Town Wide Spring Clean-up

April 21st to May 23rd

On August 26, 1901, the town of Blair was born.

The history of Blair began with a subscription school in the year 1890-91. Classes that year were held in the home of Mr. Jim Allen. Mr. Cox was the instructor. The next year a small one-room box Structure was erected and the teacher was Miss Nellum. The school did not have a name at that time. The building was only used for a school during the midst of the winter when the weatherman made it impossible for the children to work in the fields. Church services and other community activities were held in the building. When Mr. B.B. Zinn moved into the neighbor, the family lived in the building until a dug-out could be constructed.

The Zinns established the first store and received a charter for a post office. They named the new community, Dot, after one on the Zinns daughters. A blacksmith shop was also established and was operated by Mr. Reed who came from Texas. A barbershop was operated in Dot also during those early years. Shaves were only a dime and haircuts were fifteen cents. Mr. Zinn sold several wagon-loads of farm implements during those years. The farmers began to grow more and more crops.

Blair remained in this location for a time until one day a buggy pulled into the Zinns yard. The men in the wagon were officials of the Orient Railroad. They told Mr. Zinn they were interested in building a railroad from Kansas City to Mexico. If the conditions were met, they would see that the railroad came through their community. One of the conditions was that they provide the railroad the title to a quarter section of land on the west side of the road from Dot store. The land was provided after Zinn and a neighbor bought the land for fifteen hundred dollars. The land was divided into lots and building of several residences began.

There was a meeting in the Dot School by members of the community to choose a new name for the new town-site. There was several suggestions. Some wanted to retain the name of Dot. Others wanted to change the name to Blair after John Blair an official of the Orient Railroad and when the vote was taken, these forces had won. The new name was given to the new Town of Blair.

A town-site company, Hughes and Coffey, examined the situation and bought a large track of land on the east side, north of the Dot store and began selling lots.

The building was very rapid, as soon as the people knew the railroad was coming through the town. Most of the construction was on the west side of the road at first but good water began to entice new builders to the east section owned by Hughes and Coffey.

Mr. B.B. and S.H. Zinn were the first businesses to occupy the new site. Mr. Zinn moved his store from Dot, but later replaced it with a new fifty by one hundred and forty foot building. A drug store was soon added. A new school was constructed to replace the old building that had served the students for several years. A new two-story building gave the students new educational opportunities. Miss Ella Howse was one of the new teachers.

A new Baptist Church was erected which served the community in many ways. Their services cared for the spiritual needs of many different denominations. Dr. Clarkson was Superintendent of the Sunday School for a time.

B.H. Rowe and Jack Fletcher were among the first to build homes in the new town-site. Frank Wildman built the first gin.

The coming of the railroad was delayed until 1907. Despite the fact that they did not receive services of the railroad as soon as they had expected, Blair continued to grow. At the time of its greatest prosperity, the town had the following business establishments.


 

Tuffy