basketball for 39 seasons and won three national championships during his tenure at KU (1922, 1923, 1952). Before becoming a legendary coach, Allen was a standout basketball player at Kansas from 1905 to 1907, playing under Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball and founder of KU's basketball program.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential coaches in basketball history, Allen is known as the "Father of Basketball Coaching." Many of his former players and assistants went on to become legendary coaches themselves, including Dean Smith (North Carolina) and Adolph Rupp (Kentucky). Allen also helped secure basketball’s inclusion in the Olympic Games in 1936 and played an important role in establishing the NCAA basketball tournament in 1939. In the 1950s, Allen helped integrate college athletics when he successfully recruited Black players LaVannes Squires and Wilt Chamberlain to play at Kansas.

Phog Allen remains one of Douglas County's most prominent historical figures. He was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Allen's legacy at the University of Kansas lives on through Allen Fieldhouse, the iconic arena named in his honor and the greatest sports venue in the world.

10/14/2026

Check out this great short film; The Cardinal! The film profiles local artist Gary Hinman and documents his work developing the current Eudora Cardinals logo. Before Gary's work, Eudora High School and Eudora Schools used several different Cardinal logos.

The Cardinal was adopted as Eudora High School's mascot in the early 1930s, but no definitive explanation for the choice has been uncovered. However, baseball was enormously popular throughout the Midwest during that decade, and the St. Louis Cardinals were the closest Major League Baseball (MLB) team to Eudora. According to Eudora newspaper articles from the 1930s, the St. Louis Cardinals were by far the most popular MLB team in the community. It is therefore quite possible that Eudora's Cardinal mascot was inspired by the then locally popular St. Louis Cardinals baseball team!

10/10/2026

We were so happy to host the entire 3rd grade from Eudora Elementary School at the Eudora Community Museum for a field trip last week! The students were incredibly inquisitive and excited to learn about our community's history! It is incredibly rewarding to share our community's past with our community's kids—in fact, it might be the most important thing we do. Approximately 120 3rd-grade students from Eudora Schools toured our 160-year-old museum building at 720 Main Street, took a walking tour of historic downtown City of Eudora, and completed a scavenger hunt in the museum. A special thank you to EAHS member Mardi Hammond, who generously volunteered and helped throughout the entire field trip. Thanks, Mardi!

We always make sure to tell the 3rd graders that Eudora Fish, the namesake of our community, was their exact age—just 8 or 9 years old—when the town was named after her. Can you imagine being that age and having an entire town named in your honor? What an amazing story to share with Eudora's kids! Included with this post is a photo of each class in front of the museum and in front of the Paschal/Eudora Fish statue at CPA Park.

Since 2012, our museum has welcomed 4,394 students from Eudora Schools and other local schools and organizations for field trips and educational activities! Even more remarkable, nearly every Eudora High School graduating class from the Class of 2017 through the Class of 2036 has visited the Eudora Community Museum—the only exceptions being the Classes of 2021 and 2022. We are incredibly proud of the opportunity to share Eudora’s history with entire generations of our community!

10/08/2026

We thank the Lawrence Journal-World for publishing a great article today that recounts the history of the Salem Chapel! Today, the Salem Chapel (718 Church Street) is known as the Brickhaven Inn, and is a vacation rental house.

The Lawrence Journal-World interviewed Eudora Area Historical Society Executive Director Ben Terwilliger for the article. These are some excerpts from the article:

Ben Terwilliger, executive director of the Eudora Community Museum, said the property is historically known as the Salem Chapel. Terwilliger said German immigrants, who made up the majority of Eudora's early residents, built the church in 1870 and hosted church services in German until 1917.

The church went through several congregations and mergers before it became a gathering place for Eudora organizations in the 1970s. Church services stopped in 1966 after the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren and Eudora United Methodist churches. Terwilliger said the Methodists allowed the Boy Scouts, Eudora Youth Service Organization and others to meet at the vacant church. Meetings took place at the church until 2007.

The Brickhaven Inn project is a good example of what can be done with old buildings, and Terwilliger said the two or three blocks of Church Street just east of the downtown district are good reminders of the possibilities. "A lot of the former churches on Church Street have gone through that transformation," Terwilliger said. "610 Church Street was one of Eudora's historic Black churches, and now it’s a private residence."

Terwilliger said former members of Salem Chapel property helped establish the city's historical society. Many of its artifacts are showcased at the museum, including the trowel used to lay the original bricks of the church and its altar rail. He added that the renovations can help give the buildings a purpose rather than sit unused. "Thankfully, people have repurposed many of Eudora's old church buildings into houses," Terwilliger said. "This is a great way to preserve buildings. In building preservation, the worst thing is for a building to sit vacant. When it is repurposed, it generally is a good thing, and gives the building a new lease on life."

You can read the full article here: https://www2.ljworld.com/news/general-news/2026/oct/08/from-a-german-pulpit-to-an-indoor-pool-old-church-building-brings-new-visitors-to-downtown-eudora/.

