Hunter, KS

Hunter carries two town sites in its history. Settlers, including Al Hunter, established the first community in the 1870s; the original general store, hardware store, and post office stood at Old Hunter, four miles from today's location. In 1916 the Salina Northern Railroad reached the new site, and businesses and residents moved in from Victor. The city charter followed on March 1, 1916, while some Old Hunter buildings remain in use. Local institutions make the transition visible. The former Victor State Bank building moved to Hunter in 1917 and served as a financial center until 2009; today it hosts events and lodging. The Hunter Cafe, cooperative elevator, gas station, library, community center, and fire department form the town's service network, and children attend Sylvan-Lucas USD 299, whose school history reaches back to Hunter High School in 1917.