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History · Ada

Ada’s history is
mostly unwritten

The public archives hold no old photos of Ada. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

0old images & papers
0recent photos

The story

from WikipediaRead it all ↗

Ottawa County was formed in 1860 and organized in 1866. A post office was opened in Ada in 1872, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1998.

In 1888, a rail line of the Chicago, Kansas and Western Railroad opened from Manchester, Kansas in the east to Barnard in the west, a 43 mi (69 km) line, with a depot in Ada. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway acquired this railroad in 1901. An application was filed in 1983 to abandon this "Minneapolis District" line.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Be one of the first

Start Ada’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ada’s history is told.

0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Famous people close to Ada

See all 12 →
Jessa CrispinJessa CrispinLincoln Center · 16 miDHDaniel Ray HullLincoln Center · 16 miDonald K. RossDonald K. RossBeverly · 11 miFrank RichardsFrank RichardsMinneapolis · 10 miAMArchie McKainDelphos · 10 miElmer StricklettElmer StricklettGlasco · 14 mi
By decade

Ada, decade by decade

Before
2000
No old photos in the archives yetWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
National Register of Historic Places

Nothing in Ada is on the National Register yet

That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Ada has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Salt Creek Truss Leg Bedstead Bridge in Scott, 9.2 miles away.

Ada and the nearest listed places

Dashed line = Ada. Tap a dot.
Salt Creek Truss Leg Bedstead BridgePott's Ford BridgeGlasco Downtown Historic DistrictMarshall-Yohe HouseLincoln City ParkLincoln County Courthouse

Closest to Ada

Salt Creek Truss Leg Bedstead BridgeScott · Built 19039.2miPott's Ford BridgeSolomon · Built 188413.1miGlasco Downtown Historic DistrictGlasco · District14miMarshall-Yohe HouseLincoln Center · Building15.8miLincoln City ParkLincoln Center · District16mi

How a place gets listed

1Talk to the stateEvery nomination goes through the State Historic Preservation Office. Owners, towns and historical societies can start one.
2Try a local or state list firstMany states keep their own register with a shorter form, a common first step for old barns, halls and schoolhouses.
3Write it upA nomination covers the history, photos and a map. Salt Creek Truss Leg Bedstead Bridge’s page links to a real one.
Know an old place in Ada?A mill, a schoolhouse, a cellar hole, a church: add a photo of it to Ada’s story, or a memory of it.
📷 Add a photo of an old place
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places · photos from Wikimedia Commons

Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history
📜 Fountain📜 Salt Creek📜 Henry📜 Stanton
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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01
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