By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Fueled by a wave of concerned citizens and social media posts, the Ellis County Commission is set to move forward with renaming Noose Road.
The roughly 5-mile stretch of road that extends west of Hays from 12th Street drew the ire of several residents recently and, at Monday’s meeting, all three commissioners agreed to move forward with the name change.
The discussion was sparked last week on social media by Hays attorney Greg Schwartz who called for the name change in light of the current social unrest following the death of Minnesota man while in police custody.
One of the most prominent voices in the online conversation, that has well over 100 comments, was Ellis County Commissioner Dustin Roths.
At Monday’s commission meeting, Roths said he initially did not know the story behind the naming of Noose Road, which was first approved in 1989 and approved a second time in 1990.
“My initial thought was, it was insensitive,” Roths said.
The road purportedly got its name because of its connection to Hangman’s Bridge. According to a paper from James N. Leiker at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, three black soldiers were hanged from the bridge after they allegedly killed a Union Pacific watchman. The three were arrested but, before they were put on trial, a mob took the men from the jail and hanged them from the bridge. A fourth man was also hanged from the bridge nearly two years later.
Three people addressed the commission at Monday’s meeting — two in favor of the name change and one opposing it.
Paul Brull, spoke on behalf of his grandfather Randy Brull, who was unable to attend the meeting.
“I personally think that when it comes to the issue of Noose Road, it’s incredibly important that the name be changed,” Brull said. “It's incredibly important that we take steps to try and make our community better. And if that is changing the name on a road, that’s incredibly important to do.”
Gail Palmberg lives on Noose Road and said did not agree with the name being changed.
“(A) noose is a rope with a knot in it. What you do with it, that’s your choice,” Palmberg said. “Just changing the name of a road won’t change history.”
Palmberg said, despite claims by others, changing address will be complicated. According to Public Works Director Bill Ring, there are approximately 29 homes, one business, one cemetery and one commercial building that would be impacted by the name change.
Roths echoed Brull’s sentiment that people shouldn’t feel unwelcome in Ellis County.
“We should not forget history,” Roths said, “because we don’t want that kind of history to ever repeat itself. But I never want anyone to feel unwelcome in Ellis County Kansas.”
Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said he had a conversation with an African-American friend of his from New York about the situation. According to Haselhorst, his friend told him he would not be bothered by the name.
After discussing several name options, the commission all agreed to change the name of the road to Rome Avenue.
Rome was the first settlement in Ellis County but was short-lived and now only a stone marker shows its former location.
The commission will have to approve a resolution to make the change offical.