Niles, Ottawa County

Abstract

The tiny town of Niles, originally Arcala then Nilesville, located in the Lincoln Township of Ottawa County, Kansas was first settled by families traveling in fifteen covered wagons from Illinois. They arrived in 1866 and although not as strong as it may have once been, Niles persists today. Nestled on the banks of the Solomon River and built around the Union Pacific Railroad, Niles has been able to hang on for almost 150 years through the tests of time. This study includes personal interviews, analysis of early and current maps, census research, as well as photographs from past and present.