In 1895 the area we now call Aggieville was pretty much a
corn field at the southeast corner of the Kansas State Agricultural
College campus. There were about 428 college students and 2,500
townsfolk at that time. Moro (lower left), N. Manhattan (left
to right), and Anderson (heading west) were all just dirt roads.
(1895 photo from A History of the City of Manhattan, Kansas,
by Carolyn Jones, 1955, p.45.)
1895
John W. Harrison decided to move and expand his meat market on Bluemont Avenue to the center of the 1100 block of Moro Street in 1903. Harrison Grocery’s new building also included separate store fronts for an ice cream parlor and a clothing store. The building’s second floor served as Harrison’s family home.
(1920 photo from The Manhattan Nationalist, June 16, 1910.)
In 1906 Joseph Guy Varney built The College Book Store on the east side of the 700 block of N. Manhattan Avenue. Varney hired student managers to run the store between their classes, and supplemented their pay by providing a small apartment in the back of the store. Pictured here is student manager Lawrence Endacott. To the south of the bookstore, Varney built an ice cream and candy store he called The Sweet Shop.
(1910 photo courtesy of the Ted Varney Family.)
1912
A group of students banded together in 1899 to create The Students’ Cooperative Association, hoping to provide K-Staters with textbooks and necessary school items at just above cost. They started in a rented home on Bluemont Avenue, then moved to a small wooden storefront on Moro Street, and finally built this brick building on the northeast corner of N. Manhattan Avenue and Moro Street in 1908. Association stock started at $2 a share and entitled students to a 5% discount. The building to the north (left in this photo) of the Co-op was constructed in 1902 as Morey’s Grocery, Clothing, and Bookstore. At the time of this photo it was occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Ed Underwood’s College Campus Restaurant.
(1912 K-State Royal Purple yearbook photo.)
The Manhattan City and Interurban Railway Company ran their first trolley car in Manhattan on June 12, 1909, from the downtown train depot to a spot next to the KSAC campus. As the first trolley passed, crowds of people who lined the streets cheered and threw their hats in the air! Roundtrip tickets started at 24 for $1. One young mother said years later, “It was the cheapest babysitter around!” The first route constructed traveled west on Moro Street from 11th Street to N. Manhattan Avenue — right thru the center of Aggieville — then north of N. Manhattan Avenue and west of Anderson Avenue to 17th Street.
(1910 photo from Kansas State University: A Pictorial History 1863-1963, Charles C. Howes, 1963, p. 79)
May 27, 1915, 2½ inches of rain received in one hour turned Aggieville into a swimming pool! Newspapers reported that the sidewalks in the area were covered with two inches to a foot of water. On campus, students and faculty were hard-pressed to make it to their early classes, but one local paper reported, “Those adventurous souls who dared the elements splashed cheerfully about the sidewalks, and over the crossings.”
(1915 photo courtesy of Brad Meyer, colorization by Aggieville Archives.)
In 1912 Barney Youngcamp decided to build a 2-story structure on the north side of the 1200 block of Moro Street. His original tenants downstairs were The Palace Drug Company, Hout & Brannon Cleaners, and Askren’s Jewelry, while the open area upstairs served as a meeting room and dance hall. Some students referred to the building as Aggieville Hall. Both The Palace Drug Company and Askren’s Jewelry were expansions of established downtown Manhattan businesses. The building was designed by 1909 Kansas State graduate Henry B. Winter.
(Henry B. Winter Architect’s Scrapbook, courtesy Riley County Historical Society & Museum.)
1917
When John W. Harrison and his son John F. Harrison decided to expand their grocery store in 1915, they did it in a BIG way. Harrison’s new building was the largest one in Aggieville at the time and housed a wide variety of enterprises. On the ground floor, the grocery store & meat market and ice cream & soda fountain were joined by a diner. Upstairs was an amazing area they named Harrison Hall. It contained a soda fountain and a dance floor with three layers of plywood separated by two layers of two-inch-high railroad springs — wow, did that place rock! The floor would actually sway 6-10 inches while people were dancing.
(1917 KSAC Royal Purple yearbook photo)
Guy Varney had owned and operated a successful bookstore downtown since 1889. When he decided it was time to expand his College Book Store in Aggieville, he wanted to do everything “first class.” The exterior was trimmed in black marble, while the interior trim was solid oak. The location he obtained was right at the intersection of the north and south lines of the new trolley as they connected to go west on Anderson Avenue to campus. He was planning to be ready for the start of fall classes in 1916, but the plate glass windows were shipped late. Varney decided to hire a watchman to sleep in the store at night so he could continue to get his merchandise in place. When the glass did finally arrive, the shipping company had sent only one man to unload the heavy glass. Unfortunately, one sheet of glass slipped and landed on the shipping company employee, badly damaging his back. The company tried to sue Varney for damages, but the court decided that the company was at fault for only sending one man. The glass was eventually put in place, and the bookstore made its grand opening just in time for the start of Kansas State Agricultural College classes in September.
