Z
ephyr From the Kansas Historical Society
January/February 2024
FEATURING FORT HAYS:
RECENT UPDATES AND ACTIVITIES (more on pages 16-18)
Contents From the Executive Director Digging Into Kansas’ Archeological Past New National and State Register Listings Heritage Trust Fund Project: Before and After 2024 Kansas Preservation Conference Staff Member Spotlights Celebrate Kansas Day Wherever You Are From Concept to Design: A Peek at the New Gallery The Ferrell Family Collection: A Kansas Ranching Legacy Fort Hays on Display Presenting Custer: The Great Debate Temporary Exhibit Tune In! On This Day in Kansas History News and Notes Calendar
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January/February 2024 - Volume 1, Issue 3 Patrick Zollner, Executive Director, State Historic Preservation Officer Bobbie Athon, Editor in Chief Ashley Wunder, Managing Editor Kim Korber, Layout Designer Anne Dorcey, Graphic Design Consultation Brenda Kipp, Contributing Writer
Published by the Kansas Historical Society 6425 SW 6th Avenue Topeka KS 66615-1099 Please send change of address information to the above address, email ashley.wunder@ks.gov, or call 785-272-8681, ext. 263. Partial funding provided by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. The contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior. This program receives federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program activity or facility operated by a recipient of federal assistance should write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service 1849 C Street NW, Washington DC 20240.
©2024
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Allan Nevins marked the Kansas Territorial Centennial with his address in 1954; the commemoration included a coin highlighting important symbols.
Kansas Zephyr Our bimonthly publication, Zephyr, continues to receive helpful and supportive comments. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! “When Kansas asserted herself, the whole world knew it,” commented Allan Nevins, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian from Columbia University, in 1954. Nevins delivered his keynote address, “Kansas and the Stream of American Destiny,” at the University of Kansas to mark the centennial of Kansas Territory. The history conference was co-sponsored by the Kansas Historical Society, Kansas Library Association, Kansas Association of Teachers of History and Related Fields, and five University of Kansas departments. “May she continue to do so!” Nevins said. “Let us hope that after the soft prairie zephyr has blown mildly awhile, the rousing Kansas cyclone will return.”
January/February 2024
From the Executive Director
Patrick Zollner
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mong our primary goals these past few months have been to find ways to make Kansas history more easily accessible. We returned to free admission at the Kansas State Historic Sites last April. We have been tracking the results of this change, and it is heartening to see the positive results so far. Our visitors to the sites increased, and we have received many notes of appreciation. If you haven’t had an opportunity to visit our State Historic Sites, we hope you are able to do so soon. Three of our sites are open year-round, and several of our seasonal sites are planning winter programs. Zephyr will keep you updated so you can join us. Our staff members have enjoyed opportunities to connect with other tourism and museum colleagues over the last few months. Several of us attended the Kansas Tourism Conference in Dodge City in October. We all brought back new insights from the presentations, tours, and conversations. More staff members were able to participate in the Kansas Museums Association Conference in Hays in November. This was a great opportunity to explore the rich history of western Kansas. As part of the conference program, we enjoyed hosting an afternoon event at Fort Hays State Historic Site and were excited to unveil a new special exhibit on General George Armstrong Custer (see page 18). We also enjoyed connecting with those who stopped at our table in the conference exhibit area (pictured above right). I had the opportunity to attend the dedication of the Civil War headstone for Doc McWilliams in Lawrence in September. Through the efforts of several community organizations, this First Kansas Colored infantryman and important civil rights leader is now honored with a cemetery marker. In October I also had the pleasure of
accompanying one of our museum specialists, Boone Dodson, to the Kansas Army National Guard Museum in Topeka for his presentation on preserving Civil War battle flags. We have one of the largest collections of African American Civil War battle flags in the nation, in addition to many other military flags. How surprised and grateful we were to receive a $1,000 donation from the Military Order of World Wars toward our Save the Flags program. We were also pleased to attend the 50th anniversary of the Greenwood County Historical Society in Eureka in October. As part of this event, we toured the museum’s displays, enjoyed a presentation of the county’s early school districts, and received updates about local preservation initiatives. I presented certificates to President Mike Pitko, marking the milestone, and John Bills, Gib Rhodes, and Linda Sobieski for their efforts researching and documenting the Greenwood County school district (pictured below right). It’s always heartwarming to see so much community support for local Kansas history.
Welcoming Caryn Kramer, Executive Assistant You may recognize the friendly, dedicated, and resourceful staff member who was hired as executive assistant for the Kansas Historical Society in October 2023. A central Illinois native, Caryn Kramer has served the Kansas Historical Foundation since December 2016. Most recently, Caryn provided the not-for-profit with invaluable support as programs and membership coordinator. The Historical Society’s executive director, Patrick Zollner, and director of administration, Matthew Chappell, are thrilled to have Caryn’s assistance managing and overseeing critical office functions. Caryn can be reached at caryn.kramer@ks.gov: 785-272-8681, ext. 204. We hope you will give her a warm welcome!
Kansas Historical Society
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ARCHEOLOGY
Protecting and understanding the archeological resources of Kansas— working with local, state, and tribal entities, offering educational programming, and conducting and sharing research.
Digging Into Kansas’ Archeological Past By Chris Garst, MA, Archeology Lab Supervisor
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ean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr penned the phrase “the more things change, the more they stay the same” in 1849. While this is often true it is hoped that some of the earlier practices in Kansas archeology have changed for the better. Does history not teach us what works and what might benefit from permanent change? Here are a few images of archeological practices that demonstrate a need for evolution and some from an unchanging archeology we hope to never lose. This volunteer takes meticulous care while excavating a pipe bowl at the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school held in Mitchell County in 1980. This care should not and has not changed in today’s Kansas archeology.
