They Also Ran Gallery

William Walter Rouse, a former president and owner of the First State Bank of Norton, was a forward-thinking man.  He saw the need to promote tourism in the early sixties for the town in which he made his home.  While Norton has had and still has its share of famous sons and daughters, it needed something of historical significance to put it on the map.  Mr. Rouse was a lover of history, and he and some fellow community leaders came up with a plan to re-create Stage Coach Station 15 that was used in the year 1859 on the Leavenworth and Pikes Peak Express Stage Coach Route.  The committee built a fine replica in Norton and even named a street after the infamous Horace Greeley, New York Tribune Owner and Publisher.  Greeley reportedly stayed the night at this Station on May 24th, 1859.  The Station 15 Replica is located at the Water Tower Park on Hwy. 36 for travelers and tourists to stop and see. There are 12 characters within the cabin that depict the long forgotten story. Stop to take a listen.

 

Later, Mr. Rouse received a book as a gift entitled “They Also Ran” by Irving Stone.  It is the story of nineteen men who enjoyed, or suffered, an identical fate: they were all defeated for the presidency of the United States. Mr. Rouse enjoyed the book so much, especially since it paid special attention to Greeley who was defeated in 1872, that he immediately started collecting black and white copies of portraits and photographs from the Library of Congress.  The bank had moved to a former theater building at 105 W. Main in 1965 and the new location had a spacious mezzanine in which to house Rouse’s special collection. Rouse added a flourished detail to each honoree with a short biography, sometimes accompanied by a special nickname of the candidate and always with by whom they were defeated and what year.

 

The walls of the gallery display many distinguished characters.  Some minor party candidates are present while others are missing.  You will also see winners among the losers.  For instance: Grover Cleveland is portrayed while he won an election, lost, and then was re-elected as President again.  John C. Fremont is a favorite in Norton along with Horace Greeley.  Fremont was the first European descendant to be recorded to step foot in what is now Norton, Kansas back in May of 1843.  He named our river the “Prairie Dog,” on one of his famous expeditions with companion Kit Carson.  In 1856, he was the first person to run on the GOP ticket, four years before Lincoln was elected as the first Republican president. 

 

Thanks to Rouse, hundreds of visitors stop to visit the gallery yearly.  His one idea has been a treasure for us in Norton, Kansas.