Aulne, Kansas


Aulne is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Kansas, United States. The Aulne name was suggested by officials of the railroad when it was built through Aulne during the 19th century. It is located southwest of Marion at the intersection of Pawnee Road and 140th Street next to the Union Pacific Railroad.

History

Early history

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Marion County was established within the Kansas Territory, which included the land for modern day Aulne.
In 1872, a railroad contractor, named Col. W. Sherburn, decided the location would be good location for a town and named it after himself, Sherburn, but it was too early and never used.
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north-south from Herington through Aulne to Caldwell. It foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980, and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad which merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, and finally merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
A post office existed in Aulne from August 19, 1887 to February 28, 1954.

20th century

Aulne was one of the finalist communities considered for Tabor College before it was established in Hillsboro in 1908.
During World War I, the local telephone company decreed that "No German could be spoken over the telephones", because of
anti-German sentiment towards German-Americans.

Geography

Aulne is located roughly halfway between Marion and Peabody next to the Union Pacific Railroad.

Area attractions

The community is served by Marion USD 408 public school district. All students attend schools in Marion. The high school is a member of T.E.E.N., a shared video teaching network between five area high schools.

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Transportation

is to the north, U.S. Route 50 is to the south, and U.S. Route 77 is east of the community. The Oklahoma Kansas Texas line of the Union Pacific Railroad runs through the community, but it no longer has a side-spur at Aulne.

Utilities