Loading every building onto skids, the townspeople relocated three miles across the prairie to the present-day site of Ulysses. In 1909, when Ulysses could not climb out of its profound financial burden and prevent foreclosure of the entire townsite, the community just decided to move. Though she finally won the honor of county seat, the town went deeply into debt winning the title. Ulysses has since retained its county seat status.Īt the height of the county seat contest between Ulysses and Appomattox in 1888, Ulysses boasted a population of 2,000 and supported 12 restaurants, four hotels, several other businesses, six gambling houses, and twelve saloons. Added to the $36,000 spent in the county seat fight was $13,000 in bonds, which had been voted for a schoolhouse, and $8,000 for a courthouse. It was also shown in court that Tilden had bought votes and engaged in irregular practices, and though Ulysses finally won, it was a dearly bought victory. The exposure of the fact that public funds had been used created excitement among the citizens of the county, who found themselves subject to the payment of bonds, and those to blame for the outrage retaliated upon Alvin Campbell by tarring him in August 1889. It was also alleged that “professional toughs” were hired to intimidate the Tilden voters.
But, it was not known at the time that this had been done at public expense. It was an “open secret” that votes were bought, and “professional voters” had been brought in and boarded for the requisite 30 days before the election and given $10 each when they had voted. But, no trouble erupted, and in the end, the election resulted in a win for Ulysses.įording the Cimarron River in Grant County, Kansas The men built a lumber barricade across the street from the polling place, stationing themselves behind it with their Winchesters and six-shooters in case of trouble or an attempt to steal the ballot box. Among them were Bat Masterson, Luke Short, Ed Dlathe, Jim Drury, Bill Wells, and Ed Short. Before and after the election, the two towns were embroiled and a fierce county seat war.Ĭonstable George Earp would later say that the Ulysses Town Company imported several noted gunmen “to protect the security of the ballot” at the elections. When Grant County was first established in 1887, there were two candidates for the county seat - Ulysses and Tilden (later called Appomattox.) The governor’s proclamation was not made until June 1888, at which time named Ulysses as the temporary county seat and appointed County Officers.Ī few months later, an election was held to determine the permanent location of the county seat on October 16, 1888. Two years later, it had added 500 residents, two more hotels, and supported 12 restaurants. By 1886, the town boasted nearly 1,500 people, an opera house, a large hotel, several other businesses, and six saloons, even though Kansas was considered a dry state at the time.
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