(Editor's note: This is the 57th in a series of "then and now" articles on places and things of interest in Kansas City, Kan., compiled by area historian Margaret Landis in observance of the 100th birthday of KCK in 1986. Much of the information has appeared in past editions of The Kansan.)

(Transcriptions are presented without changes except to improve readability.)

"Then and Now" this week continues in the northeast area of Kansas City, Kan.

Last week, the Fowler Mansion became the Kansas City Baptist Theological Seminary. The property was sold to the school board in 1923 for $25,000 for the site of the Northeast Junior High School. Northeast Junior High was closed in the spring of 1976 because of a district court decision to desegregate the school system.

The building was vacant for nine years until the Pleasant Green Baptist Church, 340 Oakland, purchased the school building in 1985. It is being renovated and is scheduled to open in September 1986 as the Pleasant Green Community School for preschool through grade 12 students.

This week, the topics are the Edgerton Place, the Women's Training School of the Kansas City Baptist Theological Seminary, and Douglass Hospital.

David M. Edgerton was president of the Inter-State Rapid Transit Railway Company - known as the Elevated Railway - also, president of the Wyandotte Consolidated Land Company.

He was the developer of Chelsea Park and Edgerton Park. His residence, Edgerton Place, was on LaFayette Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

David D. Hoag was secretary of the Railway Company. He served two terms as a member of the Kansas House (1899 and 1901).

Winfield Freeman was the attorney for the "L" Road. He was a prominent citizen for more than 40 years. He was elected probate judge of Wyandotte County. He served as county attorney and was state representative in 1919. In 1919 Judge Freeman was appointed librarian for the Kansas State Library.

About the "turn of the century," the Elevated Railway was taken over by the Metropolitan Street Railway Company.

Edgerton sold his home in the Second Ward to William R. Craddock.

Craddock was in business as "W.H. Craddock & Company - Brokers, Business Chances, Farms, Ranches, Unimproved Lands, City Property and Merchandise for Sale and Exchange." He also managed the Kansas Dry Goods Company, 197-199 James Street.

He was elected mayor of KCK April 3, 1901, being the first Democrat mayor. He died March 4, 1904.

In June 1913, the Kansas City Baptist Theological Seminary purchased the Craddock property (originally built for David M. Edgerton) for a Woman's Training School. This handsome and spacious residence was two blocks from the seminary.

"The training school is an integral part of the seminary's work for the training of women for missionary, benevolent, and church work," it was reported.

The training school opened in the fall of 1913 with Katherine Willard Eddy as dean. The course was for two years. Mrs. Eddy resigned in 1916. Seminary President Phillip W. Crandell became acting dean.

When the seminary moved to its present location at 31st and Minnesota Avenue, the training school also was moved. The training school unit was erected and ready for use Sept. 21, 1923.

The former training school building was a 15-room frame building. The property was sold to the Douglass Hospital. The hospital was founded May 1898 and started at 312 Washington Blvd.

The building was remodeled (1924) to provide for 25 patients and other hospital facilities. Another of the buildings was used for the Nurses Home.

The hospital remained at 338 LaFayette until it had outgrown the facilities. In 1945 Douglass Hospital moved to the campus of the Western University, 3700 N. 27th. Grant Hall was renovated to meet the hospital's needs. The Music Hall became the Nurses Home.

The hospital was closed in 1978. The Douglass Hospital served the community for 80 years.