United States Land Office

Built as a dry goods store by Hill P. Wilson in 1874, this stone building housed the Government Land Office from 1875 until 1877, and possibly as late as 1879, when the office was moved to WaKeeney. Thousands of pioneers filed homestead and timber claims at the U.S. Land Office of Hays City between 1874 and 1879. In 1896, the building became the hardware store of George Philip, who had come to Ellis County from Scotland in 1873 as a member of George Grant's Victoria Colony.

Hays, Kansas · United States