Everyday El Dorado

William Hildebrand is listed as the first white settler in Butler County.  He is also identified as a horse thief.  Nothing else is mentioned about him in the history books.  But there is always more to a story...

Celebrating 150 Years in El Dorado is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjunction with Golden Road Studios, Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

Judge J.C. Lambdin was the Chairman of the Board of Eldorado Town Company in September 1871, when election was first held for Mayor, Council Members and Sheriff.  This election on September 12, 1871, marked the date we officially recognize as the founding of El Dorado but was not the town's beginning.  

The beginning is documented as June 15, 1857 when a group of men from Lawrence headed West to expand the voting district for the Free State Party.  They eventually settled along the West Branch of the Walnut River and named their settlement Eldorado and incorporated the Eldorado Town Company with the Kansas Territorial Legislature on February 6, 1858

Lambdin originally arrived in Butler County in August of 1857 and helped to form Chelsea.  

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjunction with Golden Road Studios, Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

A special Halloween episode featuring a story in the headlines on October 31, 1904 

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

Brigadier General Alfred Washington Ellet was born on October 11, 1820 and the 200th anniversary of his birth is this year (2020).

Ellet began investing in El Dorado in 1873 and made many trips to visit his son, Edward (E.C.) Ellet, before finally locating Butler County.

Along with his son Edward, and friend Nathan Frazier, he helped organize the Bank of El Dorado, which eventually became Farmers and Merchants Bank.

His last name may sound familiar to many because it was bestowed on the building he had built for El Dorado - The Ellet Opera House.

The Ellet Opera House opened in 1884, and became the cultural heart of the city.  It was the location of most public entertainment, from lectures by prominent speakers and political speeches to commencement ceremonies and church services.  The Ellet Opera house was also host to talent shows and grand balls, as well as opera singers and eventually vaudeville.

A display featuring memorabilia donated to the museum by descendants of Ellet is planned as part of El Dorado’s 150th birthday celebration.

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

Brigadier General Alfred Washington Ellet was born on October 11, 1820 and the 200th anniversary of his birth is this year (2020). 

Ellet began investing in El Dorado in 1873 and made many trips to visit his son, Edward (E.C.) Ellet, before finally locating Butler County.

Along with his son Edward, and friend Nathan Frazier, he helped organize the Bank of El Dorado, which eventually became Farmers and Merchants Bank.

His last name may sound familiar to many because it was bestowed on the building he had built for El Dorado - The Ellet Opera House.

The Ellet Opera House opened in 1884, and became the cultural heart of the city.  It was the location of most public entertainment, from lectures by prominent speakers and political speeches to commencement ceremonies and church services.  The Ellet Opera house was also host to talent shows and grand balls, as well as opera singers and eventually vaudeville.

A display featuring memorabilia donated to the museum by descendants of Ellet is planned as part of El Dorado’s 150th birthday celebration. 

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

This is the second part to the episode "Free State or Bust and the Political Climate in Kansas surrounding the founding of El Dorado"

Guest and Historical Consultant, Ken Spurgeon helps to give a bigger picture of the state of affairs in the Kansas Territory leading up to the founding of Eldorado as a town, in 1858; Kansas as a state, in 1861; and some of the factors that led to the Civil War.

Founded as a city of the third class on September 12, 1871, El Dorado was first founded as Eldorado Town Company on February 6, 1858 by an act of the Kansas Territory Legislature.

El Dorado's history has been past down through the history books, but is it accurate?  This series will take a look at the stories we've been told and uncover the stories we haven't been told that were lost to time.

Subscribe to the podcast to join us as we hunt for history and revive the ghosts of El Dorado's past.

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

Free State or Bust and the Political Climate in Kansas surrounding the founding of El Dorado.  

Guest and Historical Consultant, Ken Spurgeon helps to give a bigger picture of the state of affairs in the Kansas Territory leading up to the founding of Eldorado as a town, in 1858; Kansas as a state, in 1861; and some of the factors that led to the Civil War.

Founded as a city of the third class on September 12, 1871, El Dorado was first founded as Eldorado Town Company on February 6, 1858 by an act of the Kansas Territory Legislature.

El Dorado's history has been past down through the history books, but is it accurate?  This series will take a look at the stories we've been told and uncover the stories we haven't been told that were lost to time.

Subscribe to the podcast to join us as we hunt for history and revive the ghosts of El Dorado's past.

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

Do you say El-Door-A-doh or do you say El-door-Ah-doh?  How did the founding father's say it and has it remained the same or changed over the years?   In this episode, we discover the road taken to arrive in El Dorado and what the original settlers found when they got here.

Founded as a city of the third class on September 12, 1871, El Dorado was first founded as Eldorado Town Company on February 6, 1858 by an act of the Kansas Territory Legislature.

El Dorado's history has been past down through the history books, but is it accurate?  This series will take a look at the stories we've been told and uncover the stories we haven't been told that were lost to time.

Subscribe to the podcast to join us as we hunt for history and revive the ghosts of El Dorado's past.

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

Do you say El-Door-A-doh or do you say El-door-Ah-doh?  How did the founding father's say it and has it remained the same or changed over the years?  This excerpt is from our upcoming episode title "All Roads Lead to El Dorado (or Eldorado) and the Search for Gold"  to air on KBTL 88.1 locally Wednesday, September 16th at 12 p.m. and can be heard by streaming online at kbtl.butercc.edu 

Founded as a city of the third class on September 12, 1871, El Dorado was first founded as Eldorado Town Company on February 6, 1858 by an act of the Kansas Territory Legislature.

El Dorado's history has been past down through the history books, but is it accurate?  This series will take a look at the stories we've been told and uncover the stories we haven't been told that were lost to time.

Subscribe to the podcast to join us as we hunt for history and revive the ghosts of El Dorado's past.

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com

We are beginning a new series here on Everyday El Dorado in celebration of El Dorado's 150th year.

Founded as a city of the third class on September 12, 1871, El Dorado was first founded as Eldorado Town Company on February 6, 1858 by an act of the Kansas Territory Legislature.

El Dorado's history has been past down through the history books, but is it accurate?  This series will take a look at the stories we've been told and uncover the stories we haven't been told that were lost to time.

Subscribe to the podcast to join us as we hunt for history and revive the ghosts of El Dorado's past.

This series is brought to you through a partnership with Everyday El Dorado in conjuction with Golden Road Studios, butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum, the City of El Dorado, KBTL 88.1 The Grizz and our series sponsor, Linda Baines, Realtor with SunGroup Real Estate and Appraisals.

Visit us on the web at EverydayElDorado.com