(Photo courtesy of Susan Endicott Sayson and restored by Jessica Hackett.)
Joseph L. Johns was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and a football player for the Massilon (Ohio) Tigers in the early days of professional football back in the late 1800s. He learned about making candy and ice cream while in Cleveland, Ohio, and worked in that field until 1908 when he sold out and moved to Manhattan. He married Josephine Wylie from Toledo, Ohio, in 1909, and the couple made their residence in Manhattan. Joseph, after working for Kings Candy Kitchen several years, decided that he and his wife would start their own ice cream and candy store in Aggieville. The year was 1913 and their storefront was on the south side of the 1100 block of Moro Street. Josephine said later, “We could look from our front step all the way to Anderson Hall with no trees or buildings in the way.” In 1918 Joseph decided to build a 2-story brick building at the southwest corner of Moro Street and 12th Street shown above. The ground floor housed his creamery operation, along with the candy and ice cream store, while the upstairs housed one large apartment for his family and one apartment to rent out. Their son Jim Johns was actually born in that apartment.
(Photo courtesy of the Jim Johns Family.)
A group of merchants in the Aggieville area formed The Aggieville Club in 1915 to promote the shopping district, but interest in the group gradually waned. In 1922, a fresh group of thirty business owners decided to revive the group and call it The Aggieville Business Men’s Association. The ABMA worked informally to solve several current issues, but never came up with a constitution. They decided to try again in April 1923, and this time the new Aggieville Club allowed female members. The fifty-seven members elected L.C. Shafer as President, G.W. Givens as Secretary, and Mrs. Grace Varney as Treasurer.
(1922 photo from the Dr. R.L. Fredrich Collection, courtesy of Pat and Deb Brodersen.)
1924
1924 was a year of growth for Aggieville with Stevenson’s, Duckwall’s, and R.H. Brown Music Company all expanding their downtown businesses to include Aggieville. Harry Miller’s new building on the north end of the 700 block of N. Manhattan housed Cooper’s Barber Shop, Larson’s Tailors & Cleaners, and the Abernathy Grocery. Also, pharmacist Ted Cibolski opened a new College Drug Store just south of the College Book Store.
(1924 photo Dr. R.L. Friedrich Collection.)
J.L. Johns thought Aggieville needed a bank, so he used the property he owned just east of his creamery to construct the College State Bank in 1923. As a security measure, Johns had a tunnel constructed under 12th Street to connect the two buildings. His thought was that if robbers attacked the bank, someone could sneak out the tunnel for help. Fortunately, it never had to be put to use, and both ends were eventually walled up.
(The Morning Chronicle, December 16, 1923.)
Mr. and Mrs. William T. Crowder started Crowder’s Cleaning & Die Works in 1917, then moved and expanded the business to 1109 Moro Street in 1918. This 1920 photo features Crowder’s custom-painted pickup and delivery truck. William passed away in 1922, and his wife Margaret continued to manage the business. By 1928 Crowder’s was operating “four modern steam pressing machines” and “an expensive dry tumbler.”
(Photo courtesy of Kathryn Crowder Washington.)
Even though there were already two successful theaters in downtown Manhattan, Harry Miller decided it was time for Aggieville to have one of its own. In 1926 the Miller Theatre was constructed at the west end of Moro Street using 257,000 bricks for its fireproof 18-inch walls. The entryway had 65 “incandescent lamps.” It seated 800, and the interior was designed with an Egyptian motif, including huge murals depicting colorful desert scenes. There was a “cry room” for nursing mothers and a “smoking room” for the gents, along with an orchestra pit where musicians performed before, during, and after each silent movie or live production. The building also included three extra storefronts facing N. Manhattan Avenue.
(1926 photo courtesy of Galia Miller Sprung.)
1930
The Palace Drug Company had been in Aggieville since 1912, but owner Forrest Forrester felt it was time to expand the business. He chose a lot at 704 N. Manhattan and started construction in 1929. The Grand Opening of The Palace on January 7, 1930, was from noon to midnight and included live music and refreshments. Because Forrester already owned The Palace downtown, the Aggieville location became known as “The Uptown Palace.” The beautiful tile flooring had to be installed one tile at a time, but it has held up amazingly under day and night customer traffic for over 90 years!
(1930 K-State Royal Purple yearbook photo.)
Perle Bottger first came to Aggieville from Falls City, Nebraska, in 1935 as co-owner of Smith’s I.G.A. store at 1204 Moro Street. Two years later Bottger purchased the Winslow Market at 617 N. Manhattan Avenue and turned it into Bottger’s I.G.A. Store, as shown in the photo above. The store was located between Reed’s Time Shop and the Aggieville A.L. Duckwall Store. In 1946 Bottger doubled his store size by moving to 1223 Moro.
(c.1939 photo courtesy of Brande Kennedy.)