This young man at an excavation at Fort Hays in 1967 had perhaps not known the dangers of working in the hot Kansas sunshine. Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can occur. Now we encourage the use of sunscreen, frequent water breaks, self-monitoring, and pop-up shades.
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One constant in nearly 50 years of public archeology at the Kansas Historical Society is the priceless help provided by volunteers. Most are a part of the Kansas Anthropological Association, a group interested in preserving, interpreting, scientifically investigating, and publicizing Kansas history. Others come to us from colleges and universities, or simply walk in off the street. We could not begin to accomplish what we do without their help.
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The ease of locating Middle Ceramic period archeological sites, like this one in Clay County excavated in 1961, has changed. This type of site is often shallowly buried and often destroyed by cultivation. Kansas Historical Society archeologists try to document all archeological sites in Kansas, including those from the recent past to some from more than 12,000 years ago.
In 1991 volunteers of the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school at this Middle Ceramic village site in Washington County were using some simply made equipment: tree poles and cordage to hang the sifting screens. Archeologists still create some of their equipment, but they make sure their materials are stable, portable, and sustainable. The camaraderie at the screens has stayed the same.
did you know? Kansas Day, celebrated January 29, reminds us that our state was named after the Kanza Tribe. The Kanza lived in Kansas until 1873 when they were forcibly relocated to a reservation in Oklahoma, where they reside today. Many Kanza archeological sites have been found along the Kansas River, including Blue Earth Village. This was the principal settlement of the Kanza, occupied between 1790 and 1828. The artifacts found there show how the Kanza utilized a variety of items to meet their needs and illustrate that Euro-American goods were being traded in the area. The assemblage below reflects the presence of metal objects (right) used in conjunction with stone tool technologies (left).
Mapping an archeological site has changed a great deal since this site was excavated in 1972. Peep site alidades and plane table mapping have been updated to cloud- or opensourced data mapping tools, drone footage, and precision GPS mapping. Kansas Historical Society
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STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE (SHPO)
Preserving and protecting the state’s historic buildings, structures, and sites through financial assistance programs, technical guidance, and regulations; working with federal, state, and local communities and partners to interpret and preserve these resources.
New National and State Register Listings
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he National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of historically significant properties. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) at the Kansas Historical Society administers this and the Register of Historic Kansas Places. The state’s Historic Sites Board of Review meets every quarter with SHPO staff members and determines which properties to nominate to the National Register. These Kansas properties were recently evaluated by the Office of the Keeper in Washington, D.C., and approved to be listed.
Vinland Fair Association Fairgrounds • Vinland vicinity (Douglas County) This nomination broadens the vicinity of the site associated with the national Grange movement. Vinland held its first fair in 1874, among the oldest Grange chapters in Kansas. The complex includes a storage building (1920), exhibit building (1927), livestock pole barn (1952), pop stand (1952), and food stand (1953). The fairgrounds have continued to play an important role in the community, hosting family reunions, school events, weddings, horse shows, and tractor pulls.
Hazen L. Kirkpatrick House • Topeka (Shawnee County) Built in 1935, this property is significant for its association with the growth of Topeka’s affluent Westboro Neighborhood, with inspiration from the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. This custom design combined Monterey style with Colonial Revival and Spanish Revival influences. The unique design features a dominant secondstory cantilevered balcony covered by the principal roof. The Kirkpatrick house is an excellent example of the character of the neighborhood and its residences.
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Peters Science Hall, Kansas Wesleyan University • Salina (Saline County) Completed in 1969, this property was the first monolithic modern structure on campus. The science hall is distinctive for its concrete façade, reflective of the Modern Movement in architecture, featuring vertical slot windows. Peters Hall of Science houses science laboratories classrooms, and offices, as well as a library, greenhouse, auditorium, and telescope.
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National Register Nominations These nine properties were approved November 4, 2023, for listing in the Register of Historic Kansas Places. Alten-Peak House Manhattan, Riley County* Elk Falls High School Gymnasium Elk Falls, Elk County First Methodist Church of Eudora Douglas County*
Anna Richardson-Brown House • Nickerson (Reno County) Nominated for its association with the history of Nickerson, this classic Queen Anne style was built circa 1880 to 1915. Its interior features original crown molding, hardware, and wood floors. Highlights include six bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a sleeping porch on the second floor; an open dance space on the third floor; and a hand rope elevator. On the grounds is a two-story wood barn/carriage house. Anna and her husband operated the Nickerson newspaper and bank.
First Presbyterian Church Lawrence, Douglas County* George L Morrow Barn Spring Hill, Johnson County Herington Army Airfield Chapel Latimer, Morris County Iola Theatre Allen County Trinity Lutheran Church Lawrence, Douglas County* Union Church Auburn, Shawnee County The board voted to defer this property: Downtown Kansas City Commercial District Kansas City, Wyandotte County* Recommended for delisting from the National Register: Kansas State Office (Docking) Building Topeka, Shawnee County * Denotes properties within a Certified Local Government
C. L. Henderson House • Wichita (Sedgwick County) Built in 1919, this property is part of a thematic listing, the Residential Resources of Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas, 1870-1957. The twostory, Foursquare Colonial Revival style in Wichita’s College Hill neighborhood was custom built. C. L. Henderson was a petroleum engineer, and Zana Henderson was a poet, songwriter, and author. The house includes hardwood floors, fireplaces in the living room and master bedroom, built-in cabinets, and original wood trim and paneled doors throughout.
