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Silkville
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Silkville's school
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| Location: | Williamsburg Township, Franklin County, Kansas |
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| Nearest city: | Williamsburg, Kansas |
| Area: | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Built: | 1870 |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 72000504[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | December 15, 1972 |
Silkville is a ghost town in Williamsburg Township, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. Its elevation is 1,161 feet (354 m), and it is located at (38.4500149, -95.4891477),[2] along U.S. Route 50 southwest of Williamsburg.[3]
Established in 1870 by Frenchman Ernest de Boissiere, it was intended to be a utopian commune. Although the community initially prospered through silk farming, many members left to join mainstream society,[4]:2 and Valeton led his people into dairy and livestock production. When this failed, the community dispersed, and the property was given to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Financial reasons compelled the Order to give up the property, and after a long court battle, it passed into the hands of lawyers from Topeka.[4]:5
Today, little remains of Silkville. Many buildings were destroyed by a 1916 fire, and only three stone buildings survive.[4]:5 In 1972, these buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places under the name of "Silkville," because of their significance in the history of Kansas.[1] The aspects of the community seen as most significant historically were its nature as an intentional community and its practice of sericulture.[4]:5
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