Z
ephyr From the Kansas Historical Society
November/December 2023
KAW MISSION: A REOPENING YEARS IN THE MAKING (more on page18)
Contents From the Executive Director They Have Waited Long Enough Loaning Artifacts to the Iowa and Sac & Fox Mission Museum
Heritage Trust Fund Project: Before and After New National and State Register Listings Kansas State Capitol Programs Rural School Days at the Stach School Renovation of the Kansas Museum of History Uncovering the Docking Building’s Time Capsule KSHRAB: Bringing Kansas Memory to You Staff Spotlights Investing in History: Reopening Kaw Mission News and Notes On This Day in Kansas History Calendar
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November/December 2023 - Volume 1, Issue 2 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 or email kshs.information@ks.gov. 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.
©2023
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Kansas Zephyr We appreciate the feedback on our new bimonthly publication, Zephyr. Like the gentle westerly breeze that inspires its name, we hope to bring you the latest thing on the Kansas wind, with the happenings of the Kansas Historical Society. As this colorful bag from the museum collection suggests, Zephyr Flour made this term common to Kansans. One of the first flours produced by the Bowersock Mill in Lawrence, it was made from the “best hard wheat in Kansas,” promoted as early as 1896 and continued until at least the 1930s. Bowersock had begun as a hydropower company in 1874, building the original dam across the Kansas River. Advertisements highlighted the connection, “What is Saved by Water Power We Give You in Better Flour” and guaranteed customer satisfaction. A large Zephyr Flour sign topped the mill’s building in Lawrence in the 1920s. Grocers selling Zephyr Flour could receive promotional items like a lapel button, a hot pan, and paring knife. Kansans didn’t have to look far to find a Zephyr.
November/December 2023
From the Executive Director
Patrick Zollner
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e are excited to celebrate the opening of Kaw Mission State Historic Site along with Last Chance Store in Council Grove. We have been anticipating these new exhibits for some time and are thrilled to see the excitement surrounding this site. Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store have key roles in the history of the region. Kaw Mission became a state historic site in July 1951 when the state legislature approved $23,500 to purchase the house and grounds from owner, Carl Huffaker, the 10th child of Thomas Huffaker, who came to the mission 100 years earlier as the first Kaw Mission teacher. Elwood Jones was hired as caretaker of the site; he and his wife, Inez, arrived to prepare for public displays to tell the site’s history. Weeks later, the swollen rivers and tributaries from the “Great Flood of 1951” spilled out across northeast Kansas, flooding Council Grove and damaging the historic structure. Jones’ report to Kirke Mechem, then secretary of the Historical Society, was dire. Floorboards were saturated and buckling, many showing previous termite damage. “Mr. Huffaker says he has never seen them in such bad condition in any previous flood,” Jones wrote. “From 5 to 10 percent of the boards will need to be replaced.” Jones faced other delays opening to the public, such as finding suitable artifacts to display. One of the more unusual challenges for the Joneses as site curators in-residence involved Carl Huffaker who remained living in the house for several months until his new house was constructed. The 1951 state emergency fund board meeting passed over a flood assistance request, then an allocation of $2,230 was approved by the board in March 1952. The site finally opened in September that year. The annual report of the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) published in its Kansas Historical Quarterly, May 1953, noted, “Though our wheels seemed to grind as slowly as those of a covered wagon traveling down the Santa Fe trail a century ago, they also turned as surely, and the Old Kaw Mission was finally opened September 18 as a museum.” I have often felt the same sentiment during our long rehabilitation and reinterpretation process! The site’s official opening dedication was set against the backdrop of a Santa Fe Trail parade on May 12, 1954, that encompassed stories from Coronado to present day. U.S. Senator Andrew Kansas Historical Society
Schoeppel provided the dedication. By all accounts the new displays at Kaw Mission were popular with visitors, and by 1962 Jones was reporting attendance close to 6,000. It is worth noting that KSHS officials at the time understood the mission building, remodeled as a residence by Huffaker in 1926, could not be returned to a conjectural mission appearance of 1851. The decision was made to leave the building in the 1926 appearance and configuration. Our restoration efforts followed this philosophy although we did reverse some of the 1950s alterations made to accommodate the site curators’ living arrangements upstairs. The new exhibits at Kaw Mission, which include interpretation in the government house on the grounds, offer visitors an opportunity to understand the significance of this site to the Kanza people on whose lands it was built, the heavily traveled Santa Fe Trail, and the new settlers coming to claim lands in the west. You’ll find more about these exhibits on pages 18-19. This project has been a years-long effort for Mark Brooks, Site Administrator; Tiffany Grassmuck, Historic Sites Supervisor, and Nate Forsberg, Exhibits Designer; the community of Council Grove; and the Kaw Nation; along with many other Historical Society staff members. We appreciate the generosity and patience of all who have contributed funding, materials, artifacts, and information to this major project. We look forward to sharing this rich history with you when you are able to visit the site!
