Hidden along a dusty dirt track across several miles of scenic hills, it was formerly home to a post office, a grocery store and even a school house. But now,  Evansville in Comanche County, Kansas, is a shadow of its former self, with its once-thriving commissary building in a state of disrepair. However, the ghost town is still home to two final residents, who tend to the site's numerous cattle - rancher Larry 'Dee' Scherich and his wife, Phyllis. The couple, who live in a house just north of the historic commissary building, do not have to worry about unexpected visitors, nor noisy neighbors. Instead, they encounter only hired workers in the town, which  previously housed the headquarters of the largest cattle ranch in Kansas's history. Remote: It was home to a post office, a grocery store and even a school house in the 1870s and 80s. But now, Evansville in Comanchea County, Kansas, is a shadow of its former self, with its once-thriving commissary building (pictured today) in a state of disrepair . Deserted: Horse harnesses hang empty from the roof of the commissary's stables, while the building's wooden walls are falling apart . No neighbors: However, the ghost town is still home to two final residents - rancher Larry 'Dee' Scherich and his wife, Phyllis (pictured) Rancher: The couple, who live in a house just north of the commissary building, do not have to worry about unexpected visitors, nor noisy neighbors. Above, Mr Scherich talks about the features of the historic commissary building at the deadtown site of Evansville . Long gone: Cattle graze where the former Evansville school house was located, near the beautiful - but mostly treeless - Gypsum Hills . On a regular basis, the Scheriches hike up to a springs, situated near the mostly treeless Gypsum Hills, with their stunning views, canyons and buttes . Here, wild animals and insects continue to drink the natural spring water that still flows at the now-deserted site. 'With no trees to speak of, trees by a springs would have been real respite,' Mrs Scherich told The Hutchinson News. Referring to Evansville itself, which likely began its life as a town in the late 1870s, she added: 'By 1910, there was not much left.' Indeed, the town once boasted a ranch house and a commissary building after four ranchers moved to the area in the 1870s and early 1880s. The men, named as Jess Evans, Wylie Payne, Richard Phillips and Major Andrew Drum, set up an enormous cattle ranch in the region after an Army order banned Texas cattle drives from crossing the Oklahoma Strip, according to the book, Kansas: The Priceless Prairie, by author Mary Einsel. The operation, dubbed the Comanche Pool, which was based at Evans's ranch, began with 26,000 head of cattle. In subsequent years, the area grew into a town, with its own post office, grocery store and other buildings. It even had its own hotel with 'easy access to all cattle camps in the Territory'. Historic: The Scheriches encounter only hired help in the town, which previously housed the headquarters of the largest cattle ranch in Kansas's history. Above, Mrs Scherich believes the middle portion of this house was one of the original buildings in the ghost town . Saved: Four ranchers moved to the area in the 1870s and early 1880s and set up an enormous ranch, dubbed the Comanche Pool. Above, Mr Scherich has kept pieces of barbed wire used in the town, including the wire used by the Comanche Pool's ranchers . Still life: On a regular basis, the Scheriches hike up to a springs (pictured), situated near the picturesque Gypsum Hills, with their stunning views, canyons and buttes. Here, wild animals and insects continue to drink the natural spring water that still flows at the site . Contrast: This photo shows several of the many cowboys employed by the Comanche Pool in Comanche County during the 1880s . The Evansville Herald, which started publishing in October 1885, reported on a prospering town with around 40 residents and several businessmen. However, in 1884, a large portion of Comanche County - where the ranchers had used land 'unofficially' - was bought by settlers for $1.25 an acre. In following years, as the herd law was enacted (forcing ranchers to fence their cattle) and the winters became harsher, the Comanche Pool dissolved. But Evansville continued to grow, David Webb, of Kansas Heritage Center, writes in his and co-author Alzina Baker's book, Comanche County History. A nearby post office moved into the town, a sorghum mill reportedly opened and by November 1886, residents were hoping for a railroad. 'We all want a railroad and now is the time to get one,' the editor of The Evansville Herald apparently wrote at the time, adding: 'We may never have a better chance.' However, several years later, the newspaper had shut down due to lack of profit, while the commissary building and its post office shortly closed. Sawed logs: The historic commissary building was built using rough sawed logs and wood that workers notched to fit (pictured today) Co-manager: Mrs Sherich is pictured looking up inside the commissary. She now manages Merrill Ranch in the town with her husband . Today, horse harnesses hang empty from the roof of the building's ruined stables, while the commissary's wooden log structures are falling apart. In front of the building, broken-off posts stick up from the ground - and a boardwalk that used to be bustling with residents is long gone. 'I'd love to have someone restore it,' Mrs Scherich said of the commissary, adding: 'It would be expensive. I should have done it 20 years ago.' Mr Scherich moved to Evansville with his parents in the 1940s to manage Merrill Ranch - long after the town had been deserted by most ranchers. Although he left the ranch to teach at Inman High School for several years, he eventually returned to the site with Mrs Scherich in 1976. They now manage the ranch and its cattle together.
Town of Evansville in Comanche County was the headquarters of largest cattle ranch in Kansas's history in 1880s . But now, its once-thriving commissary building, with post office, grocery store and possibly a hotel, are long gone . However, the remote ghost town is still home to two final residents - rancher Larry 'Dee' Scherich and wife Phyllis . Couple live in a house just north of ruined commissary building - and only ever encounter hired help in the region . Mrs Scherich said of Evansville: 'By 1910, there was not much left', adding she would 'love' to restore the buildings .