Built in 1867 (Federal architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
“The Seth Hays House is a historic house at 203 Wood Street in Council Grove, Kansas. Seth Hays, the first white settler in Council Grove, built the house in 1867.”
Wikipedia article Seth Hays House, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 27 National Register listings published here for Morris County · listed in 1975 · category: Building · built in 1867, Federal architecture.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 17 fires within 5 miles of Seth Hays House between 2015 and 2018, burning about 144 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 16 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 September 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015051 |
| 10 June 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015033 |
| 21 April 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015027 |
| 10 April 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 15 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015022 |
| 7 March 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015014 |
| 31 March 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 90 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015023 |
| 21 March 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015017 |
| 18 March 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 8 |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Council Grove, the town this property stands in, in 86 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 41 hail, 27 thunderstorm wind, 9 flash flood, 4 flood. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1996 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | 1 killed, $30,000 | no account filed |
| May 1995 | Hail | Council Grove | $500,000 | Large hail produced extensive damage across the county including both property and crop. Many roofs, vehicles and windows were broken or damaged. |
| May 2007 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | $50,000 | Water reported flowing over sections of road between 500 block and 1200 block. Also on Main Street. |
| May 2007 | Flood | Council Grove | $50,000 | Widespread lowland flooding immediate reach of the gage near Dunlap due to moderate or greater flooding of the Neosho River. |
| August 2005 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | $50,000 | Fast flowing water over roads with small streams out of banks. Rainfall of five to seven inches produced flash flooding. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | $50,000 | Winds estimated to 80 mph caused widespread and significant damage in Council Grove, nearby Council Grove Reservoir and across much of the county. Trees, power lines, signs, boats, marina and homes were all damaged in various degrees. Power was out in many areas for 12 to 18 hours. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | $30,000 | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Heavy Rain | Council Grove | $20,000 | Ponding of water and small stream flooding along U.S. Highway 177 near Council Grove. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | $20,000 | Strong winds destroyed a metal grain elevator. |
| September 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | $3,000 | A large tree was blown down. a barn was moved three feet from foundation. Large empty fuel barrels rolled away. |
| March 2007 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | $1,000 | Six to eight inches of water flowing over Rural Roads K and 500. |
| May 2005 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | $1,000 | Up to 6 inches of rain caused flash flooding with rapid flow over rural roads around Council Grove. |
| July 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 1996 | Lightning | Council Grove | $500 | no account filed |
| May 2024 | Hail | Council Grove | - | Report relayed by kvoe radio. |
| April 2020 | Hail | Council Grove | - | Golf ball sized hail covered the ground. |
| May 2015 | Flood | Council Grove | - | Minor flooding of low areas on Dunlap rd at big John creek. Other minor flooding noted throughout Morris county. |
| September 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Several 6 to 10 inch diameter tree branches down. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Tree limbs up to 6 inches in diameter down. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Wind gusts estimated. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Tree limbs with 1 to 2 inch diameter down. Wind gusts estimated around 50 to 60 mph. |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Damage to a home and an out building was destroyed on old K4. |
| March 2012 | Hail | Council Grove | - | This was a delayed report, discovered on social media. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Large trees reported to have blown down. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Council Grove | - | Hail the size of quarters began to fall, and quickly increased in size to three and a half inches in diameter. |
| September 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | Trained spotter was driving car along Hwy 56, approximately 2 miles east of Council Grove. Also reported dime size hail. |
| March 2007 | Tornado (EF0) | Council Grove | - | This narrow tornado was rated EF0. It snapped a power pole and broke some tree limbs near the intersection of Q and 400 roads. In addition to some tree damage at this location...outbuildins were damaged. A three sided pole shed was destroyed...a weak barn was shifted on its foundation and a wind mill tower was toppled. The tornado formed from a supercell thunderstorm. The tornado was on the ground for 2.8 miles and averaged 20 yards wide. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Council Grove | - | Measured at Council Grove Lake. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | 2 inch diameter tree limbs reported down. |
| June 2004 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | - | Heavy rain produced flash flooding with 8 inches of water over a road. |
| July 2004 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | - | Heavy rains produced flash flooding in Morris county. Streets were reported flooding in Council Grove and water was reported to be moving swiftly over highway 4 near Dwight. |
| June 2004 | Flash Flood | Council Grove | - | Heavy rains produced flash flooding that washed out a ditch and pushed boulders onto a highway. A road was also closed near Council Grove due to high water. |
| June 1995 | Hail | Council Grove | - | A tornado struck a pickup throwing the driver into a nearby ditch. The truck was found about one-quarter mile away with the engine about 200 yards from the remains of the nearly destroyed truck chassis. The driver sustained severe injuries and required at least 30 stitches. The driver had barbed wire and clothing wrapped around his legs and body. He crawled to a nearby road where he was able to stand and walk. He was found by a passing motorist and taken to a local hospital where he remained for several days. The tornado also damaged nearby buildings, silos, and farm equipment. The tornado was reportedly moving northwest. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| August 2014 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| March 2012 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| March 2012 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| March 2012 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| March 2012 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| February 2011 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| March 2009 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| April 2008 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| April 2008 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| March 2002 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Hail | Council Grove | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | US Post Office-Council Grove | 0.1 miles | 1989 |
 | Farmers and Drovers Bank and Indicator Building (Boundary Increase) | 0.2 miles | 1982 |
 | Council Grove National Bank | 0.2 miles | 1976 |
 | Cottage House Hotel | 0.2 miles | 1988 |
 | Council Grove Downtown Historic District | 0.2 miles | 2010 |
| Madonna of the Trail | 0.2 miles | 2018 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 75000718 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Morris County | All 27 listed properties in this county. |
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