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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.
THEY HAVE WAITED LONG ENOUGH By Nikki Klarmann, MA, State Archeologist
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he Native American Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was passed by Congress in 1990. This federal law specifically requires federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funds (including museums, universities, state agencies, and local governments) to repatriate and transfer Native American human remains and other cultural items to the appropriate parties. This occurs through consultation with descendant communities, identifying and reporting all Native American human remains and other cultural items in holdings or collections, and giving notice prior to the repatriation and transfer of human remains and cultural items to their descendant communities. The goal of the law is to encourage dialogue and a greater understanding between museums and Tribal Nations, while recognizing that museums serve society by preserving the past. The Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) has worked to comply with the federal law and repatriate the remains of people and cultural items in our custody to their descendant communities. Since NAGPRA was enacted, we have completed 18 separate repatriations of 92 individuals and many cultural items to their descendant communities. However, as is the case in many states, budget cuts and staffing shortages slowed the process, leaving many remains and cultural items in KSHS custody. Further complicating the repatriation process is the classification of many remains and cultural items as “culturally unidentifiable,” a catchall for remains that were not easily associated with specific Tribal Nations. The University of Kansas (KU)
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received a grant in the late 1990s to bring Tribal Nations together to see what should be done with those remains and items in Kansas, including those at KSHS, that were determined to be culturally unidentifiable. Unfortunately, this process stalled and those remains and cultural items were left waiting to return home. With new federal legislation that clarifies certain aspects of NAGPRA, including setting a timeline for the compliance with the law and repatriation of those remains and items determined to be culturally unidentifiable, I knew that as an agency we needed to reevaluate and reprioritize our NAGPRA compliance. When I accepted the State Archeologist position last year, my main goal was to reprioritize our compliance with NAGPRA. It was clear that to meet this goal we needed a full time NAGPRA Coordinator on staff. I knew one of the few opportunities we would have for funding of such a position would be through the grant offered by NAGPRA. This federal grant, through the Department of the
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Connecting Indigenous Tribes to specific locations in Kansas can be difficult as more than 40 Tribes have called Kansas home at one time or another. Maps like this provide a snapshot in time of Indigenous lands within what we now call Kansas. Tribal histories and archeological evidence aid in this effort.
Interior, is specifically for documentation/ consultation of human remains and cultural items under NAGPRA jurisdiction. After applying for the grant in March of this year, we were awarded $100,000 in early August. My goal for the grant funded NAGPRA Coordinator position is to reevaluate those remains and cultural items that were initially determined to be culturally unidentifiable. Information required to identify descendant communities include a general time period and location. Kansas has a complex history in its treatment of Native American communities, but we also have records about which Tribal Nations were living in certain parts of the state at specific times and which Tribal Nations trace their ancestry to the state prior to European colonization and the removal of Indigenous communities from their ancestral lands. Many remains and cultural items have enough information that they could be connected to a list of Tribal Nations. Additionally, Kansas has the Unmarked Burial Sites Preservation Act (UBS), a state law passed in 1989, which protects unmarked burials in Kansas and the human remains and associated objects that come from them. KSHS is the statutory entity responsible for those remains that are recovered under the state’s UBS law. Those remains determined to be Native American should then be classified under NAGPRA jurisdiction. Remains come to KSHS each year after being found through Kansas Historical Society