The 1939 Royal Purple contained this painting of Aggieville as viewed from the air. It was drawn by artist Marvin W. Nye (1910-2005). Nye left his hometown of Wichita in 1929 to pursue what became a 30 year career in Kansas City as a successful commercial illustrator. West (left on the drawing) of the College Book Store were a cleaning business and a café. In the late 1930s, Henry Bayer owned the café and was serving T-bone steaks for 60 cents! In the area we currently know as Triangle Park, the college had their “pump house” which supplied much of the water used at K-State.
(1939 Royal Purple yearbook image illustrated by Marvin W. Nye.)
H.P. Wareham had no problem obtaining this prime advertising space (across from Aggieville’s Sosna Theatre) for his downtown movie house because he owned the building. In 1926 Wareham constructed the structure on the left with four storefronts. Two of his first tenants were a Piggly-Wiggly Grocery Store and the Kenney Petrich & Dunne Rexall Drug Store. The Long Oil station shown above was Long Oil President A.W. Long’s fourth station in Manhattan when it opened in May 1922. The staff could serve up to three cars at one time and offered a ladies restroom for customer convenience.
(1940 photo courtesy Riley County Historical Society & Museum, colorized by Aggieville Archives.)
1941
The years of World War II had a dramatic effect on the lives of people connected with Aggieville. Several business owners were called up to serve in the military, often leaving wives to handle businesses in their absence. The number of K-State students dropped from 4,108 in 1940 to 1,522 in 1944, and establishments geared toward students had a hard time staying in business. The Students’ Cooperative Association decided to dissolve and sold their business to bookstore manager Ray Pollom (Sr.), who hired contractor J. Mont Green to take the old brick structure on the Co-op building and put up a new white stone exterior. This 1941 photo was taken during the time when the brick was being replaced. A new development in Aggieville took place near the end of the war as a group of about 30 women who were Aggieville business owners, co-owners, or managers banded together in 1944 to form the Business Women’s Club of Aggieville. They chose to promote and publicize Aggieville through community betterment projects such as sponsoring the Ashland 4-H Club & a girls softball team named the Aggieville Boosters.
(1941 photo Dr. R.L. Friedrich Collection, courtesy of Pat & Deb Brodersen.)
Sam Sosna purchased the Varsity Theatre (formerly the Miller Theatre) in 1936. He improved the building with new carpet and draperies, plus he added more than 1,000 feet of neon to the marquee for his Grand Opening on March 4, 1938. This 1945 photo shows (left to right) Saathoff News Stand, a beauty shop, Manning’s Café, the theater lobby, Reed’s Time Shop, Bottger’s I.G.A., Duckwall’s, The College Drug, and the College Book Store.
(Photo courtesy Riley County Historical Society & Museum.)
Ray Reed started his Reed’s Time Shop in 1938 in the far north storefront of the Miller Theatre building on N. Manhattan Avenue. In 1942 Reed hired a young man from Nebraska named Charles “Chuck” Elliott who had several years of experience in the jewelry business. Reed and Elliott eventually formed a partnership in July of 1949 and renamed the store Reed & Elliott Jewelers. They had a huge fake diamond in their window that drew a lot of attention as it reflected the headlights of oncoming cars and helped them sell a LOT of engagement rings there.
(c.1949 photo courtesy of Dean Taylor)
With the close of World War II in 1945, veterans and their families streamed to K-State to make use of their G.I. educational benefits. Enrollment at the college went from 1,522 in 1944 to 7,435 in 1948! By the time of this 1948 photo, almost every lot on Moro Street was filled from 11th Street to N. Manhattan Avenue. One list of Aggieville businesses on Moro Street at that time included Brennan’s Skelly Station, The Sandwich Inn (#2), Wardrobe Cleaners, Lloyd’s, Hill Linoleum & Rug Company, Musil Grocery, and Van’s Auto Shop. Past 12th Street were the Aggieville Chef, Pines Café, Aggie Hardware, Farrell’s Service Station, Campus Cleaners, Margaret’s Flowers, Bottger’s I.G.A., Salisbury’s Electric and Appliances, Johns Candy Shop, and the corner Texaco gas station. Coming back up Moro Street were The Co-op, Leo’s Varsity Drug, Aggieville Barber Shop, The Smart Shop, Bobart The Man’s Store, TheOrange Bowl, Yeo & Truby, and Blaker’s Studio Royal. Then across 12th Street was Backman’s Cleaners, Robert’s Furniture, The Tap Room, Brownie’s Coffee Shop, Boyer Real Estate, Stevenson Insurance, Fran Schneiders School of Dance, and Handy Corner.
(1948 photo courtesy of Harold Neher)
1948
The Co-op Bookstore started a new chapter in July 1947 when owner Ray Pollom changed the name to The Campus Book Store. Changes took place on campus in the late 1940s as well, as open spaces on campus were converted to temporary housing for veteran students and their families with the use of trailers and Army barracks. Rows of barracks were installed on the southeast corner of campus near Aggieville and knick-named “Splinterville.”