Kansas Historical Society
Morris Harris Farmstead • Perry vicinity (Jefferson County) This property is nominated as part of a thematic listing, Historic Agriculture-Related Resources of Kansas. The dates of significance span from 1912 to 1972. The Morris Harris farm comprises six buildings and is an excellent example of a historic stone farmstead.
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TAX CREDIT PROJECT: BEFORE AND AFTER By Lauren Jones, MA, Survey and Outreach Coordinator
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he Perring Building, located in downtown Abilene, was constructed between 1902 and 1904. This two-story brick structure sits at the western end of buildings collectively known as the Post Office Block. The structure was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 1998, for its impressive architecture, which draws inspiration from both Romanesque and Italianate styles. In addition to being individually listed, it’s also included in Abilene’s Downtown Historic District. When Leslie E. Perring purchased the property in 1898, the southern portion of the lot contained a cigar shop. He constructed a temporary building to the north to operate a restaurant. In 1902 he took out a $2,000 mortgage and began construction on the Perring Building. It was completed by
1904, at which time Perring sold it to his mother for $9,000. Over the years, the building’s first level has housed a variety of tenants, including a restaurant, music store, pool and billiard hall, Western Union, county soil conservation service, and real estate offices. The second level also provided a meeting hall for the Knights of Columbus and Veterans of Foreign Wars. In 2019 the owners undertook a substantial rehabilitation to reverse some of the incompatible changes made over the years and turn vacant floors into usable space. They applied for State
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and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits from the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service. Some of the work involved repairing the historic wood windows, restoring the plaster walls, and removing the non-historic tiles to reveal wood floors. After the project was successfully completed, the owners were awarded a federal tax credit for 20 percent of the qualified expenses and a state tax credit covering 25 percent. If you’re interested in learning more about the rehabilitation tax credits, please reach out to us at kshs.taxcredits@ks.gov.
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2024 Kansas Preservation Conference - Save the Date! May 15-17, 2024•Newton By Jan Shupert-Arick, MA, Grants Specialist
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ach year we in the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) look forward to connecting, learning, and exploring history at the Kansas Preservation Conference with statewide attendees. Conference sessions for 2024 are currently being planned in collaboration with Kansas Main Street. Activities will be held at unique locations across the Newton community, and highlight historic preservation as well as archeology, with a special tribute to Newton-born archeologist, Waldo Wedel. Attendees will enjoy walking tours of historic downtown Newton as well as a
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variety of activities, workshops, and special presentations. On Thursday, May 16, young preservationists will be invited to an afterhours gathering at Station 50 to network and share ideas on being preservationists in the 21st century. The Kansas Preservation Alliance will hold its annual awards reception and program at the Meridian Center on the evening of Friday, May 17. Stay tuned for detailed conference information in the March/April issue of Zephyr, or look for updates and other educational opportunities on SHPO’s Facebook page (facebook.com/KSHPO) or at bit.ly/KSHPOevents.
January/February 2024
MUSEUM AND EDUCATION
Using stories from Kansas history to encourage new explorations of the past, understand our present, and appreciate the experiences of others; collecting, preserving, and providing access to the state’s material culture.
Staff Member Spotlights Darren Wade, Capitol Visitor Center Coordinator Lois Herr, Education Coordinator
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ois Herr began working as an educator at the Kansas Historical Society over thirty years ago. During those years she managed or coordinated a variety of programs including traveling resource arren Wade may have the healthiest job at trunks, Kansas Day at the Museum, Kansas History the Historical Society. His job requires him to Day, summer youth camps, Discovery Place, and climb hundreds of steps and walk miles each day. Museum After Hours. The Kansas Museums Darren joined our staff fourteen years ago when Association awarded her the Presidential Award he accepted a job as a tour guide at the Kansas for her work with the Community History Capitol before the Capitol Visitor Center was built. Institute, a KSHS field service program that He later worked as the facility rental coordinator provided professional development opportunities and as retail manager at the Kansas Museum of to Kansas museums and historical organizations. History before returning to the Capitol. Although a native of Wisconsin, Topeka was her In his current role Darren juggles a variety of Volga German grandparents’ home for many years duties. He schedules and coordinates historic when they immigrated from Russia in 1909. Lois and dome tours for thousands of school children, has a master’s degree in Historical Administration civic groups, and tourists; provides educational from Eastern Illinois University and worked at resources to visitors; and manages the Visitor museums in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota Center’s classroom and auditorium. When he before arriving in Kansas. arrives for work he never knows what the day Lois is enthusiastic about the changes coming will bring since the Capitol draws visitors from to the museum. She sees incredible potential as throughout the United States and around the recent donations, world. newer technology, His favorite part of Kansas history is the and stories of sequence of events that resulted in Kansas more Kansans are entering the union as a free state and playing a incorporated into major role in the Civil War. the exhibits. Lois Darren enjoys providing tours to diverse groups is excited to share of people from across the state and beyond. Kansas stories with Schedule a tour by calling (785) 296-3966 or by new generations in a emailing kshs.capitol@ks.gov dynamic way.
