Highway history

A Kansas White Way is Assured – Frankfort Daily Index, May 13, 1914

Atchison Business Men, Through the Commercial Club, Have Done Much to Insure the Improvement and Marking of This Important Highway Across State

[From the Atchison commercial Club Bulletin:] The Kansas White Way and particularly the Atchison Division of the Kansas White Way owes its existence in part at least to the hearty cooperation of the Atchison Commercial club. When the matter of establishing this important highway, that will be the most direct and best road across the state of Kansas, was first brought to the attention of the Commercial club, the officers of the organization looked into the plans and at once started to boost. And Atchison has been boosting in a practical way since that time.

The Atchison Commercial club agreed to mark the highway as far as it extends in Atchison county and the Atchison club has done much to insure the success of the road boosters meeting that will be held in Frankfort, May 15, for the purpose of making plans for Atchison Division of the Kansas White Way and the marking and improvement of the road to Clyde. Another branch of the road White Way, extending from Atchison extends from Clyde to Kansas City and the western end of the highway extends to Denver Colo.

The Kansas White way will be marked from Atchison to Denver with 26-inch bands on posts. There will be a 4-inch black band at the top and bottom of an 18-inch white strip that will bear the official designation of the road. “Atchison Division The Kansas White Way” will be the words on that part of the highway between Atchison and Clyde, while the rest of the markers will bear the designation of merely, “The Kansas White Way.” The western part of the road has already been marked.

Secretary Sharp of the Commercial club, A.S Drury, chairman of the good roads committee of the club, and C.D. Brenner, who is one of the most consistent road boosters in Atchison county, will represent Atchison at the convention to be in Frankfort May 15. Secretary Sharp has received word from all along the route of the Atchison branch, indicating that every town will be represented at the meeting.

The business men of Frankfort are making extensive plans for the entertainment of the delegates to the convention. The Kansas White Way will be a trunk line for travel from east to west and it is expected that the roads branching from it will be improved, thereby forming a network of the best conditioned roads in the middlewest. Frankfort is on the program for the White Way Friday, and there will be a big crowd here to see her perform. This is really commencement for Frankfort, and we want to see her have on her best smiles and new dress and decorated up to suit the occasion.

You are part of this commencement and if you are not ready when your time comes to speak or do your part you will feel sorry, and will help to spoil the whole show. You may say you are not interested in the White Way. Well, we are going to get you interested in it, whether you want to or not, so you might just as well surrender. The White Way means good roads, and good roads mean good towns and good country. Everybody is coming to Frankfort Friday who is interested in good roads, and this will be a good time for you to get interested. Do something to make this meeting a success. It is up to Frankfort to show these visitors that we are a wide-a-wake people here in Frankfort and community.

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From the Concordia Blade, May 1914

The start for Frankfort will be made from here at 7 o’clock instead of 8 o’clock as first planned. And president Decker says that this will mean seven o’clock and not five minutes after seven. If the day is a nice one, a dozen cars will make the start from here and it is the plan to travel about 20 to 25 miles per hour making five minute stops at the towns along the line when automobiles join the Concordia crowd. The west line of autos from this point to Frankfort is viewing [vying?] with the Atchison bunch to see who can make the best showing and every Concordian that can, should join in the run and make their best pennants fly for this city and the White Way.

The distance is about is about 85 miles and it is the plan for those from the east and west to be ready for the meeting by 1:30 so that the business can be transacted and the return made in decent time that evening. For this reason the start from here is being made at 7 o’clock.

The Kansas White Way movement is going to eclipse anything that has yet come up in the way of automobile roads. Concordia is doing her part to boost the movement along and from the map printed on another page of this paper tonight it will be seen that is the most direct route from Kansas City west and that thousands of tourists will pass through here next summer. It is therefore very important that everyone interested in good roads and in Concordia should boost the Kansas White Way. A number will join the Concordia crowd from the west and by the time the line reaches Frankfort 50 to 75 cars should be in the march.

The Frankfort men are boosters and are doing all they can do to interest and draw a big crowd. They have sent out a letter of invitation to automobile owners along the line.

Kansas White Way pennants are now on the market and they are beauties with the name of the road in white letters on a black background and Duckwall Brothers are selling them for 50c each.They only have 10 left. The White Way Metal markers were placed up from the west end of this city on Sixth Street to the half way line to Clyde. The markers according to traveling men and others who have gone over the routes say without the least bit of prejudice that the Kansas White Way markers are the only ones that can be seen after night and in the day time they are the best on any road. These markers are undoubtedly the best road markers in the world today and are calling forth lots of favorable comment everywhere. The Red Line, the Sunflower Trail and other markers and roads too, are not in it with the Kansas White Way.

Farmers and everyone interested in good roads are urged to join the run Friday and notify President Decker or any of the newspaper men of this city that you are going and will take some one with you.