(Photo 1948 Royal Purple yearbook ad.)
If you were hungry in 1949, Aggieville was definitely the place to go! The December 4, 1949, edition of the Manhattan Mercury Chronicle displayed ads for Patrick’s Café, Wildcat Café, Mar Café, Pines Café, Dog Inn, Aggieville Chef, and Sandwich Inn #2. Then there was the Orange Bowl, Brownie’s Coffee Shop, Dairy Queen, Gilman’s Sweet Shop, Brum’s Bakery, A.V. Snack Shack, Tom’s Popcorn, The Tap Room, and the Shamrock Tavern. Take your pick! The Manhattan Transit Inc. bus line made it easy to access Aggieville, with three separate bus routes that looped through Aggieville from about 6 in the morning to 10 at night. Musil Grocery, shown above at the left, was listed at 1119 Moro Street.
(1949 K-State Royal Purple yearbook photo.)
Business was good in Aggieville at the time of this early winter 1950 photo of the west side of the 600 block of N. Manhattan Avenue, and the merchants on Moro Street were heading into what became a decade of steady growth. In the summer of 1951, heavy rains swelled the Kansas River beyond its banks so much that the water backed up in the Blue River and into a large amount of Manhattan — including downtown. For several months, Aggieville (which was dry) became the center of commerce for the city, as people and businesses worked on clean-up. At the College Book Store, Theodore Roosevelt “Ted” Varney had returned from war service and resumed his management of the store. In 1957 he decided to hire a new textbook manager by the name of Jon Levin. Jon graduated from K-State in 1957 and was planning to attend Navy Officer Candidate School after graduation, but a mistake concerning a medical condition caused him to be denied enrollment. Levin applied with Varney and started working the summer of 1957 ordering college textbooks. Jon kept working at the bookstore for almost 60 years, having become the Owner and General Manager.
(1950 photo by Gene Guerrant, courtesy of Varney’s Book Store.)
By the mid-1950s, Aggieville had grown into a full-service shopping district, with barber shops & beauty parlors, dry cleaners & laundries, photo studios, flower shops, car dealerships, book stores, appliance stores, furniture stores, gas stations, a sporting goods store, photo studios, doctors, dentists, optometrist, and a chiropractor, plus a pet shop, dance studio, and a bakery — you could get just about anything in Aggieville!
(c. 1951 photo courtesy of Norman Prockish.)
1951
It was a new day for Aggieville movie patrons when the remodeled Campus Theatre opened in May of 1951. The old orchestra pit was covered over, the lobby area was widened to include a modern concession stand, the marquee was updated, push-back cushioned chairs were installed, and every show was provided with air-conditioned comfort. From 1951 to 1998, thousands of people of all ages enjoyed spending time at the Campus. Ralph Miller purchased the College Drug in 1961 and changed the name to Miller Pharmacy. It was the first Aggieville drug store to open without a soda fountain. Ted Varney updated the name of his College Book Store to University Book Store around 1958.
(Photo courtesy of Jon Levin.)
Traffic was getting more and more congested at the southeast corner of campus, so the City staff thought up a solution. They wanted to cut off a fourth of a block of Aggieville and allow Bluemont to run straight into Anderson, which would mean several businesses would lose their locations. It was decided instead to cut off a corner of the campus, allowing Aggieville to stay intact. Thus the area of Triangle Park was created in 1965.
(1964 photo Morse Department Special Collections, KSU Libraries.)
From the 1910s through the 1960s, numerous cafes in Aggieville provided traditional meals to hungry students and townsfolk, but things were about to change. Bernie Butler helped start a new restaurant called Pizza Hut in October of 1960, hoping to complete his degree at K-State while he worked evenings, but after 18 months he decided to expand to the lunch crowd and leave college behind. Butler went on to own over 60 stores.
(November 1963 Southwestern Bell Manhattan Directory.)
On Saturday, October 25, 1969, history was made in Manhattan, Kansas. After 32 straight football losses to the Oklahoma Sooners, fans on hand for the Wildcat’s Homecoming game were ecstatic over the 59-21 victory. Hundreds of fans gathered in Aggieville that evening for a celebration that included a bonfire at the corner of Moro Street and N. 12th Street. No reports of injuries, arrests, or damages made the papers.
(Kansas State Collegian, October 27, 1969.)
1968
Welcome to Aggieville 1968! The movie playing at the Campus Theatre was Yours, Mine, and Ours starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda, and hamburgers were 6 for $1 at The Tap Room. The old Avalon Ballroom was filled with household furnishings from Melvin Dodd’s Furniture and Appliance, Esther Jensen of Jensen’s Café was still providing traditional café meals to the hungry customers in the area, and there were seven cleaners and two laundromats in Aggieville to help K-State students and Manhattan residents keep their clothing looking sharp. After building a chain of 61 Peter Pan Ice Cream Stores, including one located in Aggieville, Henry Braum and his son Bill decided to sell to a large wholesaler in 1967 with the agreement that they wouldn’t compete in Kansas for the next 10 years. The Braum family started over in Oklahoma and built an ice cream empire under the name...Braum’s.