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CELEBRATE KANSAS DAY WHEREVER YOU ARE
Whether you’re young or old, living in Kansas or Antarctica, if you have internet access we have resources to help you celebrate Kansas Day! By Lois Herr, MA, Education Coordinator
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id you know that Kansas Day was first celebrated in Paola in 1877 by students of L.G.A. Copley? He continued the practice when teaching in Wichita two years later. This led to an 1881 article suggesting that Kansas Day be celebrated in other Kansas schools, and the annual Kansas Day event we know today was born. Upon seeing the enthusiastic response from teachers, Copley wrote and published a booklet explaining and giving examples of how Kansas history, geography, poetry, music, and politics could be used to celebrate Kansas Day in every Kansas school. Kansas Day celebrations continue today in schools, libraries, museums, and other places throughout the state. Even Kansans no longer living in their home state often continue to mark the day with activities. Grandparents send their children and grandchildren Kansasrelated materials and goodies. Kansans from throughout the nation contact the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) each
year searching for resources they can use to commemorate Kansas’ admission as a state. Continuing the tradition established by L.G.A. Copley in 1882, KSHS has made a variety of Kansas Day resources available to the public. Individuals can enjoy the videos, crafts, Kansas bingo, lesson plans, trivia, and music our museum educators created and uploaded online. Kansans can also loan reproductions through the Traveling Resource Trunk program, which offers a hands-on experience. Kansas Museum of History educators can take part in the Wichita Public School’s Kansas Day Edventure program. Edventure offers free live virtual field trips and links to related videos. The Edventure Kansas Day event is available to anyone who cares to watch, whether they are in the Wichita Public School District or not. If you plan to commemorate statehood for Kansas, we hope you’ll look to the Kansas Historical Society for resources.
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On January 29, 2024, Kansas will celebrate its 163rd birthday! We have a variety of materials available to help make your Kansas Day unique and unforgettable. To explore Kansas Day resources and programs for your classroom, please visit bit.ly/ksdayresources or scan this QR code. ->
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January/February 2024
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5 ONE. This 1882 brochure was designed especially for Kansas Day, January 29, with information and exercises for use in Kansas schools. It contained Kansas history, geography, poems, songs, politics, and a list of Kansas “firsts.”
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TWO. Construction paper, color pencils, scissors,
and a glue stick allow students to cut out the state seal to create their own Kansas state flag.
THREE. Students can practice their handwriting with the “My Kansas ABCs” book, which ties every letter to Kansas subjects and themes. Inspire your classroom to learn more about Kansas aviation, buffalo, the Civil War, and more.
FOUR. Coloring in the “My Kansas Symbols”
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booklet helps students learn their symbols, including the state amphibian, insect, flower, and motto.
FIVE. Trae Johnson, assistant director of education and outreach, gives his rendition of our state song, “Home on the Range,” in this sing along video at bit.ly/kshotr. For more great educational videos visit our Education Youtube page (youtube.com/@ kshs.education) or scan this QR code. <-
WE WANT YOUR BUTTONS!
Come one! Come all! Come to the fair! Oh, you've already been to the fair? Do you have buttons from a fair or festival you can share? If so, the Kansas Museum of History is interested in your collection. We aim to document the history of fairs and festivals in Kansas and seek buttons to represent all counties and community interest groups. If you would like to consider donating your button(s) for this one-of-a-kind collection drive, please complete the interest form at this link: bit.ly/ksfairbuttons
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FROM CONCEPT TO DESIGN: The floor plan provides a guide for the museum staff and DI for placing large, anchor artifacts and accompanying themes and stories.
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By Sarah Bell, PhD, Kansas Museum of History Director
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hen I started my job as director of the museum in September 2022, I had the big challenge of figuring out what tasks had been done for the renovation and determining what work we still needed to do. One of the critical components of the museum renovation process is the design. For Dimensional Innovations (DI) to produce good designs, they need to understand our priority stories and artifacts. For the museum staff to produce a strong thematic narrative, we need DI to help us think about the gallery spatially. Similar to the process of research and writing, the design process has a lot of twists and turns and requires several rounds of tweaking and updating. To achieve the best results, we needed a strong system of communication. Over the past 10 months, DI and the museum staff have had weekly meetings, which has provided a built-in system for input. At these meetings, DI presents their visual interpretation of the
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content outlines and receives feedback from the museum staff. For museum staff, seeing the visual renderings of our content helps solidify what stories work together and what updates we need to make to the narratives. Through our discussions during these meetings, we have switched out or moved artifacts, added content, and adjusted design ideas to make for a better product. An additional result of our regular communication has been developing a great working relationship with the team at DI. Within the design process there are several phases: conceptual, schematic, and design development. The conceptual design phase is figuring out what stories we are telling. The schematic design phase is figuring out how we are telling the stories. Design development is refining the details. As of November 2023, we are in the conceptual design phase for about half of the gallery, as evidenced from the floor
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A PEEK AT THE NEW GALLERY plan and the included design images. One of our gallery themes, Making Kansas, is nearing the end of the schematic design phase, while Bleeding Kansas has gone all the way through design development. DI and museum staff decided over the summer to phase our design process so that we could understand all the components for one gallery theme. An additional benefit of this approach has been determining if we are within our budget. The design images included in the article are examples of the visual interpretation DI has created based on our content and feedback. All the designs are subject to change, but we wanted to share these as a sneak peek of the kind of content and stories we plan to share in our new gallery.
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TWO. Forces of Nature is an exhibit that
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ONE. Bleeding Kansas is a foundational story
for Kansas. Within that space is a timeline of key events from the period.
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tells the stories of Kansans’ fraught relationship with extreme weather, including the Dust Bowl, tornadoes, and floods.
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THREE. Kansas is called many things,
including flyover country and a drive-through state. On the Move examines those perceptions and tells the story of people’s movement through and within Kansas.
FOUR. To understand Kansas, one must grasp
the importance of the bison for the Indigenous Tribes who called Kansas home before white settlement. This exhibit explains why the decimation of the bison by Anglo-Europeans had such devastating consequences.
