Transcribed from volume II of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar.

Solomon, an incorporated city of the third class in Dickinson county, is located at the confluence of the Solomon and Smoky Hill rivers near the west line of the county, at the junction of the Union Pacific, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads, 9 miles west of Abilene, the county seat. It has 2 banks, a flour mill, grain elevators, a weekly newspaper (the Tribune), good hotels, public schools and churches, telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with three rural routes. It is surrounded by an excellent farming and grazing country, grain, produce and live stock being shipped from this point in large quantities. The population in 1910 was 949.

The town was founded under the name of Solomon City in 1865, by a town company on land belonging to H. Whitney, a member of the company. The site contained 234 acres, part of it lying in Saline county. However, only that lying in Dickinson was included in the town plat. Its early growth was slow. The first store was not opened until 1867, and the first hotel was built in 1868. The Union Pacific reached Solomon in the latter year and decided the location of the town. In 1871 there had been sufficient growth to warrant an addition. The town was incorporated that year as a city of the third class, and G. B. Hall was the first mayor. The first grist mill was built in 1872 and the first bank established in 1876. The manufacture of salt was engaged in quite extensively in the '80s.

Page 715 from volume II of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar. Transcribed July 2002 by Carolyn Ward.