Upon purchasing “Slim” Redecker’s Shamrock Tavern in 1954, Keith “Kite” Thomas, a recently retired professional baseball player and former K-State basketball and baseball player, changed the name to Kites. Thomas sold the business to Terry & Jan Ray in 1969.
(1968 photo courtesy of Morse Department of Special Collections, KSU Libraries.)
The one thing that is constant about Aggieville is that it is always changing. By the time of this 1971 photo, a retired Army cook named Charles Kearby had turned Jenson’s Café into Kearby’s Café. The upstairs of the old Dodd’s Furniture building became the home of The Bank Club in 1969, then The Cavalier Club in 1970. Downstairs in that same building, a bar called The Jon (with toilet seats for bar stools, no less) made way for JD Kennedy and his brother Russell to establish Brother’s Tavern, with a hole through the east wall for ordering fresh JD’s Pizza. The disco dancing craze started nationally about 1974, and Mr. K’s and Mother’s Worry were the first two establishments in Aggieville to put in new dance floors.
(December 1971 photo from the 1972 KSU Royal Purple yearbook.)
Charles Ballard had been selling sporting goods in Manhattan since he helped open Backman ＆Ballard’s Sporting Goods in 1951 at 1127 Moro Street. In 1961 Charles and his wife Leah opened their own Ballard’s Sporting Goods at 1222 Moro. Their son, Sonny Ballard, was an outstanding all-around athlete that competed at Manhattan High School and Kansas State. He was drafted in 1961 and served at a 1st Lieutenant during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He later taught Math and coached while earning his Masters of Education in 1968. Sonny and his wife Sheryl purchased the business in 1975 and expanded into trophies, engraving, and silk-screen printing on all types of apparel.
(c.1984 photo courtesy of Myron Carpenter.)
On the evening of March 24, 1987, a fire broke out on Moro Street in Aggieville. By the time it was all over, the two-story structure (the 1912 building owned by Barney Youngcamp and later the Chartier family) was now just one story, and the inventory of Benetton’s, Undercover, and Westron Wynde had experienced smoke and water damage in the neighborhood of $40,000.
(March 25, 1987, KSU Collegian photo by John La Barge.)
1986
Six inches of rain on June 30, 1986, was too much for the Aggieville
storm water system to handle. Troy Hull, a K-State student from Hays, chose to bravely slosh his way through. Pictured businesses in the
background include Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, Haynes Style Shop, Al’s Deli, Spirit Shop, The Rockin’ K, Mr. K’s, and Varney’s Book Store.
(July 1, 1986, photo by Tim Janicke, courtesy of the Kansas City Star.)
After many years of planning, 1989 was the year The Aggieville Streetscape Project came to fruition. The sidewalks were laid out in a decorative pattern with small granite markers commemorating individuals or businesses with a connection to Aggieville. Stone pillars were erected at both edges of Triangle Park and at 11th & Moro Street, and the streets were lines with new light poles and banners.
(1989 Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
1984 and 1986 put Aggieville, Manhattan, and Kansas State University on the map in ways their leaders never would have chosen. After a 24-7 football win over rival KU on October 13, 1984, an estimated crowd of 6,000-8,000 gathered in Aggieville to celebrate. After midnight, however, the celebration turned into what became known as “The Aggieville Riot.” 10 people were injured, 24 arrested, and an estimated $20,000 in damage occurred. Despite extensive planning and efforts by the Riley County Police Department and the Aggieville Business Association to curb another occurrence, a football win over KU on October 18, 1986, brought out another huge crowd and an even more destructive evening. A vehicle was turned over and lit on fire, 40 windows or signs were broken, and damage was estimated at $50,000-$100,000. These events were a black eye to Aggieville, K-State, and the whole community.
(October 13, 1984, photo by Rob Clark, Jr. appeared in the 1985 Royal Purple, courtesy of Morse Department of Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries.)
Nautilus Towers, constructed at the corner of Moro Street and 11th Street in 1984, was unique in that there was a tennis court on top of the building. Other Aggieville construction in the 1980s included Fast Eddy’s (1983), Laramie Plaza (1984), World Radio (1984), Town Crier complex (1986), Kwik Shop (1987), and Chuck’s Car Wash expanded from three bays to six in 1984.
(1989 Aggieville Archives photo by Oliver Kaubish.)
1989
Welcome to Aggieville 1989! The Aggieville Business Association decided to celebrate Aggieville’s 100th Anniversary the week of October 9-14 with events leading up to a Saturday Pig Roast and Cake-Cutting in Triangle Park. A commerative book was assembled to chronicle the 100-year history of the shopping area, and The Palace Drug Store Dixieland Band gave a live performance in front of The Palace. The band featured Matt Betton, Bill Kellstrom, and Larry Weigel. Ellie Brent served as Centennial
Committee Chairperson, while Juli Salberg, ABA Executive Director, Pat Pierce, Sonny and Sheryl Ballard, Jon Levin, Dean Taylor, Eddie Olson, David Colburn, Cheryl Lewis, Linda Ferguson, Rich Penner, Dan Walter, and many others helped make it a special event. Of all the business signs seen in this 1989 photo, four were still in business on Moro Street in 2022: Kites, Campus Hair Styling, Coin Operated Laundry, and Hunam’s Express.
