Isaac T. Goodnow, traveling in New England, wrote to William Claflin. Goodnow told Claflin that he and Joseph Denison wished to honor him by naming their first building at Bluemont Central College "Claflin Hall". He promoted the College as to become the Harvard College of Central Kansas, and emphasized that Claflin would get more for his money investing in a "rising state" than he would in an older state.