© 2026 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The story of the founding of Silkville, Kansas, in 1870 by a French aristocrat

NPR | By Diantha Parker,
Matthew Algeo
Published May 10, 2026 at 7:12 AM CDT

A French aristocrat moves to Kansas and founds a silk-making socialist utopia. Then things get weird. The story of the founding of Silkville, Kansas, in 1870.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Diantha Parker
Matthew Algeo