Bartley’s history can be understood through three distinct themes: the founding of the town, Mallalieu University, and the commemoration of the 1935 flood. If you are interested in the town’s early development and its tangible traces, these themes can help you decide in advance whether they suit your stay. The markers are useful points of reference; you should check their exact locations again before you travel.

From the Town’s Founding to Mallalieu University

Bartley was named after Reverend Allen Bartley, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The town was laid out in June 1886 on land he owned; by July, about 27 buildings had been erected in Bartley. In September of that same year, Mallalieu University opened with 60 students. The town’s founding and the university’s opening therefore took place in the same year, but mark different events.

Construction of Haddock Hall, the first permanent building of Mallalieu University, began in the summer of 1888. Drought and unfavorable economic conditions forced the university to close before the hall was completed. It never reopened. The university’s history thus includes a clear contrast in timing: construction of its first permanent building began, but the university closed before it was finished.

A tangible link connects the university to the Methodist Church of Bartley: bricks from Haddock Hall were later used to build it. The Kemper Memorial Methodist Church was organized as the Methodist Episcopal Church in Bartley on August 28, 1886; its cornerstone was laid on November 18, 1899. The organization and the laying of the cornerstone mark different stages in the church’s history. Together with the later reuse of the bricks, they establish a historical connection between the institutions named here.

Buildings and Historical Landmarks

The Mallalieu University marker is in Bartley Town Park on Commercial Street. Haddock Hall stood a short distance north of the marker. It is useful to distinguish between them when finding your way: the marker and the historic site of the university’s first permanent building are two separate points of reference, even though both relate to the history of Mallalieu University.

The Bartley Sales Barn is located at the southwest corner of US-34/6 and Commercial Street. This is another named historic building identified by an exact intersection. For travelers who want to start by orienting themselves using local addresses, this location provides an additional specific reference point in Bartley.

The 1935 Flood

Bartley’s flood marker stands on a small base at the northwest corner of the intersection of Commercial Street and Cedar Street. It was made and installed in 1936 to record the height reached by the 1935 flood. The flood reached Bartley at around 5:00 p.m. No homes within the town limits were in the flood zone; however, near Bartley, the flood washed out the highway and railroad tracks. This helps distinguish the information about homes within the town limits from the damage to transportation routes in the surrounding area.

Discover more destinations: McCook.

For the broader travel overview: Red Willow.