Visit linktr.ee/ kansasmuseumofhistory or scan this QR code for the museum’s social media, upcoming events, renovation updates, and more. ->
Kansas Historical Society
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STATE ARCHIVES
Collecting, preserving, and providing access to the state’s history through unpublished materials, personal papers, audio-visual materials, and government, organization, and business records.
The Ferrell Family Records Collection: A Kansas Ranching Legacy was fully functional at the Ferrell Ranch. The Ferrells prepared their son Garland to assume responsibility for the ranch. Born in Wichita in 1879, Garland attended Fairmount College (now Wichita State University), before studying journalism at Harvard University. There LEFT: Robert Myers Ferrell, son of Garland Peter Ferrell, Sr., and brother of he exchanged many letters Garland Peter “Jack” Ferrell, Jr., with his wife, Elsie Hopper Ferrell, and son, with family, describing Richard Allen Ferrell. RIGHT: Young Jack Ferrell. his experiences. This By Jason Thomason, MA, Collections Archivist correspondence includes letters from his father he Ferrell Family Records Garland Peter. Lloyd opened detailing current events collection represents Wichita’s first telephone in Wichita along with the life experiences of five service with the Merchants management and operations generations in Kansas. The Telephone and Telegraph of the Ferrell Ranch. Ferrell family was involved Company and was involved Garland married Helen in ranching, oil production, with platting several city Bayne Reilly from Anthony, and newspaper publishing. sections in Wichita. By 1888 a graduate of Fairmount They helped shape the city of he gained ownership of land College. The couple raised Wichita and made an impact near Beaumont in Butler their twin sons, Lloyd in many different Kansas County, north of Wichita, and Garland “Jack”, in industries. which became the multithe Boston area. Garland Lloyd Bascom Ferrell, a generational family ranch. worked briefly as a freelance Virginia native, moved to The Ferrells diversified their journalist before becoming a Council Grove in 1871 and ranch with cattle, chickens, correspondent for the Boston operated a small general horses, and pigs, and grew Herald, Boston Post, and New store. After the business grew, crops including apples, York Herald. At his parents’ he sold his interest in the cucumbers, onions, and urging, Garland relocated store and moved to Wichita. potatoes. Geological surveys his family to Wichita in Lloyd married Tarsy S. Myers and test wells identified oil on 1910 to assist his father with in 1877, and they had two their land and drilling soon ranch work. He also became children, Leda Marie and began. By 1918 oil extraction managing editor of the
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LEFT: Featured is a selection of diaries written by Garland and his wife Helen in 1902 and 1906, respectively, while the pair were living in Boston. MIDDLE: Jack and Isabelle’s daughter, Eleanor Ferrell Crank, later operated and restored the Beaumont Hotel, located adjacent to the family ranch. The historic hotel, listed in the National Register, provides important services for the Flint Hills’ ranching and oil industry, with lodging, an airstrip, and a water tank. In 2005 Pete Ferrell transferred ownership of the historic Frisco Ponds to the Beaumont Hotel. Developed in 1885 to fuel steam locomotives traveling westbound, the ponds now provide fishing and tranquility for hotel guests. RIGHT: The Ferrell Family Records collection in all its glory. Although processing is in progress, it currently spans more than 70 cubic feet and fills four 2- by 5-foot shelves.
Wichita Eagle. The family’s orange and walnut ranch in Irvine, California, began struggling and Garland and his family were drawn there to oversee operations in 1923. Lloyd died at his home in Wichita in 1928 at the age of 75. He was celebrated in the newspaper for living a modest yet upstanding life responsible for making his mark in the city and state. After his father’s death, Garland and his family returned to Wichita to run the Ferrell Ranch with the intention of passing it to their son Jack. Born in Massachusetts in 1907, Jack studied business at Pomona College in California. Following graduation, he traveled the world, then earned a master’s degree at Harvard University. Jack returned to Kansas to help with the Ferrell Ranch. Kansas Historical Society
When his father Garland passed away in 1969, Jack assumed responsibility for its operations. Jack then prepared his son Pete to be the next in line to operate Ferrell Ranch. Born in 1952, Pete graduated from Grinnell College, then returned to Wichita to pursue new initiatives that would help ensure prosperity at the ranch. He promoted production of grass-fed beef by forming a cooperative in 1995 and later a company. He also leased land for the construction of the Elk River Wind Farm in 2005, becoming one of the first Flint Hills property owners to support this venture. At present, Pete remains the principal owner of the historic Ferrell Ranch. The Kansas Historical Society’s State Archives acquired the Ferrell Family Records collection in 2019. Spanning 1855 to 2011, the
collection highlights the four Ferrell men who served as the principal heads of the ranch. All items in the collection were created, gathered, and stored by members of the family and have been passed down to each generation alongside the Ferrell Ranch. Record types include correspondence, diaries, memos, varied financial and legal documents, photographs, newspapers and magazines, personal research notes on several distinct topics, and various unique artifacts. You can explore the Ferrell Family Records Collection by visiting the State Archives research room located at 6425 SW 6th Avenue in Topeka. Our staff members would be delighted to assist you! To obtain current hours or prepare for your visit, check out bit.ly/ksarchives.
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STATE HISTORIC SITES
Preserving and protecting the state historic sites placed under the care of the Historical Society; educating visitors and classes through exhibits, exterior interpretation, and programming.
Fort Hays on Display
LEFT: Fort Hays officers’ quarters, circa 1913.
RIGHT: Fort Hays guardhouse, circa 1950.
