In March of 1874 a post office was established in Hillsborough, the next month it was renamed Dunlap after Joseph Dunlap, an Indian agent for the Kaw tribe.
Benjamin “Pap” Singleton chose Dunlap for his second Singleton Colony, as home for freedmen who had come from Tennessee because of available land under the Homestead Act. Hundreds of Exodusters arrived in Dunlap. The Presbyterian Church founded the Freedman Academy of KS to provide education to the settlers, however the school closed it’s door in the 1890’s.
Population in 1910 was over 300, during this time there was a blacksmith shop, hardware, grocery store, ice cream parlor, flour mill, butter and cheese factors, restaurant, bank, hotel, and numerous churches.
When the exodusters first arrived the white community resented them and they had separate schools, churches and cemeteries. However by 1930, the white and blacks were no longer segregated and lived together peacefully in the beautiful Neosho River Valley.
Dunlap is currently home to approximately 30 people.
Main Street
Native stone sidewalk along Main Street
White Cemetery Dunlap, KS
Black Cemetery about 1 mile north of the white cemetery
Many of the headstones were native stones with no inscription on them
Landon Harness, last resident to be buried in Dunlap Black Cemetery
On a road that is seldom traveled I came across this monument. A beautiful tribute to a freedman who homestead this land. Here is a link about Mr. Davis and his monument to his family.
http://www.robinvanauken.com/a-monument-to-exodusters/
Massive native stone cornerpost
The ground is so rocky that they drilled holes in the rocks to set the posts.
Farmer Days 
What an interesting story on a town that I never knew existed. Your research and photography was spectacular.
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Thanks, Elizabeth. Would love for you to go with me sometime!!
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Thank you for sharing your research and photos. Very interesting post!
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Thank you Donna. You know I am so looking forward to when you are able to go along with Wylie and me on these adventures!!!
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Joseph Dunlap was my great great uncle. I was able to spend a short time in Dunlap several years ago, I would love to go back and spend more time there. According to census records, I know Joseph was living in Dunlap as early as 1860 with his wife and son.
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I’m so glad that you saw this post!!! How wonderful that you had traced your great great uncle back to Dunlap. Are you from KS? Such beautiful country, what a wonderful place to settle and call home.
I hope you are able to return sometime soon, I’d meet you there!!
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Fred’s gas station brought tears to my eyes. I lived in Dunlap when I was a little girl. Grandparents had a farm near by. I used to go to the gas station to buy a soda . I knew everyone and walked that sidewalk often. There was still a grocery, feed store, post office with old guys sitting out front. My mom and dad and uncles all graduated from the high school. Sweet memories…..thank you.
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I’m SO glad you saw this post and that it brought back wonderful memories. One can tell that it was once a vibrant community. Would of loved to has seen it when the old guys were sitting outside of the stores. Do you still live close by?
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I remember some of the Riggs family from years ago. My name is Bill Wirsig and I still live in Dunlap. My uncle ran the post office and I too remember the gas station, feed store, a welding shop, and the grain elevator. I graduated grade school from Dunlap in 1976.
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I would of loved seen it in those days. I plan to make another trip to Dunlap, maybe I’ll run into you!
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I remember the Riggs name. Edna Riggs, I believe. I remember the gas station, a welding shop, and the feed store. My uncle ran the post office. My folks and aunts and uncles graduated from Dunlap also. I graduated from Dunlap Elementary in 1976. My name is Bill Wirsig.
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Hi
I came across this site looking for information on Dunlap. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of what is a great historical place. My grandmother was born in Dunlap. She went to the stone school house which I have a picture of. I have been to the “colored” cemetery years ago. I know that I have relatives buried there. It is a hard place to find. Thank you
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I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post. I would love to see your photo of the school where your grandmother went to school. I spent quite a bit of time that day at the colored cemetery. I prayed for all buried there. Hopefully you can return to Dunlap, I am planning a return trip his spring.
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