RAVANNA – Driving is pickup on a dirt road sandwiched between two limestone ruins, 86-year-old Guy Reed noted there could be a rattler or two out on of the first warm days of March.
In the summers, at least, infestation of rattlesnakes is about all that makes up this area of Finney County – once populated with more than 700 residents. Even a few of the sons of the famed P.T. Barnum Siamese twins Eng and Chang once lived at this ghost town, he said, adding matter-of-factly he didn’t know how they fathered nearly a two dozen children.
Ravanna’s story, however, is deeper than rattlesnakes and the children of conjoined brothers. It’s about the bitter battle for the county seat of a now nonexistent county with nearby neighbor, Eminence.
Reed recalled attending his first year of school at Ravanna in 1930. Today, however, just five wall supports stand - the walls already crumbled to the ground from age and weather.
"I hate to see the building torn down," he said.
My GGGrandparents lived here after the Civil War. Their names were Boyd and Keeler. I have a picture of the sod school.
ReplyDeleteJust found out my grandmother's mom was from Ravanna. Her family's name was Goff, her name was Millie and her sister was LuLu(?). She died when my grandma was 3 years old, so we've never seen any pictures or knew much about her. My daughter found an article from the newspaper about a beauty pageant and we found her name! It's so exciting! We'd love to know more about the community and the family if possible. Thanks 😊
ReplyDeleteMy grandad Atkinson was from Ravana. I think he was born there.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother Nellie Frank Slocum was married near Ravenna and she met her husband at a dance there in about 1892.
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