10/03/2026

Do you remember the old Martin Farmstead? Located on the south side of old K-10 Highway (N 1400 Road), on the western edge of Eudora Township just before reaching Lawrence, the large farmstead was a spectacular site of ruins until the late 2010s.

The Martin family owned the farmstead as early as 1909, and the main farmhouse was built circa 1890. The farmstead was likely abandoned in the 1970s or 1980s. After its abandonment, the farmhouse was destroyed by fire (in the mid 2010s), the site was heavily impacted by the 2019 tornado, and most of the remaining buildings, which were in a state of advanced disrepair, were eventually razed.

Very little remains of the historic farmstead today. Thankfully, Douglas County historians Ben Terwilliger and Dale Nimz surveyed the former farmstead in 2012 and documented it through these photographs, preserving a record of what the Martin Farmstead looked like before it disappeared. (Sidenote: Ben Terwilliger removed over 20 ticks from his body after surveying the site in 2012!)

09/24/2026

This stately brick residence at 1811 N 1500 Road, on the western edge of Eudora Township, is the historic William Hughes House. Built in 1867 by William Hughes (1832–1905), a Welsh immigrant, the house was described as “the finest farmhouse in Douglas County” upon its completion. Hughes was among the earliest European American settlers in Douglas County during the 1850s and was an ardent Free-State supporter during the Bleeding Kansas conflict. A farmer, Hughes lived here with his wife and children. This grand Victorian Folk-style residence remains in good condition today, nearly 160 years after its construction.

Originally, the Hughes House contained a living room, sitting room, large kitchen, entry stair hall, and three upstairs bedrooms. A small brick structure once stood behind the house but was later demolished. A kitchen and bathroom were added to the house in the 1930s. In January 1983, a fire gutted the interior, though several original features were salvaged and restored, including the first- and second-story stair rails. For more information and historic photos of the Hughes House: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=045-0000-00009.

09/19/2026

For $1.3 million dollars, you can own a piece of Eudora history! The Salem Chapel (718 Church Street) is for sale! The Salem Chapel building is one of Eudora’s oldest and most historic buildings. The building was originally built by German immigrants in 1870, and it was originally home to the Salem Evangelical Church. Church services at the Salem Chapel were delivered in the German language until 1917. The Salem congregation later underwent several mergers, and church services at Salem Chapel ended in 1966. The building was subsequently converted into a community center. In the 21st century, the building was extensively remodelled and expanded.

For Sale: View 88 photos for 718 Church St, this 4 bed, 2.5 bath, 4700 sqft. single family home in Eudora, KS listed at $1,300,000. MLS #166409

09/16/2026

We thank The Eudora Times for recording this great tour of Eudora's historic Brender house!

The Brender House, at 545 W. 20th Street in Eudora, Kansas, is one of the most historic and architecturally unique houses in all of northeastern Kansas. The house was originally built in the 1870s by John Brender. John Brender (1830-1897), a Blacksmith, was one of the earliest German immigrants to settle in Eudora in the 1850s. The vernacular mansard-style structure has thick walls of limestone. The most notable feature of this house is the three story tower located at the front of the home. The architectural style of the house has been described as Second Empire. The house was later owned by the Rosenau family for 90 years. Robert Wilson owned the house from the 1990s-2010s and significantly rehabilitated the house. The current owners of the house, our friends Nolan and Stephanie Jones, have lovingly cared for the house and got the house listed on the State and National Register of Historical Places in 2019.

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09/12/2026

We are very excited to share that ground-penetrating radar (GPR) will be performed at the Eudora City Cemetery beginning next week! Ayla Alves, a graduate research assistant in the Anthropology Department at the University of Kansas, plans to collect data at the cemetery via GPR on September 18, 19, and 21, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. This work is weather-dependent and may need to be rescheduled. The Eudora City Cemetery, located at 2229 N 1420 Road, was established in 1867 and it is by far the largest cemetery in the Eudora Area.

Ayla’s research examines how major national events influenced mortuary practices and traditions in 19th-century Kansas. To conduct this research respectfully and non-destructively, she will use ground-penetrating radar, a geophysical method that uses electromagnetic waves to create images beneath the ground surface. Similar to a scanner, GPR can help identify cemetery layouts, burial orientations, and potential unmarked graves without disturbing the site. Ayla selected Eudora as a research location because of its rich history and proximity to important routes that shaped the development of Kansas during this period. Just as importantly, Eudora’s strong connection to its local heritage and community history makes it an ideal place to better understand how Kansans commemorated their loved ones and adapted to changing times.

Because this project is community-centered, Ayla invites the public to visit the Eudora City Cemetery while the GPR survey is being conducted. This is a wonderful opportunity to observe, learn, or volunteer as stories from the past are uncovered. Community knowledge is invaluable, and Ayla welcomes local stories, family histories, and memories that may help enrich her research. Whether you would like to volunteer, share information, or simply satisfy your curiosity, your interest and participation are greatly appreciated. If you have questions or concerns, you may contact Ayla Alves at [email protected].

