Wabaunsee

History

Wabaunsee was founded in 1855 by a group of nearly 100 emigrants from New Haven, Connecticut. They were inspired by a sermon given by well-known abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher, who donated money to help supply rifles for the men to defend themselves. The rifles were smuggled through pro-slavery areas in crates marked "Beecher's Bibles." Wabaunsee was staunchly anti-slavery and became part of the Underground Railroad in late 1856 and helped Lawrence after Quantrill's Raid. In 1862, the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church was completed and after the Civil War, Wabaunsee hoped for a railroad, but it was constructed north of the river. Wabaunsee served as the county seat until after the Civil War, when the seat was transferred to Alma. Today, the community consists of several houses and buildings including the church which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Wabaunsee is located approximately one-half mile south of the Kansas River, in Wabaunsee Township along K-18, two miles west of K-99.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,849
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,202
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,199
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,161
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  1,933
• Dickcissel

  Spiza americana (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  1,876
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,798
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,794