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.

Wilson, an incorporated city of the third class in Ellsworth county, is located on the Union Pacific R. R. 15 miles northwest of Ellsworth, the county seat. It has an opera house, 2 banks, hotels, 2 weekly newspapers (the Echo and the Kanaske Rozheldy), a large number of retail establishments, telegraph and express offices, and an international money, order postoffice with three rural routes. The population in 1910 was 981. The town was founded in 1871 and was at first known as Bosland, as it was the idea of the promoters that it would be in the midst of a great cattle country. But the railroad company had built a station in 1868 which they named Wilson, and the town soon began to be called by the name of the station. A store was opened, a lumber yard started, and a number of houses were erected in the fall of 1871. In 1872 a stone school house was built. Very little growth was attained until 1878, but during that year as many buildings were erected as in all the previous years put together. The Wilson Echo was established in 1879 by S. A. Coover. A flour mill was erected in the same year. In 1883 the town was incorporated as a city of the third class. In 1890 the population was 778, in 1900 it was 939, showing a slow but steady growth.

Page 921 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.