Only the Pink Hill Church is left as a reminder of how a pretty little town was born and died. Rows of corn cover all signs of what once was the thriving Jackson County town of Pink Hill whose 100 plus population eagerly awaited the coming of the railroad. The railroad never came, but the civil war did. Those 2 events killed the small town and all traces of its homes, its businesses, have been plowed under the rows of corn Still, the ghost of this town 20 miles due east of Independence remains in the memories of a few old timers and in the life of the Pink Hill Methodist Church, built in 1871 within the townsite. Sni-A-Bar township was ready for a railroad boom when the Chicago and Alton Railroad surveyed the land in the earl 1850’s. The township had a growing town in Blue Spring, but the countians wanted to build another. Two of them- George W. Love and D. Asbury Neer - surveyed an area of 10 acres off the west side of the Northeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 24, Township 49, of range 30. There they plated a town of 40 lots, with a main street and a Locust Street, each 33 feet wide. The area is just 16 and a half feet wide, The area is just south of the old Spring Branch Road, now Truman Road. “Be it remembered” read the abstract in the old John A. Sea Abstract office, “that on the 21 day of November A.D. 1854 personally came before me, John P. Williams, a justice of the peace for Sni-A-Bar township in Jackson County, George W. Love, and D.A Neer, both personally known to me to be the persons whose names are subscribed to the fore going instrument of writing”. Much of Pink Hill History is remembered by descendants of the county’s earliest residents. One of them who was Eleanor Kirby, who lived less than a mile from the townsite, She did recall most of the names, dates and places recorded here. The town proper, only three miles northwest of Oak Grover, was on property evidently belonging to R.G. Pinkard, but it did not honor him with the name Pink Hill. The suggestion came from Robert St. Clair, step-grandfather of Eleanor Kirby, who settled in Jackson County about 1843. Meeting with a group of men, he said, “ The land is covered with pink roses and pink verbena’s, it should be called Pink Hill”. The first of the 40 lots was sold in 1859 by George W. Love to Rosamah Sanders, the abstract notes Asa Booker took a part of the lot the following year. The town was placed “on the map” by the United States Post Office department the year it was born 1854. The Pink Hill post office was the second in Jackson County preceded only by the one in Independence. The first mail carrier was Charles St. Clair, who brought honor to the town when he brought the first load of mail. He met the boat at the Sibley landing and rode horse back over land to carry home the mail in a red bandanna handkerchief. As the town grew, Robert St. Clair and his two sons, Hasten and Charles, operated one of the three general stores, combined with an untaking establishment. There were two woodworking stores and one operated by Squire William Wells, (who also owned a home in the town) and Phil Starnes, a blacksmith shop was the property of the popular Michael N. Womacks who later was to serve two four year terms as chief clerk of the criminal court. There were many residences, once built by Dr. J.D. Wood, who later was to be one of the founders of the bank of Independence. Yes, there were three saloons, one owned by R.G. Pinkard. The old abstract - atlas of Jackson County notes that the town’s population was “orderly”, peaceful and religious” That was true at all times, except for the spells which fell on none too respectable persons who periodically “shot up” the town. Pink Hill had it’s share of “Colt” Justice. The future seemed to promise prosperity- but war came instead, a war that reached into every home in Pink Hill area. Most of the citizens were Kentucky or Virgina Born and their sympathies were more than passively for the south. Quantrell and his men were at home in Sni-A-Bar township. The regions sprouted buchwhackers. Most Union forces would not even venture into the area. But the tide turned and with it came Order No. 11. U.S. Troops marched through the township burning all the homes, forcing all the citizens to leave. One of those persons , Mrs. Virginia St. Clair Clarkson, is remembering for her words “ I stood on the front porch of the house and counted 13 chimneys all that is left of 13 homes.” SOME NEVER RETURNED The town of Pink Hill was practically depopulated, although it’s homes and businesses were left almost the entire township moved to Lexington and other nearby places to await the end of the war. Some never returned. Some returned to build tiny cabins where once had stood plantation like houses. But