Cato Stone Bridge Cato, Kansas was founded in 1854 and was one of the first communities of European settlers in southeast Kansas. The peak population was 112 in 1910 and the population slowly slipped away. Today there are just 3 buildings and a stone bridge which was once used by stagecoaches. They are preserved by the Cato Historical Preservation Association. The Association hosts Cato Days each October or November with tours, presentations, live music, ham & beans, and re-enactments. In 2023, Kids Day is October 18 and the main event is October 21. The centerpiece of Cato is the one room Cato Stone School which was built in 1869. The 1915 Cato Christian Church is a short distance away, over the stone bridge. It has had a fresh coat of paint since the photo below from 2022. The third building is log cabin which was built in 1961 for the Kansas Centennial. Area residents built a log cabin for the celebration. A few years later it was destroyed by arson a few year later and rebuilt in 2018. Tours can be arranged through the Cato Historical Preservation Association Facebook Page. There is no phone, but the address marilynf324@hughes.net was good for the Association in 2024. On U.S. Highway 69 between Ft. Scott and Pittsburg, Kansas, turn west on 720 Avenue, one mile north of the Arcadia turn-off (or one mile south of the Bourbon County line). Go west for one mile, then turn north for 1/2 mile and then left one mile to Cato.
copyright 2022-2024 by Keith Stokes |