The Eudora Area Historical Society (EAHS) is very grateful that Ayla has selected the Eudora City Cemetery for this GPR survey, and that this service will be provided for free! The EAHS also sincerely appreciates the City of Eudora for allowing this historic cemetery to be studied. Eudora’s Southwest Cemetery, located at 1500 Cedar Street, was also surveyed using GPR in 2023. Ground-penetrating radar surveys of historic cemeteries can uncover incredibly valuable information, helping the EAHS protect and preserve our community’s history and heritage.

09/11/2026

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) performed at Eudora's Southwest Cemetery in 2023 likely helped save unmarked graves from future destruction! Earlier this year, the City of Eudora approved the new Holladay Woods housing development. Located on property formerly owned by Dr. Kenneth Holladay and his family, the development will border Eudora’s historic Southwest Cemetery. The results of the 2023 GPR survey indicated that unmarked graves associated with the Southwest Cemetery were quite likely located just outside the cemetery’s established boundaries, on property formerly owned by Dr. Holladay. This information was especially significant in light of the proposed development and the potential threat it posed to these previously unidentified burial sites. Eudora’s Southwest Cemetery was established in 1858 and is the oldest cemetery in the Eudora Area. The Southwest Cemetery was predominantly used by Eudora’s once large Black community.

Earlier this year, Eudora Area Historical Society (EAHS) Executive Director Ben Terwilliger became aware of the proposed Holladay Woods housing development and was provided with its initial layout. That layout placed a row of new houses along the border between the Holladay property and Eudora’s historic Southwest Cemetery. This immediately raised alarm bells. The GPR survey performed at the Southwest Cemetery in 2023 had revealed what appeared to be unmarked graves along the cemetery’s eastern border. In fact, the scan indicated that perhaps as many as 20 unmarked graves may be located outside the cemetery’s established boundaries, on property formerly owned by Dr. Kenneth Holladay. Today, a line of trees clearly marks the boundary between the Southwest Cemetery and the Holladay property. However, aerial maps from 1937 show that no such trees existed along the boundary at that time. For much of the area’s history, there was apparently no clearly defined physical feature distinguishing the two properties. This lack of a clearly marked boundary likely contributed to graves being unintentionally placed outside the Southwest Cemetery’s property, on what would eventually become the Holladay property. Consequently, if the initial layout of the Holladay Woods development had proceeded unchanged, houses would likely have been constructed directly over unmarked graves associated with the Southwest Cemetery. The GPR findings therefore proved to be of extraordinary importance, bringing attention to burial sites that might otherwise have been destroyed without anyone realizing what lay beneath the ground. For more information on the Holladay Woods development: https://eudoratimes.com/18961/government/housing-and-apartment-developments-move-forward/.

Ben Terwilliger notified the Holladay Woods developers that houses in their initial layout could potentially be constructed over unmarked graves associated with the Southwest Cemetery. The developers immediately responded by hiring a company to perform GPR on the portion of the proposed development where unmarked graves might be located. However, that area is completely covered with trees, and the GPR results were therefore unable to determine the location of any potential unmarked graves. Unfortunately the EAHS is not aware of any surviving official records from the Southwest Cemetery that could verify the existence of potential unmarked graves on the Holladay property. Consequently, the EAHS was unable to establish the location of those graves through documentary evidence. Despite this uncertainty, the Holladay Woods developers decided not to risk constructing houses over potential unmarked graves. They subsequently created a new layout that ensures no houses will be built in the area just outside the Southwest Cemetery’s eastern border where unmarked graves are likely located. Instead, the portion of the development that likely contains these graves will be preserved as open space. Ben Terwilliger and the EAHS are profoundly grateful to the Holladay Woods developers for amending their plans to protect these potential unmarked graves—and, in doing so, to help protect and preserve our community’s history.

The EAHS is exceedingly grateful to the members of the University of Kansas Anthropology Department, led by Dr. Blair Schneider and Grace Awbrey, who conducted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) at Eudora’s Southwest Cemetery in 2023. Had the GPR survey not been performed, there would likely have been no indication that unmarked graves associated with the Southwest Cemetery extended beyond the cemetery’s established boundaries. Without that knowledge, houses could have been constructed over these unmarked graves, potentially destroying burial sites and erasing an important part of our community’s history. Eudora’s Southwest Cemetery remains the best-preserved legacy of Eudora’s once large Black community. The loss of any portion of the Southwest Cemetery, or graves associated with the Southwest Cemetery, would have been an irreplaceable loss for the Eudora community.

This story illustrates the significant benefit that the Eudora Area Historical Society (EAHS) and other historic preservation organizations provide to the Eudora community. Without our important work, countless historic buildings and sites, valuable artifacts and archives, and the stories that connect us to our past could be lost forever. The EAHS exists to protect and preserve our community’s history, heritage, and identity. Our goal is to ensure that the legacy of those who came before us remains accessible to future generations.