construction, law enforcement, or other ways. In the past, some cases were only considered under the UBS law and not under NAGPRA, so all these cases need to be reevaluated. Finally, part of the grant is designated to fund consultation with Tribal Nations, covering travel and expenses for such visits. This would involve initial contact with Tribal representatives via email, letters, and/ or phone calls and consultation meetings either on site at KSHS or at the Tribal Nation’s Headquarters. These renewed communications will increase the ability of the Kansas Historical Society to carry out their duties under NAGPRA and allow for Tribal Nations to be deeply involved in the repatriation process. The NAGPRA Coordinator position will be funded by the grant full time for about one and a half years, however, KSHS will extend the position for an additional six months. We will also seek additional funding sources to further extend this position. I feel so fortunate that we have been awarded this grant and that our goal of reprioritizing repatriation of the people and cultural items in our care has been recognized. There is a lot of work to do to reunite these individuals and cultural items with their descendant communities, but I know it is exactly what we need to do. Beyond federal requirements, it is our ethical imperative to get these people home, and with this grant, we can help speed up this reunification. They have waited long enough. Zephyr 5
Loaning Artifacts to the Iowa and Sac & Fox Mission Museum By Shelby Beltz, MA, Public Outreach Archeologist
Fox Mission Museum, went he Iowa and Sac & Fox With the transfer of T Mission was built between ownership to the Iowa Tribe, through artifacts excavated from the Mission that 1845-1846 by the Presbyterian the goal is to reopen the church and was utilized as a boarding school for children of the Iowa and Sac & Fox Tribes. The Mission was an “Indian Orphanage Institute” between 1863-1866 before closing. Between 1868-1905 it was recorded that the Mission was used as a residence and later purchased by the state in 1941. The Mission underwent restoration before becoming a museum by the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) from 1963-2008. During this time, the Mission was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. A three-story addition with an elevator, restrooms, and a small storage and office space prompted excavations by the KSHS in 1994. In 2021, the KSHS transferred ownership of the Mission to the Iowa Tribe under legislation House Bill 2408.
are housed at KSHS to Mission as a museum that incorporate into the new could “connect the modern museum. More than 190 person visiting the museum artifacts were loaned to Kelley to the past” by utilizing the Mission as a place to “narrate for this project, ranging from the tribe’s history and culture.” construction materials to buttons, from flatware to toys. The museum’s plans include Some of the items loaned showcasing the Tribe’s history were photographed and from their relocation to uploaded to Kansas Memory present-day Kansas in 1837 through the modern day and before leaving the Historical the ongoing effort to establish Society. Kelley hopes these items will help Mission a Tribal National Park. As visitors “recognize and well as being a museum, it is hoped that the Mission will be connect to the period in the utilized by local organizations 1800s when this building to host events as it has in the was the center of a bustling community.” past. In February of this year, Michael Kelley, the Director of the Iowa and Sac and
(left): Slate pencils; (right): Embroidery scissors; (above): Two marbles or unglazed German handpainted porcelain, one with black lines and the other with a floral motif. The third is a ceramic marble with a Bennington style decoration.
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November/December 2023
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.
HERITAGE TRUST FUND PROJECT: BEFORE AND AFTER By Lauren Jones, MA, Survey and Outreach Coordinator
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he Heritage Trust Fund (HTF) Grant is a state program that provides matching funds for the preservation of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the Register of Historic Kansas Places. The program was created in 1990 and has awarded more than $30 million to projects across Kansas, including water towers, bridges, theaters, barns, and other historic buildings. As part of the 2022 grant round, the Prospect Park Farm in Dickinson County was awarded $90,000 for restoration of the front porch, as well as repointing and cleaning of the building’s masonry. Prospect Park Farm was listed in the National Register on February 2, 1982. The farm consists of two barns, a bunkhouse, a milk house, and the main stone house. While the first part of the house was built in 1876, John Hiram Taylor designed a major expansion and improvement in 1884, drawing inspiration from the Italianate Villa style. The house had running water, was lit by chandeliers, and heated by coal burning baseburners.
A writer in 1893 called it “one of Dickinson County’s finest farms.” The original front porch was removed sometime in the 1940s or 1950s and was replaced by a concrete slab. These modifications exposed the front door to the elements and caused damage to the limestone foundation. As part of the HTF grant, the owners researched and utilized historic photos to guide the reconstruction of the porch. The stone was also gently cleaned and repointed with an appropriate mortar. One hundred and thirty years later, this writer is inclined to agree that Prospect Park Farm is “one of Dickinson County’s finest farms” indeed!
