Built in 1893, This historic limestone home, lovingly named "The Buffalo Haus" was once home to a Buffalo Hunter named John Schlyer, the son of German immigrants born in Buffalo, New York.

​

Schlyer started out working for the railroad but quickly found success in a different business, Buffalo hunting. Schlyer was known to bring groups from as far as New York for buffalo hunting. 

​

Schlyer, who spoke German, assisted the Volga-German immigrants as they arrived in the area. He played a role in bringing the Catholic Church and Capuchins to Ellis County, according to the Star article.

He later became county treasurer, sheriff, Hays postmaster and a representative in the state Legislature, where he helped work on the land grant from the federal government that turned the former military reservation into what is now Fort Hays State University, the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Frontier Park and Historic Fort Hays.

He died in 1926 at the age of 77.

 

Martin and Mary Eastlack purchased the home in 1933, and when Mary died in 1974, it passed on to her daughter, Bonnie Storm.

By then, the house had deteriorated. Her husband, Pete, wanted to tear it down, Rupp said, but Bonnie wanted the house she grew up in restored.

​

Larry Rupp was then hired to restore the old stone house in the late 1970s. Larry had experience in New Orleans working on old historical homes. Larry fell in love with this house and purchased it in 1986, spending the rest of his life dedicated to maintaining the home. If it wasn't for Larry Rupp, most likely this amazing home would no longer exist.

​