Wayside Station

Location:  89 20th Ave, El Dorado, KS

This section was written by Marsha Dekker, whose family lived in the Wayside Station for 4 generations. My great grandfather, Judge Granville P. Aikman and is wife, Carrie (Sandifer), purchased the 80-acre farm in 1906 and it was used by the family as a summer home to get out of the heat of the city of EI Dorado. Subsequently, they also purchased 100+ acres across the road from the farm where they built a home for my grandparents, Roger Ewing and their daughter Eleanor when they married in 1917.

My grandparents moved back into town, most likely in 1923. In 1950, Roger and Eleanor made some renovations to the farm house and property and moved out to the farm. My parents, George & Caroline (Ewing) Short retired and moved to the farm in 1974 from Chicago. They added a family room and utility room bath on the east side of the house. All of the property across the road was sold in 2008 and the farm was sold in 2014.

I have been told for many years that the stone part of the house was a way station for the wagon train which went thru the property. The storekeeper had his goods on the main floor. There was a little kitchen behind the main room. There is a cold air vent in the ceiling of the living room now where there was an opening with a ladder that he used to go upstairs to his sleeping quarters.

The trail went across the highway (old Rt. 54, now Rt. 77) & followed around the base of the hill westward to the Walnut River. Back at that area is a very shallow part of the river where the wagons crossed on their way west. The entire hill on both sides of the highway was known as Aikman Hill because my great grandfather owned all the property on either side.
Kyle & Martha Good have now purchased the property. We are very happy to have them living on and caring for a very beautiful and meaningful property that was a part of my family for many years. Many memorable years were spent at the farm by 4 generations of our family.