Before
After
Kansas Rural Preservation Grants
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he National Park Service recently awarded $750,000 to the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office to facilitate a new round of Kansas Rural Preservation grants. These subgrants will target properties in rural downtown commercial areas, giving priority to Kansas Main Street communities. Application details and workshops will be announced soon. Visit bit.ly/ ksrpg to learn more about this program and how to receive notifications. During the first grant round in 2021, the Kansas Rural Preservation program funded 15 projects in 12 counties for a total of $499,645. They focused Kansas Historical Society
on historic properties in communities with populations under 30,000. The Thomas S. McQuillan Farmstead in Douglas County received $45,000. The McQuillan barn has been owned by the same family since it was built in the 1890s. The grant will help transition the property to allow for rental of the stone farmhouse and use of the barn and surrounding area to exercise horses. Zephyr 7
New National and State Register Listings T
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.
Bethany Lutheran Church • Lindsborg (McPherson County) The Bethany Lutheran Church & Parsonage contribute to the history of the SwedishAmerican community in Lindsborg. The property was influential within the community, beginning with the settlement of Lindsborg through its development and growth into the mid-century. The period of significance begins with its construction in 1874 and ends after the last elements were added to the property in 1964. The Swedish community is essential to the settlement of the area and this church played a critical role in the community. Bethany Lutheran Church • Lindsborg
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Freight Depot • Atchison
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Freight Depot • Atchison (Atchison County) The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad Freight Depot is a cast-stone rectangular building constructed between 1887-1943. The building has a stepped brick parapet above the gable roof. The freight depot is important for its connection with the development of Atchison as a regional railroad hub. The CB&Q began in Atchison around 1867. The depot was constructed during the biggest growth in Kansas railway systems. 202 West 3rd Street • Luray (Russell County) The one and one-half story residence has an attached garage and workshop. Both the house and workshop are made of unique Post Rock Limestone; a material found only in this local region. The house and workshop are important for their design and construction, which was in 1907.
202 West 3rd Street • Luray
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November/December 2023
National Register Nominations The Historic Sites Board of Review nominated these ten properties on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
Holman Farmstead • Leavenworth
Holman, Alice and Edwin, Farmstead • Leavenworth (Leavenworth County) The Farmstead is located in the Delaware Township of Leavenworth County. The collection of buildings is locally important as a representation of the agricultural development in the area. Alice and Edwin Holman began their farming operation focused on raising fruits, vegetables, and nursery trees until selling the property in 1914. Della Knabb purchased the farmstead in 1914 and raised milk cows, cattle, and supporting crops. The period of significance is from 1870-1936.
A. B. Paine Photo Supply Co. Fort Scott, Bourbon County Downtown Gardner Historic District Gardner, Johnson County Keraus Hardware Store WaKeeney, Trego County J. H. Stevens/C.L. Thompson Block Historic District Garden City, Finney County Julius Kuhn Block Atchison, Atchison County Lone Star Lake Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp Lawrence, Douglas County Lone Star Lake Dam Lawrence, Douglas County Sowers/Crawford Farms Historic District Overbrook, Douglas County Spring Creek Stone Arch Bridge Arkansas City, Cowley County Vernon School Kansas City, Wyandotte County
Liggitt, William and Minnie, House • Herington (Dickinson County) The William Henry Liggett residence, located in Herington, is locally significant as an excellent example of a Victorian Painted Lady in Dickinson County, Kansas. The home has been a fixture in the community since it was constructed in 1908. The original owner and builder, William Henry Liggett, was a prominent businessman in Herington. He owned and operated the largest horse and mule barn from Herington to the Colorado border. He also owned and operated the Liggett Hotel in Herington.
Anderson, Knud, Farmstead • Vinland vicinity (Douglas County) The Knud Anderson Farmstead is located in eastern Douglas county just beyond unincorporated Vinland. The farmstead consists of a stone house, bank barn, smokehouse, granaries, garage, and horse stable. The period of importance begins with the earliest extant building from 1868 and continues through 1972. It is an excellent example of one of the oldest and most intact in the area.
Liggitt House • Herington
Knud Anderson Farmstead • Vinland
Kansas Historical Society
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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.