By Tiffany Grassmuck, MA, Historic Sites Supervisor
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ort Hays State Historic Site is one of Kansas’ frontier posts that played a critical role in the United States’ westward expansion. Established as an important U.S. Army fort in 1865, it was active through 1889. Originally named Fort Fletcher and located just south of Walker, it was opened on October 11, 1865, with the purpose of protecting the Union Pacific Railway workers and stage and freight wagons of the Butterfield Overland Despatch traveling along the Smoky Hill Trail to Denver. The fort was moved to its current location and renamed Fort Hays to recognize Brigadier General Alexander Hays, fallen leader in the Civil War Battle of the Wilderness. This was a common naming practice, especially for western forts. With its location by the railroad right-ofway, the fort became a supply depot for other forts in the area. It was also a base for nearly 600 soldiers defending the railroad and white settlements in the area. Famous figures stationed at Fort Hays included James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody, General Nelson Miles, General Philip Sheridan, and Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. It was also the
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home of several well-known Plains Indian War regiments such as the Seventh U.S. Cavalry, the Fifth U.S. Infantry, and the 10th U.S. Cavalry better known as the “Buffalo Soldiers.” After 25 years of service, Fort Hays was abandoned on November 8, 1889. The U.S. Department of the Interior continued administering Fort Hays and sold most of the 38 buildings, which were moved away or dismantled. In 1900 the U.S. Congress authorized transfer of the entire fort to the State of Kansas, and by 1963 the state legislature authorized the Kansas Historical Society to preserve and maintain the buildings. Today, four original buildings remain at Fort Hays: the guardhouse, the blockhouse, and two officers’ quarters.
PLAN YOUR VISIT! Fort Hays 1472 U.S. 183 Alternate Hays, KS 67601 Visit 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday; 1 – 5 p.m. Sunday
January/February 2024
Fort Hays Blockhouse Restoration D uring the active military presence at the fort, the blockhouse served as the post headquarters and adjutant’s quarters. Built from native stone quarried three miles away, it is known as Fort Hays limestone. The irregularly cut stones were laid in a running bond pattern set in limestone mortar with joints up to one-half inch thick and dressed in smooth face, square corners, and square edges. Fort Hays limestone is soft and easily inscribed by soldiers from the historic period to visitors of the present. Due to the soft nature of the stone, deterioration occurred over time. Engineering studies and building scans determined Dutchman repairs were the proper preservation technique to conserve the most historic material. Stone for the repairs was acquired from the quarry used in the fort’s original construction. The Dutchman repairs were completed by removing the damaged portion of the stone, cutting new stone to size to fill the area, and adhering the new stone to the old stone. Biological growth had turned the stone a dark brown color. The extensive growth required cleaning before repairs were made. Revealing the limestone’s original light yellow color allowed the damaged areas to be better seen. Repairs appear as the lightest color and over time will weather to match the original limestone.
ONE. These two photos show how
environmental conditions weathered the blockhouse’s limestone to a dark brown color.
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TWO. This image features the Dutchman
repairs, which refers to the technique of replacing damaged areas in the stonework of a historic structure.
THREE. The blockhouse is seen here
after the cleaning and Dutchman repairs, revealing the original light yellow color of the Fort Hays limestone.
Kansas Historical Society
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Presenting Custer: The Great Debate A Temporary Exhibit
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he Kansas Museums Association (KMA) and the Kansas Association of Historians (KAH) planned respective annual conferences in Hays for late 2023 and early 2024. The closure of the Kansas Museum of History for reinterpretation made the pair of George Custer’s boots, one of its special artifacts, available for use in a temporary exhibit. Custer: The Great Debate opened on November 6, 2023, for the KMA conference and will remain open through the KAH conference ending on March 23, 2024. The exhibit explores how George Custer was portrayed in the press following his death at the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Custer: The Great Debate examines questions the Battle of Little Bighorn’s outcome had for government leaders, the press, and individuals closely linked to Custer’s legacy.
TAMMY YOUNGER: CELEBRATING MORE THAN 30 YEARS AT KSHS
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ammy Younger has been providing tours at Fort Hays since 1989. Through the years she has shared the site’s history with people from around the world. During that time the site has undergone numerous updates including exhibit reinterpretations, restorations, and special openings. Tammy particularly enjoys Christmas Past, when the community gathers on cold nights to see the candlelit sidewalk, with cookies and apples fried over campfire. As the site administrator, she is gratified to hear how much visitors enjoy the site’s rich history, and she cherishes the beautiful setting in the High Plains where wildlife can be seen.
Constitution Hall’s Bleeding Kansas Program Series Returns in 2024 2024 marks the 27th annual Bleeding Kansas Program Series held at Constitution Hall State Historic Site in Lecompton. Hosted by Site Administrator Tim Rues, this series involves presentations, book signings, and reenactor interpretations relating to the early history of the state. Programs will be held at 2 p.m. Sundays from January 28 through March 3, 2024. Please join us on January 28 to kick off the series with a Kansas Day celebration. Speakers include Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland; Bridgette Jobe, director of Kansas Tourism; Patrick Zollner, executive director of the Kansas Historical Society; and Aiden Najafizadeh, student at Bishop Seabury Academy. We hope to see you there!
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January/February 2024
TUNE IN! Featuring documentaries, YouTube videos, podcasts and other audiovisual offerings that highlight engaging stories related to Kansas history. Kansas Public Radio: “Sunflowers in “The American Buffalo” film series Junius Groves Bloom” “The American Buffalo,” which premiered October 16-17, 2023, is the latest documentary by renowned filmmaker Ken Burns. The two-part, four-hour series tells the story of the buffalo’s evolution–from its vast presence on the Great Plains, to the brink of extinction, and efforts to reestablish its population. The stunning cinematography is narrated by actor Peter Coyote, with others giving voice to historic figures. Commentaries from several Native American tribes add to the cultural significance of the film. Our State Archives team provided Florentine Films with several photographs for use in this documentary, including the below photo of a man seated by a buffalo wallow in Haskell County. You can stream “The American Buffalo” at pbs.org/buffalo.
