Daily Democrat-Forum and Maryville Tribune (Maryville, Missouri), August 1, 1923]
44th Birthday For Bur. Jct. Sunday
Town Was Established August 5, 1879 "Babe of Nodaway" The Town Was Sometimes Called—Democrat Files Tell of Fifth Anniversary
Burlington Junction, Sunday, August 5, 1923, will be 44 years old. A file of the Nodaway Democrat of August 7, 1884 says:
Last Tuesday, the fifth inst., was the fifth anniversary of the queenly city of the Nodaway Valley, sometimes called the "Babe on the Nodaway"—Burlington Junction. The occasion was one in every respect worthy of, and in keeping with the wide awake and enterprising character of its citizens and business men.

On the south bound train on the Nodaway Valley R. R., five coaches filled with people from Corning and Creston arrived at about eight o'clock. This excursion was under the auspices of the Corning Fire Co. At about nine o'clock the procession marched from the depot to the beautiful grove. The procession was fully half a mile long and was led by the Junction and Corning bands. Arriving at the grove, the audience was called to order by the president of the day, Mr. W. A. Burdick. Mr. W. J. Nelson delivered a very fine speech of welcome to the Iowa guests, which was happily responded to by Mr. Granger of Corning.

About this time an extra from Maryville arrived which carried some 150 to 200 of Maryville people who went out to help their neighbors of the Nodaway to celebrate the anniversary of the city.

After the response of Mr. Granger, Mr. J. H. Bryant, editor of the Post, gave a historical sketch of the city, which was listened to with interest, as follows:
"When the Wabash railroad was built through the country in the spring of 1879, the people predicted that a town would grow up in the Nodaway valley at some point where the railroad crossed it. Acting under this impression a town was laid out half a mile east of the Nodaway river, at the crossing of the old survey of the C. B. & Q. railway with the W. St. L. & P. This town was first called Lewiston, for Prof. Lewis of the Wabash road. It was afterwards changed to Cleveland. But when the second survey of the C. B. & Q. came down the valley and crossed the Wabash at the foot of the hill, a move was immediately put on foot by W. H. Davis and Charles D. Caldwell, that resulted in a partnership between these gentlemen and the C. B. & Q. town company in locating a town on the hill, on the plat of ground then known as the Col. John Davis farm. How this town has struggled to its present importance we will leave to some future historian (getting up a county history bound in morocco) to tell.

The town was surveyed by J. Q. Smith of Plattsmouth, Neb., the C. B. & Q. town lot company surveyor. The first lots were sold on July 2, although the town lot sale, at which 150 lots were sold, was held on the fifth. Geo. H. Hotaling & Co., lumber dealers, was the first firm to open business, Wheeler Bros., O. H. Logan, D. Bailey, Al Gregory, S. J. Butcher, J. N. Penn, Campe & Gibson, Get Hubble, Anderson & Buck and others followed in quick succession.

The post office was established October 6, 1879, and the first day's business amounted to nineteen cents in sale of stamps. The lucky one who amassed a fortune by getting his sixty-five per cent of this enormous day's business is our present post master, J. B. Crissinger, sometimes referred to as "Old Baldy," at present a prominent candidate for county judge.

The first marriage was on May 17, 1880 and was solemnized by Esq. J. H. Herriff. The contracting parties were Miss Hester Shaffell and A. J. Smith, better known as "Smit, the baker." The first birth was twins—we never do things by halves you know—born to Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Wilson, August 31, 1879. The first death was that of Ed Hogan, first local editor of the Post, who was shot by Otto Sharp October 9, 1879; the second local, known as the "Fat Editor," still lives in spite of the sharpest flats and cake. Let us remark right here on the healthfulness of our town—they "killed a man to start a graveyard."

The first number of the Burlington Junction Post was issued on Aug. 27, 1879, by Frank Seaman & Co. The present proprietors bought the paper two months later, Oct. 24. It has never missed an issue or came out behind time, although tornadoed July 13, 1883, one hour before press time. It is like a "family organ"—thumping away all the time.

Our city has grown in the five years to 1,200 inhabitants with its business interests accordingly, with three church spires and a school house on the hill and one saloon in the valley, with out Sabbath schools and Hand of Hope, verifies the poet's gem thought, "They most live who think most, feel the noblest, act the best."

The orator of the day was Prof. John S. Crosby of St. Joseph. Afternoon speakers were Elder E. B. Cake, Hon. John Edwards, James Todd and Henry C. Burnett."