KANSAS STATE CAPITOL PROGRAMS By Trae Johnson, MA, Assistant Director of Education and Outreach
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he Kansas Museum of History may be closed, but the Kansas State Capitol is better than ever. The Capitol Visitor Center is where any visit to the Capitol begins. Our goal was to enhance the visitor experience and make it even more educational than before by developing new activities aligned with the Kansas History, Government, and Social Studies Standards. These activities are designed to be used by people of different ages and to enhance a guided tour by reinforcing the learning goals of field trips. “3 Branches of Kansas State Government” demonstrates the responsibilities of the three branches of state government in Kansas through a matching game. After sorting the cards visitors can self-check their choices and learn additional information about each branch. “Capitol Bingo!” is a self-guided activity that encourages visitors to look closely at the public areas of the Capitol and can be used by individuals or groups of all ages. Paper copies are available, but visitors can also use a digital version on their devices. “Building the Capitol” explores the construction of the Capitol from 1866 to 2002 and encourages visitors to closely examine historic photos as they organize them to illustrate the sequence of Capitol construction. “Flag Stories” provides visitors an opportunity to discover the symbolism included in the state flag of Kansas as they match details from the flag with text. Additionally, a new orientation video will debut in the auditorium of the Capitol Visitor Center, detailing the Capitol’s history, construction, renovation process, and function. The Capitol Visitor Center is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday. Come visit and try out one of these new activities!
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November/December 2023
Rural School Days at the Stach School By Joy Brennan, Program Coordinator
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chools are back in session, and the Museum and Education staff members are missing the line of yellow school buses often in our parking lot this time of year. However, our Rural School Days program brings groups of fourth and fifth graders to our one-room school for this popular living history program. The four-hour program, offered Tuesdays through Fridays, provides students a glimpse into life as a 1920s pupil. Miss Piland greets students in the lobby upon arrival for a brief overview of what to expect. Then students walk the quarter-mile nature trail, arriving at Stach School as the bell rings. Once inside, students are transported back in time as the smell of the coal-burning stove fills the air. Pupils recite the Pledge of Allegiance as they salute the 48-star flag hanging above the teacher’s desk. Miss Piland is quick to give them the rules for the day with her stern demeanor. As the day progresses, pupils experience lessons from authentic textbooks. Arithmetic assignments are made fun by writing answers on slate boards. History lessons include tidbits from the time period reinforcing that it’s not their average school day. And orthography wraps up with a fun spelling bee. The highlight of the day is often penmanship where pupils practice cursive writing with quill pens and ink. After lunch, games such as Annie Over and Drop the Handkerchief bring laughter to the groups. All of the day’s fun provides students with an appreciation of our rural school heritage and meets the Kansas History, Government, and Social Studies teaching standard #4: Societies experience continuity and change over time. To book the Rural School Days program, contact Joy Brennan at joy.brennan@ks.gov; call 785-272-8681, ext. 415. Cost per student is $6.
Virtual Museum After Hours!
Kansas Historical Society
Watch for Virtual Museum After Hours live at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. The programs are free! Register on Zoom using the program links or follow the series on the Kansas Historical Society YouTube channel: youtube.com/@kansashistorical.
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Large items, such as the train and Humbargar cabin, were too large to remove from the museum gallery during the renovation. They were covered in plastic to protect them from dust and other particles.
RENOVATION OF THE KANSAS MUSEUM OF HISTORY By Sarah Bell, PhD, Kansas Museum of History Director
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he Kansas Museum of History closed its doors on September 4, 2022, to prepare for a renovation of its permanent exhibit gallery. The closure of the museum was a major milestone in the multi-year project that is expected to finish in 2024.
Why renovate? History does not change, but exhibit trends become dated. The exhibits in the Kansas Museum of History were 40 years old, and they were showing their age. The cassette tape deck, TV, and game control in “Our Recent Past” section were displayed to
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showcase modern technology, yet they predated many school group chaperones. Exhibit technology also changes over time. Museum visitors live in the 21st century and expect contemporary technology in all parts of their lives.
How do we tell history? Early in the planning for the museum’s renovation a decision needed to be made whether to present Kansas history chronologically or thematically. The pros and cons for each made the decision difficult. The same question arose in the 1980s when the Kansas Museum of History first opened. The answer at that time was a chronological gallery that wound from Native Americans in the centuries before the 1803 Louisiana Purchase to the 1980s with stops along the way for Bleeding Kansas, the train, and other points of interest.
