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	Franklin County, Kansas, USA

2009-11-07

2009-11-04

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Monday, July 06, 2009 11:26 AM

A closer look: Rantoul

By The Herald Staff

Rantoul was a part of the earliest settlement in Franklin County.

Many settled in the county as they moved from Lawrence and Leavenworth and across the Missouri border into Kansas.

The area that now is Rantoul was not determined until 1882. At that time, a depot and post office for the area also were established.

Daniel Cutler came to the area in 1855 and purchased land near Paola in 1857. He named the land after himself, but his wife established the post office and named it Rantoul — after a Massachusetts legislator and lawyer named Robert Rantoul. Cutler’s wife had been reading an anti-slavery speech by the lawyer.

Rantoul continued to grow and prosper, and in 1904, oil was discovered on a farm near town.

The Rantoul State Bank was founded in 1905 and operated until World War II, when it was sold.

The town was incorporated in 1912. Hard-surfaced streets, lights and water were installed. A fire two years later destroyed most of the business district.

As the town rebuilt, many new businesses came to town, including a blacksmith shop, two restaurants an elevator and a hotel.

The Rantoul Rural High School was built in 1917 and a gymnasium was later added onto the school. In 1965, Rantoul joined USD 288 and students began bussing to the Central Heights School District.

Information taken from “The History of Franklin County, Kansas,” compiled by the Franklin County Historical Society and Friends of the Ottawa Library.

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Government

Rantoul is governed by a mayor and five council members. The Rantoul City Council consists of Mayor Sean Lickteig and council members Don Covington, Blanka Bellinger, Pat Hutchinson and Ron Parks. The fifth council spot is vacant.

Statistics

• Population — 241

• Male — 49 percent

• Female — 51 percent

• Median age — 32.5

• Median household income — 41,667

• Families below poverty level — zero

• Individuals below poverty level — 1.2 percent

Source: The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 census.