Pink Hill was still waiting for the railroad. and with this hope the region prospered. The 1877 atlas of Jackson county makes a droll note of prosperity. listing a population of 482 men and 484 woman. Even the horses 585 out numbered the men. There were 178 mules, 1019 cattle, 674 sheep and 3647 hogs. The township produced 45,000 bushels of tobacco and 3,000 gallons of molasses, in addition to 31,280 bushels of wheat, 153,650 bushels corn, 3,035 bushels of oats, 1,725 bushels of Barley and Rye. 1,000 bushels of wool and 624 tons of hay. Hope for the railroad was high when the people of the town decided to build a church. A lot 90 feet east and west and 100 feet north and south was purchased for $10.00 from George R. and Ann E.. Carlile. The church was organized within the townsite by James Adams on of the postmasters and Hasten St. Clair. There were 13 charter members. J.N. Adams, Elisha Moore, wife Elizabeth Moore, Frank Youree, E.P. St. Clair, Mr. J.W. Mann and wife Mrs. Leanna Mann, Truce Duncan, C.E. St. Clair, Mrs. Mary St. Clair, Mrs. Lucy Cundiff, Britton Capelle, Mrs. S.B. Keshler. Trustees were: Adams Youree, Ephrain Lane, Clinton Mayse, William Gilland, Capelle and Levi Potts. BUILT ON MAIN STREET The structure was built on the Main Street, now Pink Hill Road, and faced West. The Masonic Christian Lodge added a second story as its meeting place. the completed structure cost $3,000. Dedicated the first Sunday in June 1871, the Pink Hill Methodist church was completed in the spring of 1871. In 1873 the parsonage , last couple of blocks was finished. The Rev. Thomas P. Cobb of Lafayette Co. rode horse back from his home to minister to the congregation, which at its height numbered 300. A Sunday School was established in 1873 with Sterling Smith as superintendent. Town lots were still being sold according to the old atlas. And in 1881 Joseph E.W. Kabrick sold one to Dr. O.C. Sheley, who had been practicing medicine in Blue Springs. Dr. Sheley, who had received his education in Independence and the Kansas City Medical college was one of the countries well remembered “country doctors”. He remained a resident of Pink Hill until he moved to Independence in 1889 But a church, a town, and a school just east of the townsite plus the hopes of its citizens were not enough to bring the railroad to their doors, as they had expected over the years. In 1878 the first train rolled onto tracks leading to Oak Grove. The town of Pink Hill died. Many of its citizens decided that if the railroad wouldn’t come to them, they would go to the railroad. And they did, even taking their houses with them into Oak Grove and Grain Valley. The Masonic Lodge moved to Oak Grove, where it still meets. The general Stores closed their doors. Woodworking for the town was no longer needed. It had taken 24 years from 1854 to 1878 for the town to grow. It died in the same number of years. POST OFFICE CLOSED 1902 The United States Post Office in the town of Pink Hill closed its doors in 1902. Today the old post offices is a residence, with a second story added. The old home of Dr. J.D. Wood, only original residence left. was moved twice and finally to an unnamed road about on half mile north of the townsite. The parsonage is rebuilt residence today on its original site. The church remains unchanged except for a covering of white asphalt shingles. It has it’s 50th Anniversary on Jun 5, 1921. and a home coming was held and has been held every year since. The present minister, the Rev. W.E. Stolpher of Raytown, comes once a month to serve the congregation of 88 members. There is preaching service once a month, and Sunday school every Sunday. The old townsite of Pink Hill has vanished, except for the words in a musty old plat of the town. Some of those church members - like Miss Eleanor Kirby- remember when the corn fields were homes. Elsewhere, all trace has vanished except for the words in a musty old plat of the Town of Pink Hill - “Be it remembered”. (copied from hand written paper by Eleanor Kirby and also a newspaper article dated September 2, 1954.) a picture of Eleanor Kirby underneath reads: Much of the history of the town of Pink Hill and the Pink Hill Methodist church is related here by Miss Eleanor Kirby, whose step-grandfather, Robert St. Clair, owned on of the three general stores in the town. Today Miss Kirby acts as historian of the church. a picture of the Church underneath reads: A church, almost the only building left in what once was the town of Pink Hill, stands on a high point beside “Main Street” or Pink Hill road 20 miles east of Independence. The road was once lined with business places and houses, In the distance can be seen a building that served as the Pink Hill Post Office in 1854, the year the town was platted.