The Legend of Bash Riprock
|
H
e was a red-headed wild child with a bit of a temper and a free spirit who found his way from a far outside of Chicago to the Kansas Territory in 1854 when he was only 17. He settled about one mile east and four miles south of Olathe’s Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop three years before the town’s incorporation.
Bash never met a stranger – only friends who helped him develop his reputation for fun games, incredible food, and wild nights of drinking the best spirits at his home on the outskirts of town. His reputation for sponsoring extraordinary parties, known as “bashes,” continued on during the Civil War, when both Confederate and Union soldiers would battle by day and share food and spirits at night with their red bearded, long-mustached host.
C
onfederate General Sterling Price was introduced to Bash by a mutual friend, and was a frequent visitor during his time in nearby Westport. The only documented job Bash ever had was as a layer of bricks on Kansas City Road, which naturally lead to rumors that Bash was involved in questionable activities to support his penchant for parties. Those nefarious activities also included an allegation of a stagecoach hold-up of Isadare Frleng, the friend of an influential Olathe resident. Even without proof, the cloud of suspicion was great enough to render Bash a social outcast. His popularity spiraled downward, as did his visibility, and he eventually disappeared.
O
ut of the public eye, but definitely not forgotten, especially by the family of his alleged victim. Frleng’s great-grandson, Fritz Frleng, is rumored to have based his famous cartoon character Yosemite Sam on Bash Riprock.
W
hile the legend of Bash may be just that, we hope you enjoy the bits and pieces of Olathe history that we have incorporated into our restaurant, including some of the original bricks from historic Kansas City Road. Although Bash Riprock may just be a figment of our imagination, we have taken his legendary love of celebrating with extraordinary food and spirits and made it a cornerstone of our establishment today.
E
njoy!
the experience
|
Everyone Loves Bash Riprock's
Bash Addiction
Who ever said addiction is a bad thing?
Food. Beer. Friends. Beer. Fun. More Beer!
Bash doesn't see anything wrong with addiction when it is done right!!
Become a Bash Addict:
- Free appetizer for joining
- Birthday specials
- Addict only discounts
- Stay informed about all Bash Riprock's events
Join Now!
Backyard Brew
$3 pints & $4 Big Boys
Brewed specially for Bash Riprock himself by: 
|
Olathe was founded by Dr. John T. Barton in the spring of 1857. He rode to the center of Johnson County, Kansas, and staked two quarter sections of land as the town site. He later described his ride to friends: "...the prairie was covered with verbena and other wild flowers. I kept thinking the land was beautiful and that I should name the town Beautiful." Purportedly, Barton asked a Shawnee interpreter how to say "Beautiful" in his native language. The interpreter responded, "Olathe."
Olathe was not the first city established in Johnson County, but it quickly became the largest and was named the county seat in October 1859. The city's early days were filled with violence, as pro-slavery forces from nearby Missouri often clashed with local abolitionists. These conflicts were known on a large scale as Bleeding Kansas.
As the 1850s came to a close, and as Kansas entered the Union as a free state in 1861, the violence lessened. However, a year later Confederate guerillas from Missouri led by William Quantrill surprised the residents and raided the city on September 7, 1862, killing a half dozen men, robbing numerous businesses and private homes, and destroying most of the city. Quantrill launched the raid because the people of Olathe were known for their abolitionism.
Olathe served as a stop on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail. Catering to travelers was the main source of income for local stores and businesses. The Mahaffie House, a popular resupply point for wagons headed westward, is today a registered historical site maintained by the City of Olathe. The staff wears period costumes, and stagecoach rides and farm animals make the site a favorite among children. Visitors participate a Civil War re-enactment, Wild West Days, and other activities there.
After the construction of the transcontinental railroad, the trails to the west lost importance, and Olathe faded into obscurity and remained a small, sleepy prairie town, until Bash Riprock came to town.
In the 1950s, the construction of the Interstate Highway system and, more directly, I-35, linked Olathe directly to nearby Kansas City. The result was tremendous residential growth as Olathe became a part of the Kansas City Metro Area. In the 1980s, Olathe experienced tremendous commercial growth, which also drew more residents. It is estimated that Olathe's population surpassed 100,000 in 2001, and current projections show Olathe's growth continuing as the city expands into the farm fields south, west and north of town.
|
|
|