Kansas Historical Society
Katie Keckeisen, local history librarian for the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library (and former Kansas Historical Society collections archivist), recently shared the story of Junius Groves for Kansas Public Radio. Formerly enslaved, Groves came to Kansas from Kentucky and settled near Edwardsville in Wyandotte County. He translated his potato growing skill to become a prosperous farmer and was called the “potato king of the world” for growing more per acre than anyone else. Visit bit.ly/kspotatoking to listen to Katie’s commentary on Junius and Matilda Groves.
On October 15, 2023, CBS Sunday Morning aired a segment titled “Sunflowers in Bloom.” The piece featured the 50-acre sunflower field at Grinter Farms in Lawrence. CBS correspondent Mo Rocca interviewed owners Ted and Kris Grinter about their 6-foot-tall sunflowers and how Grinter Farms has become a popular attraction for hundreds of tourists every year. Rocca also spoke with Caitlin Eckard of Powell Gardens in Kingsville, Missouri, about the historic significance of sunflowers– from how Native Americans used the flower to it becoming the symbol of the women’s suffrage movement. The video also features Steve Kaufer, known as “Sunflower Steve,” who produces some unique sunflower varieties in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. The segment can be viewed on CBS Sunday Morning online at bit.ly/cbssunflowers.
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On this Day in Kansas History 1/1
Kansans were fighting alcohol consumption long before voters approved a prohibition amendment in 1880. This change to the state constitution made manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors illegal in the state. When the law took effect on this day in 1881, Kansas became the nation’s first state to prohibit alcohol. Yet, prohibition supporters claimed Kansas didn’t enforce the laws. Federal prohibition followed in 1920 increasing bootlegging across the nation. These law enforcement officers confiscated liquor in Eureka, Greenwood County, in 1923. National prohibition ended in 1933, yet Kansas continued the statewide ban until 1948.
1/14 Eliza “Lyda” Burton Conley, of Wyandot heritage, was the first Native American woman (and the third woman) to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Conley was the first woman to graduate from the Kansas City School of Law. Admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1902 and the Kansas Bar in 1910, she fought to save the cemetery of her people in Kansas City, Kansas. Conley argued the case on this day in 1910. She lost the case but caught the attention of then Kansas state senator Charles Curtis. Curtis drafted and passed a law in 1913 protecting the cemetery, yet development continued to threaten the site. After Conley was murdered in 1946 others took on the fight. The Huron Indian Cemetery, where Lyda is buried, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2017.
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20 Zephyr
Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, and Lloyd Stearman joined forces to create the Travel Air Manufacturing Company in 1925. Stearman was the designer, Cessna provided tools, and Beech oversaw the assembly line and made test flights. To their engineering and aviation expertise, they added Olive Ann Mellor for her business acumen. The pictured Mystery S (Model R), built in 1929, was a racer designed for speed and maneuverability; it was a decade ahead of comparable aircraft. Beech and (Mellor) Beech, Cessna, and Stearman eventually went on to form their own companies, playing significant roles in aviation history.
January/February 2024
Cyrus K. Holliday donated 20 acres of land for the state capitol building site on this day in 1862. The statehouse committee priorities included fire resistance, natural lighting, heating and ventilation, and resemblance to the U.S. Capitol. Kansas architect John G. Haskell’s concept was selected. The east wing cornerstone was laid October 17, 1866. With construction ongoing, state offices were moved from the old Constitution Hall to the east wing of the capitol. West wing construction began in 1879. A drafty walkway, the “Cave of the Winds,” connected the two wings. Construction on the north and south wings and the center building began in 1883. The Capitol was mostly complete by March 24, 1903, after 37 years and a cost of $3,200,588.92. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
2/7 Charles Langston arrived in Leavenworth in 1862 to organize a school for African Americans who had escaped slavery. Langston’s responsibilities grew with his appointment to supervise refugees for the Freedmen’s Bureau in Kansas. His fight for equality for Black citizens took him before the Kansas Legislature on this day in 1864. His “very logical argument” for Black suffrage led to an 1867 amendment on the Kansas ballot. Voters failed to approve this amendment that would have permitted Black voters and another that would have permitted women to vote. Black men gained voting rights with the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified February 3, 1870, one of many February milestones during Black History Month.
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Kansas Historical Society
2/8
Lorenzo D. Lewelling, People’s Party, was elected governor in 1892. His party, called Populists, had controlled the senate and claimed control of the house in 1893, however, Republicans also claimed a house majority. Each party elected leadership as tensions mounted. In mid-February the Populists locked the Republicans from Representative Hall. On this day in 1893, George L. Douglass, Republican speaker of the house, led supporters to the capitol armed with sledgehammers and bats, breaking through the doors. Governor Lewelling had enlisted the state militia to restore order but most units supported the Republicans and refused to support the governor. After a threeday standoff, Governor Lewelling negotiated an agreement and on February 25 the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Republicans, endorsing their majority of the house.
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NEWS and NOTES Traveling Exhibit: Photographic Treasures of Historic Leavenworth
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he Leavenworth County Historical Society has preserved a 30,000-piece glass-plate negative collection. These images were captured by pioneer Leavenworth photographers, dating from the 1860s through the 1950s. To encourage rediscovery of the early history of the first city in Kansas, Jonathan Kemper of the Commerce Bank in Kansas City provided funding for a traveling exhibit. Comprised of 17 prints, this exhibit was first shown at the Box Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri, and has since been displayed in Leavenworth and at the University of Kansas’s Spencer Research Library. This historic exhibit is available to organizations that might be interested in displaying it. You can learn more about Photographic Treasures of Historic Leavenworth by visiting bit.ly/leavenworthexhibit. To reserve the traveling exhibit for your organization, contact Lee Stieger at lrstieger@netscape.net or 913-683-0131.