(1989 Aggieville Archives photo by Oliver Kaubisch.)
The Aggieville Beautification Committee voluntarily worked as part of the 1989 Aggieville Streetscape Project to turn Triangle Park into a colorful and delightful area on the edge of Aggieville. The mature oak and redbud trees were joined by a variety of beautiful flowers and shrubs, all of which complimented the cement and brick walkways throughout the area.
(1990 Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
The Aggieville St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Road Race was started in 1978 by Rick Mann of Kansas State Bank and Sonny Ballard of Ballard’s Sporting Goods as an effort to draw customers into Aggieville during a time when many students were home for Spring Break. After humble beginnings, the parade and races grew steadily year after year.
After 30 years the race draws in over 1,000 participants annually and the crowds for the event have been estimated to be as large as 10,000. For many years, Bernie Butler, owner of the Aggieville Pizza Hut, served as Grand Marshall for the parade. Events following the parade included a 10K Road Race, a 2 Mile Fun Run, and a 3 Mile Walk.
(March 13, 2004, Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
The 11th Annual Oktoberfest in Aggieville took place on a chilly fall day October 19, 1991. Vendors took to the streets all day as thousands of customers milled along Moro Street checking out their wares. In this photo, Rusty Wilson promoted his Last Chance Bar B-Q menu to the hungry crowds. Many other local restaurants did the same, selling items up and down Moro Street. Even the American Institute of Baking had a booth with fresh-baked products. In Triangle Park a miniature zoo was set up with everything from a pot-bellied-pig to a one-ton Brahma steer, and Appaloosa rides were available. Jayne Whitson-Lind busily painted clown faces and Wildcat emblems on delighted children, while musicians Jenni Raynor, Wil Raynor, Mike Sutton, and the group Double Exposure entertained the crowd. Clara Rogers of Manhattan had a display of items made from wheat, and there were cloth dolls made into rabbits, cats, and teddy bears.
(Information is taken from an article by Marisa G. Askren in the 10-20-1991 Manhattan Mercury.
1991 photo courtesy of Cheryl Sieben, ABA Executive Director.)
1991
Triangle Park in Aggieville was the location for some musical entertainment each Friday in June of 1991. Blankets were spread out on the thick green grass and picnic lunches were opened while free live music filled the air. Performers during the month were Flatlanders (country/rock), Barnburners (rhythm & blues), BE HERE NOW (classic rock), and Prairie Hip (soft rock).
(Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
The Harrison building on Moro Street housed a wide variety of businesses over the years. After Harrison’s Grocery, it had been the home of The Avalon Ballroom, Pine’s Café, King’s Furniture, Robert’s Furniture, Dodd’s Furniture, The Bank Club, The Jon, The Cavalier Club, Brother’s Tavern, JD’s Pizza Parlor, The Party Dome, Baystreet Bar, Study Hall Bar, Snookie’s Private Club, and Dow Bows Tavern by the time of this 1993 photo.
(Aggieville Archives photo by Marc Stratton.)
There were over 60 entries in the 16th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Aggieville on March 19, 1994. Leading the parade was the American Legion Color Guard, followed by the 1st Infantry Division Band from Ft. Riley. The Jaycees Lawnmower Brigade drew a lot of attention, along with Clair Law’s pot-bellied pig. Several state and local politicians (and hope-to-be politicians) took time to walk or drive in the parade. Pictured above is the William Jewell College Bagpipe Band who triumphantly drummed and piped their way up Moro Street to the delight of the crowd.
(Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
Emotions were running high during the Fall 1995 KSU football season, as the Wildcats opened with 9 wins and a single loss to Nebraska. Ranked #7 in the country, their next opponent was the 9th ranked Colorado Buffalos on November 18. The Aggieville Business Association decided to host a pep rally for the Cats on Friday afternoon at the west end of Moro Street. The turnout was great and the cheering was spirited. Unfortunately, the Buffalos won the game on Saturday, but a Holiday Bowl victory over Colorado State bounced K-State back into a #7 ranking to end the season.
(1995 photo by Cheryl Sieben, former ABA Executive Director.)
1998
A fire broke out in the early morning of February 14, 1998, on the 1100 block of Moro Street. Before the flames were finally extinguished, Adventure Travel, Club Karrington, and Greek’s Pizzaria were reduced to a smoldering stack of ashes and bricks. The excessive heat, smoke, and water also caused damage to The Futon Store, On the Wildside, The Speed Wash, Hunam Express, and Pizza Hut. Total damage was estimated in excess of one million dollars.
