LINDSAY

For over a half century, the town of Lindsay was not incorporated, but was a community of citizens, mostly of German descent, working together for the common goal to make it a place to live comfortably and to raise their children in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The town was incorporated in 1959 at which time a mayor and five aldermen were chosen to help make the decision by the town could be governed. Joe Bezner was the first mayor, aldermen were Frank Haverkamp Jr., Joe Bengfort, Pete Block, Jake Bezner, and Raymond Sandman. George Moster was the city marshall.

The colony of Lindsay was founded in 1891, by the Flusche Brothers, mostly through the efforts of Anton Flusche and his brother Wilhelm. Brothers, August and Emil, also worked with them. These brothers were the founders of the neighboring town Muenster and several other colonies in Iowa and Kansas.

Anton and August Flusche, in January of 1891, entered into a contract with J.M. Lindsay, to purchase 3500 acres of land for the colonization of the new town and surrounding area. The MK&T Railroad had been built a spur to the area five years earlier, for the convenience of shipping cattle. It was called Lindsay Switch. The new colony was named Lindsay after J.M. Lindsay who contracted the land to Flusche to sell to the early colonists.

In March and April of 1891, a parcel of land north of the railroad was laid out in lots for the new town. The remainder of the land was divided into suitable tracts for farms. Founder Anton Flusche began to build his home in March of 1891. His was the first residence, and when the home was completed in May of that year, he moved his family to Lindsay. Wilhelm's family lived with him until his home was completed in October of that year. Wilhelm bought the first farm land, 100 acres, a few miles north of the townsite. He also bought twenty acres in the township. Henry and Bernadina Sandmann were the first to buy land after the Flusche Brothers. Their farm was located south of the townsite, and their descendants still own the property 100 years later.

In the summer of 1892, Judge Lindsay bought the Summerfield and Peary holdings; 4,000 acres of farm land north of the townsite. Later that year W.W. Howeth turned his farm of 1300 acres over to Flusche to be included in the new colony. Several thousand acres of smaller farms were offered for sale, insuring enough good farm land for a good-sized colony.

Many homeseekers came form the northern states, including J.B. Hyenck, Simon Gieb, and Phillip Metzler, families from Mexia, Texas; Franz Pesche family from Germany; Gottlieb Ruppaner family form Missouri; and Frank Popp from Illinois. The Post Office was established July 1, 1891, with Anton Flusche as postmaster. The postoffice was situated in his home.

In December of 1891, Judge Lindsay deeded seven and nine-tenths acres to be used for a church. The majority of people living in the area were German Catholics, and they wanted to build a place to worship. Judge Lindsay also donated approximately ten acres of land to be used for a city park.

The first colony meeting was held in the Anton Flusche home on January 1, 1892; and on March 25, 1892, the first mass was read in the Wilhelm Flusche home.

Following the incorporation of the town, residents voted to legalize the sale of alcoholic beverages (1960); a water well was drilled in the city park in 1963. Previously, a few of the home owners got their water from a windmill in the center of Main Street wile others had their own water well or shared with a neighbor.

The city formed a Planning and Zoning Commission and in February of 1966 built a sewage system with the sewage disposal site near Elm Creek, south of the townsite. The town continued to grow. In 1970, a second water well was drilled on land bought for the building of a city hall. The hall was built in 1972. In order to support these improvements, Lindsay residents voted on a one-percent local sales tax in September of 1969. This revenue has been used to make improvements in the town, since that time, including the paving of city streets and the financing of a volunteer fire department.

Through the years, and with the dedicated service of many of the residents, the town has grown from 35 families in 1892 to 210 homes, in the city limits alone, a century later. Many families who live in the rural areas, north and south of the townsite, call Lindsay home and help support activities in the town.

Several housing developments, including Parkview Acres, the Bezner Addition, Blue Ribbon Addition, Community Estates, Nortman Estates, the South Ridge of Lindsay, and the Brushy Mound Addition, continue to furnish building sites in the community.

Written by Mary Ann Arendt: from Cooke County History: Past and Present