KAH Conference Calls for Proposals
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he Kansas Association of Historians (KAH) Conference will be held March 22-23, 2024, at Fort Hays State University. Sessions will run from 12-8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday. Public historians, students, faculty, and nonprofessionals are encouraged to submit proposals. Projects from all fields of history are welcome. The deadline for proposals is January 15. To learn more information or submit a proposal, please visit kansashistorians.org. 22 Zephyr
Kansas Day: Inspiring Tourism to and Throughout Kansas
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ed by Director Bridgette Jobe, the Kansas Tourism team brilliantly uses its platforms to illustrate that, “The Kansas experience is a salute to the real. To the rowdy. To the wide-eyed wanderers. To the dreamers. To the stars.” While their tagline reminds us of the crossroads and trailblazers that underpin Kansas history, their annual Kansas Day campaigns help inspire and bolster our efforts as public historians. Last year, we marveled as Kansas Tourism invited five homegrown musical groups to reimagine our beloved state song, “Home on the Range,” in honor of its 150th birthday. Have you checked out the powerful renditions from rapper XV or country artist Logan Mize? Or viewed the performances by Maria the Mexican, The Get Up Kids, or Andy McKee? The playlist is spectacular, and we hope you’ll check it out or share it with others as part of your Kansas Day celebrations: bit.ly/kstourismplaylist On January 29, 2024, Kansas Tourism will launch a new set of videos to encourage civic pride and promote visitation to cultural attractions. We can’t wait to get a glimpse of this year’s videos and hope you’ll join us in staying tuned for the upcoming reveal on their webpage: TravelKS.com/KansasDay
Governor Kelly Announces Tourism Award Winner
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uring the Kansas Tourism Conference, held in Dodge City from October 16-18, WenDee Rowe, project manager for the Kansas Sampler Foundation, was honored with the 2023 Governor’s Tourism Award. We congratulate WenDee on this incredible achievement! View Governor Kelly’s announcement at bit.ly/kstourismaward January/February 2024
Upcoming Events... See more events by scanning the QR code to the right -> or visiting bit.ly/kshscalendar
JANUARY 1 – Statewide
New Year’s Day, all sites closed for the state holiday
7 – Council Grove
Kaw Mission Councils, Friends of Kaw Heritage Annual Meeting, “People, Places, and Politics of 1800s Kansas,” presented by John Burchill, 2 p.m. Sunday, The Dealership Building
10 – Virtual
Museum After Hours, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, via Zoom and YouTube
15 – Statewide
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, all sites closed for the state holiday
22 – Lawrence
Freedom’s Frontier Partner Meeting, Watkins Museum of History; freedomsfrontier.org/partners/
28 – Lecompton
Bleeding Kansas Program Series, Kansas Day Celebration with Lt. Governor David Toland, Director of Kansas Tourism Bridgette Jobe, Kansas Historical Society Executive Director Patrick Zollner, and honorary student Aiden Najafizadeh, 2 p.m. Sunday, Constitution Hall
29 – Statewide Kansas Day
FEBRUARY 3 – Topeka
14 – Virtual
4 – Council Grove
18 – Lecompton
Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review, triannual meeting, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday Kaw Mission Councils, “Children of the Promised Land,” presented by Angela Bates, 2 p.m. Sunday, The Dealership Building
4 – Lecompton
Bleeding Kansas Program Series, “Sitting on the Fence: Living in Kansas Between the Factions,” presented by Kendall D. Gott, 2 p.m. Sunday, Constitution Hall
11 – Lecompton
Museum After Hours, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, via Zoom and YouTube Bleeding Kansas Program Series, “A Monopoly on Misfortune: An Immigrant Regiment in the Crucible of Civil War,” presented by Dr. Brian Matthew Jordan, 2 p.m. Sunday, Constitution Hall
25 – Lecompton
Bleeding Kansas Program Series, “Abolitionist of the Most Dangerous Kind: James Montgomery and His War on Slavery,” presented by Todd Mildfelt and David D. Schafer, 2 p.m. Sunday, Constitution Hall
Bleeding Kansas Program Series, “John Brown, Man of Action,” presented by Grady Atwater, 2 p.m. Sunday, Constitution Hall
MARCH 3 – Council Grove
Kaw Mission Councils, “Connecting the Plains: Steamboats and the Santa Fe Trail,” presented by Kendall Gott, 2 p.m. Sunday, The Dealership Building
13 – Virtual
Museum After Hours, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, via Zoom and YouTube
22-23 – Hays
Kansas Association of Historians Conference, 12 – 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Fort Bleeding Kansas Program Series, voices from Kansas Hays State University; kansashistorians.org Territorial characters, presented by the Lecompton Reenactors, 2 p.m. Sunday, Constitution Hall
3 – Lecompton
Kansas Historical Society
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- Ne x t I s s u e -
CONNECT WITH US! @kansashistorical @kansashistory
Tune into the March/April issue for: • Site Highlight: Constitution Hall State Historic Site • 2024 Kansas Preservation Conference • Heritage Trust Fund Grant Awardees
@kansas_history @kansashistorical Visit linktr.ee/ kansashistory or scan this QR code for easy access to all of our social media and more!
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Kansas Historical Society 6425 SW 6th Avenue Topeka, KS 66615-1099
2024 Kansas Preservation Conference