Empire City, Kansas, 1877. Colorized.
“If Empire City continues to improve as rapidly in the future, it will certainly be the ‘Boss Town’ of the Southwest.”
— The Mining Echo, 1877
Located less than a mile north of Galena, Kansas, on the other side of Short Creek, the townsite of Empire City was established on 120 acres, formerly a farm owned by J. Nichols. The West Joplin Lead & Zinc Company purchased this tract and 580 more acres for mining operations and a “company town.”
The townsite was laid out in the spring of 1877, and 200 lots were sold in May. The town’s building immediately began as a rival of nearby Galena. On May 25, 1877, a large multipurpose building was completed, which held a saloon, restaurant, town company office, and hardware store.
As in Galena’s case, the excitement engendered by the lead discovery produced an immense influx of people wishing to secure their fortunes in these new fields of mineral wealth. As a natural result, the town’s population and business advancement were extremely rapid. Long rows of houses and blocks of businesses went up simultaneously.
Empire House in Empire City, Kansas, 1890. Colorized
Empire City was incorporated as a city in June 1877, and a post office was established in July. By the end of the summer, the town boasted some 3,000 people.
Its growth was so quick that it inspired the Topeka Daily Commonwealth to comment:
“Such a motley collection of houses, men and women…The town looked as though volcanic convulsions had heaved it up. Houses had been erected with no regard to architectural beauty, the regularity of line, or locality. The streets are as crooked as illicit distilleries; from morning to night, they are filled with people and teams. Saloons and gambling houses are the most frequent objects. Gambling quarters are in such great demand that several members of the profession are compelled to conduct their operations in the open streets.”
Empire City was noted for its growth and seedier side during its boomtown days. The thoroughfare, called Red Hot Street, that ran between Empire and Galena was dotted with innumerable saloons, gambling halls, and brothels, spawning the Kansas City Star to comment:
“The principal thoroughfare was known as Red Hot Street. It became so true to the name that all legitimate businesses withdrew and left the street to saloons, gamblers, and dance halls. For several months the orgies that held sway on Red Hot Street were perhaps never exceeded in any other frontier mining camp.”
Looking north from Galena to Empire City,
with Short Creek in the foreground, Kathy Alexander.
For a time, a heated rivalry was carried on between Empire City and Galena, each keeping pace with the other and seeking to excel in the race. The natural advantage was with Galena since most of the richest lead fields lay beneath and near the town. No sooner was this fact discovered than Galena began to take the lead of Empire City. This change soon began to seriously discomfit the Empire camp, which strove arduously to turn the tide and save themselves from being entirely absorbed.
With all the friction, keeping order in the two mining camps was not promising.
The quarrel assumed a serious aspect when Empire City decided to stop its population from moving over to the Galena side by building a stockade. On the night of July 25, 1877, the city council of Empire passed a resolution ordering a stockade eight feet high and one-half mile in length to be built along the south side of their city. If the plan was carried out, it would virtually stop all communication between the two cities and hinder public travel. The stockade was to enclose the south end of Columbus Street and the bridge over Short Creek.
An old commercial building stands vacant in Empire City today, Kathy Alexander.
As the stockade began to be built, it created such a ruckus that the workmen were given police protection while building the wall. Galena residents protested in vain, petitioning the city, which, in turn, appealed to the U.S. Government to prevent the closing of a public highway to the U.S. mail.
However, as the gap was being closed and the federal government’s action was too slow, the Galena Mayor, acting under the city council’s authority, organized a posse of 50 citizens to prevent closing the gap. On August 15, 1877, at 4:00 a.m., the posse attacked, tore down, and burned the more significant portion of the wall. Not anticipating the surprise attack, Empire City was unprepared, which resulted in the exchange of only a few shots and very little bloodshed.
The two towns continued to vie for dominance for several years, with constant feuds between the residents. These feuds became so intense that doctors and undertakers began working nights and sleeping during the days.
Despite the violence and illicit activities, Empire City continued to build, with most of its businesses located on Columbus Street. The Mining Echo newspaper was established in the fall of 1877 but would only circulate for three years. The first school was taught in the winter of 1877-78, and a one-story frame building containing three rooms was built in 1879. Two church groups were organized, including the Presbyterians and Catholics. The Presbyterians built a small frame building in 1879. A Catholic Church was constructed in 1881.
Though Empire City had already been annexed to Galena, the Works Progress Administration built the Roosevelt School in 1937. Photo by Kathy Alexander.
By the early 1880s, the population of Empire City was just over 1,000, and more than 300 students were being taught in the school.
By 1886, the city’s population had dropped as its post office was closed in June, but it reopened the following March. However, by the end of the 19th Century, the ore was depleted, and the mining interests dwindled, along with the population.
Finally, the dispute between Galena and Empire City entered the courts. After a long period of litigation, a truce was declared between the two cities, which, at last, began to work together to build one of the world’s best mining camps.
When Empire City became a suburb of Galena on July 9, 1907, the surrender of her rights as an incorporated city to Galena was made amid great rejoicing. Citizens of both settlements took pieces of the old stockade as souvenirs. Empire City was annexed into Galena as its Fifth Ward in 1910.
The town’s post office closed its doors forever in October 1913.
Empire City, sitting on a hill on the north side of Short Creek, overlooks this field, which was once filled with mining operations. Kathy Alexander.
The Empire City no longer officially exists; numerous homes and a couple of historical buildings remain in the once-thriving community.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated January 2025.
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