(Photo by Rod Mikinski courtesy of The Manhattan Mercury.)
Lowell Creighton was a 1927 Manhattan High graduate who went on to Kansas City Western Dental College. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1946 and attained the rank of major. In 1947 Dr. Creighton set up a practice at 1116 Moro in Aggieville and was joined in 1949 by Dr. Eugene Beaty. Both dentists eventually retired and about 1985 the building became the home of Shau Yin “Steve” Man’s Hunam Express.
(1999 Aggieville Archives photo by Tom Parish.)
Welcome to Aggieville 1999! Some unique area businesses in those days included Appleseed Art & Frame, Atomic Age Accessories for Swank Living, Chuck's Car Wash, Confetti's Party Shop, Consigli Chiropractic Clinic, Copy Co, Espresso Royale Caffe, Fast Eddy's Pool, Fine Line Tattoo, Game Guy Video Games, Gatekeeper Hobbies, J & I's Gifts & Ceramics, Java Expresso, Joe's Tap Room, Korean Martial Arts & Fitness Center, Krystallos, Lair Gauche, Longhorn's Bar & Grille, Lowman's Men's Store, Lucky Brewgrille, Lucky Mac's Liquor Store, Manhattan Performance Archery Club, Mighty Fine Donuts, Mini's Restaurant, Mister Money Payday Loans, Out of Bounds Sports Bar & Grille, Oz Online, Patricia's Undercover, Pat's Blue Rib'n Barbe Que, Pyramid Pizza, Say Cheese Delicatessen, Scoreboard Sports Bar & Grille, Silverado Saloon, Skip's Dance Club, Streetside Records, TCBY Treats, The Children's Book Shop, The Futon Store, The Gamer, Transcend Technologies, Unique Professional Fitness & Aerobics, and Wildcat Futons Plus.
(1999 Aggieville Archives photo by Tom Parish.)
The Miller Theatre (1926) became the Varsity (1930), then the Sosna (1938), then the Campus in 1951. In 1998 the theater closed its doors and the building stood vacant for 6 months. Jon Levin, owner of Varney’s Book Store, decided to purchase the building and expand his bookstore. After two years of construction, the new store opened for business in fall 2000.
(August 10, 2000, Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
2003
An Aggieville tradition was started on December 31, 2003, when the 1st Annual Aggieville Ball Drop took place at the stroke of midnight on the corner of Moro Street and N. Manhattan Avenue. With the inspiration of Steve Levin of Varney’s Book Store and Kate Watson of Kate Watson Consulting, artist Phyllis Pease was commissioned to design an apple-shaped ball to be lowered for the ceremony. Four thousand two-inch squares of red reflective plexiglass were attached to an eighty-five pound aluminum frame and lowered down a twenty-two-foot pole by a twelve-volt battery-operated winch. Over four thousand folks of all ages came out for the laser light show, music, ball drop, and fireworks.
(December 31, 2003, Aggieville Archives photo to Dan Walter.)
The New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Aggieville continued to grow each year in quality and in attendance. Fox News Network decided to include the Manhattan event as part of the national coverage in the central time zone, so they cut in and out of the events in Aggieville during the evening. Fox estimated the crowd at 12,000. There was a review of Manhattan’s 150th anniversary events, and Coach Bill Snyder initiated the ball drop.
(December 31, 2005, Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
A chilly overcast day didn’t stop the thousands of families that turned out for the March 13, 2004, St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Moro Street. As rain started later, it also didn’t stop the 875 folks that signed up for either the 10K Road Race, the Shamrock 2-mile Fun Run, or the Leprechaun 3-mile Walk. Shadrack Kimeli, age 27, won the 10K with a time of 31:48.
(Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
Forrest and Harold Forrester had the building at 708-710 N. Manhattan Avenue constructed in 1924. The first two tenants were George Schue and his expanded Student Inn on one side, and Stevenson’s Clothing Store on the other half. A variety of businesses would call the building home over the years, including Theo-Georges Candy Company, the Dewey Café, Grigg’s Café, Hole In One Recreation Center, Mar Café, The Open, The Dugout, Mr. K’s, Amigo’s, Accessories on the Park, Lucky Brewgrille, Safari Jack’s, and Gilligan’s. In 1991 Lin Rose moved her Krystallos store to the 708 N. Manhattan Avenue slot, and things were working well for her. In August of 2002 Chris Stuewe and Wade Phillips decided to open up a new version of Aggie Station in the 710 slot, and their comedy nights seemed to be growing. On May 16, 2003, though, everything changed. Nate Meseke came to the back door of Aggie Station to make a normal Budweiser delivery, but when he opened the back door about 7:15 a.m. smoke poured out. He called 911 and the Manhattan Police Department responded quickly. In fact, by 7:45 a.m. MPD felt the blaze was under control.
(Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
2003
On the day before Kansas State University graduation ceremonies, an early morning 911 call came to the Manhattan Fire Department about a fire in Aggie Station. Trucks were dispatched immediately and the firefighters thought they had the blaze under control by 7:45 a.m. About 45 minutes later, however, an undetected flame in a ceiling area exploded and the building was spouting flames. Over 50 fire fighters and 5 trucks (2 with ladders) battled for over 4 hours to put the fire out. When all the smoke settled, Aggie Station and Krystallos were totally gone, while the structures to the north and south were able to be saved. A thousand Westar Energy customers lost power for much of the morning, but water and sewer service for the area was able to be maintained. The estimated damage done to buildings and merchandise totaled $1.6 million.
(May 16, 2003, Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
After three months of hard work, two 38’ concrete block walls were in place on the north and south edges of the new two-story retail and apartment building on N. Manhattan Avenue. Then along came a Kansas wind. On the morning of May 17, 2004, winds clocked at 59 mph blew through the Manhattan area and collapsed both walls. Over 5,000 Westar Energy customers lost their power, and Game Guy lost their building.
(Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
The 2006 KSU Homecoming Parade started downtown and weaved its way to Moro Street in Aggieville, where a large crowd of all ages awaited their arrival with anticipation. A color guard started things off, followed by a Ft. Riley band ensemble. The Grand Marshalls for the day were Bill & Sharon Snyder, riding in an open convertible. A wide variety of floats predicted a resounding KSU victory in Saturday’s football game against Iowa State University. The K-State cheerleaders were riding high on the top of a Manhattan Fire Department truck, followed by The Pride of Wildcat Land – The K-State Marching Band. At the end of the parade, Aggieville hosted a pep rally in the parking lot next to Varney’s Book Store. The rally may have helped, because the Wildcats came out on top Saturday, defeating ISU 31-10.
(October 27, 2006, Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
Ever since young people have had access to cars, driving through Aggieville has been a popular activity, especially on Friday and Saturday nights — and after a big Wildcat victory of any sport. Two-way traffic on Moro was the norm, of course. Until June 2002. The City of Manhattan decided to turn the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Moro Street into east-bound traffic only, and the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Laramie Street to west-bound only. The change added 20 parking spaces to the area, but created a lot of confusion when KSU students returned in the fall. For weeks the Varney’s Book Store marquee read, “IF YOU CAN READ THIS YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY” for folks that slipped onto Moro the wrong way by mistake.
(Aggieville Archives photos by Dan Walter.)
2012
In looking at this fall 2012 photo of Aggieville, what may stand out the most are all the buildings that aren’t yet there. The City of Manhattan's Aggieville Community Vision Plan (passed in 2017) resulted in several 2019 zoning changes, including increasing maximum height restrictions for buildings outside the "historic core." Once those zoning changes were in place, construction in the area quickly increased.
(2012 photo courtesy of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.)
2014 marked the 125th Anniversary of Aggieville, and the businesses decided to throw a community-friendly party! Moro Street was blocked off in the 1100 block for a vintage car show, while the 1200 block was reserved for a Mini Maker Faire featuring crafts and hobbies of all sorts. A stage featured live music and entertainment, including a swing dance demonstration by K-State’s own Swingin’ Spurs. The day also included a kid’s carnival and carriage rides.
(2013 Aggieville Archives photo by Dan Walter.)
Aggieville rose to new heights in 2014 with the opening of the 5-story Bluemont Hotel at the corner of Bluemont Avenue and N. Manhattan Avenue. This 7,000 square foot hotel has 112 rooms, a 2-level private parking garage, an indoor pool, and a fitness center, as well as conference rooms and an open patio overlooking Aggieville and Triangle Park. The ground floor houses additional business, dining, and entertainment areas.
( Aggieville Archives photos by Dan Walter.)
1885 to now
Imagine you went up on the rooftop of the house on the southeast corner of 11th & Moro and you took a photo looking toward the K-State campus. If you were there in the winter of 1885-1886, this is what you would have seen. Dr. Julius Willard, a K-State professor, wrote in 1940 that this photo was, indeed, taken from the roof of Professor Failyer’s house in that very spot.
The photographer is listed as J.R. Riddle of Topeka, Kansas, and the house in the foreground was originally built by Professor H.M. Cottrell to rent out to female college students. The parents of J.W. Evans purchased the home in 1887, and Evans remembers that theirs was the only structure on the north side of Moro Street from 11th all the way west to what is now N. Manhattan Avenue. There was only one house on the south side of the street, and that was the home of Dr. Willard at 1212 Moro.
So what did the Aggieville area look like? It appears to be pretty much a corn field, and a wet corn field at that. Drainage from the campus and hills to the west often turned the fields into a swamp. In fact, wet ground on Moro Street probably influenced those considering new home construction into heading north over to Bluemont Avenue, which had a slightly higher elevation, freeing up property for retail development on Moro.
Aggieville certainly had some humble beginnings, but it has had a long and rich history that is worth taking time to remember and enjoy!
(Photo courtesy of Morse Department of Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries.)