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1 History museum exhibits place artifacts in historical and cultural context. They allow visitors to use critical thinking skills as they explore. The strengths that make chronological exhibits good at illustrating static points in time do not provide the flexibility to easily show continuity and change over time; that choices have consequences; and that relationships between people, places, ideas, and environments are dynamic. That is why the decision was made for the new gallery to be thematic. We are excited to show the relevance of history more easily by bringing in contemporary stories and artifacts throughout the gallery.
ONE. Ashley Pheigaru, Museum and Education assistant, saves an image of John Brown’s surveyor’s compass. Artifacts that were taken out of the museum gallery were photographed and cataloged for documentation.
TWO. The Longren biplane was lowered to the floor during the museum renovation and will be suspended in another location in the new exhibits.
moved to permanent storage. After completing the artifact removal, collections staff turned their attention to cataloging and imaging the artifacts.
What does the gallery look like without the artifacts?
It’s so empty! As we made progress removing artifacts, the maintenance and facilities team were right behind us removing cases and walls and cleaning the space. It is so strange to see What do we do with all the the gallery as a big black box. Some artifacts are too large to artifacts? be removed from the gallery. One of the first steps in the Instead, we had to carefully renovation process was to wrap and protect them. A few carefully remove all the artifacts of those larger artifacts include from the gallery. Over the course the train, which is “wrapped” in of four months, the collections a wall of plastic sheeting; the staff removed approximately 3,500 artifacts from the gallery and moved them to temporary storage. When an artifact could not be removed from the gallery, additional steps were taken to protect it during renovation. The museum has more than 121,000 artifacts in its permanent collection. Only 40% of these are comprehensively cataloged and very few are imaged. The gallery renovation provides an opportunity to image as many artifacts as possible before they are returned to the gallery or Kansas Historical Society
1914 Longren biplane, which was very carefully lowered from the ceiling onto a constructed platform and will be cleaned before getting rehung from the ceiling; and the 1866 Humbargar log cabin, which was also wrapped in plastic sheeting.
What will the gallery look like? We are working with Dimensional Innovations (DI) out of Overland Park on our design and fabrication. They have been wonderful partners and we are looking forward to showing off their fresh designs when we reopen. We are still in the design process, making edits and tweaks to the conceptual design gallery floor plan, which is our guide for placing content and selecting our stories and artifacts. Stay tuned for a design preview in the upcoming issue of Zephyr.
When will the museum reopen? We are looking to reopen the museum during late 2024, but that is still subject to change. We are excited to welcome you back to the new space when we reopen and share the interesting and diverse stories of Kansas history with you. Zephyr 13
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.
Uncovering the Docking Building’s Time Capsule W
hile workers continued construction on the Kansas State Office Building in 1956, officials held a special ceremony to place mementos in a time capsule to be discovered in the future. Inside a copper box they stored items related to the building’s construction. Nyle Miller, then secretary of the Kansas Historical Society, and Howard Lyngar, secretarymanager of the State Office Building Commission, placed the box behind a 1954 date stone marking when Governor Edward Arn had broken ground. Newspaper articles of the day listed the contents: state laws authorizing the building, various reports on the commissions’ activities, photographs of the construction progress, a tape recording of the earth-turning ceremony, and copies of Topeka newspaper coverage of the event. The 12-story building across from the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka was the first in the state to apply the Modern Movement style. Built with Kansas Silverdale limestone and granite lower walls, the office building emphasized contemporary technology, the arts, and history, including
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TOP: Items from the capsule seen here include an audio recording of the October 25, 1954, groundbreaking ceremony; 1956 photos of the State Office Building under construction and an aerial view of downtown; various state reports and a directory; and a 1953 Laws of Kansas book.
BOTTOM: Another item in the time capsule was an October 26, 1954, edition of the Topeka State Journal newspaper.
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ONE. A newspaper clipping shows sculptor
Bernard Frazier standing next to one of the limestone relief carvings that were mounted on the then new State Office Building. The carvings were meant to represent the state’s history. The caption reads, “Bernard Frazier, a K.U. graduate, checks the halfsize models for the stone carvings he is doing on the new State Office Building. The designs, in gigantic proportions, are symbolic of the state’s history. They are being carved in Indiana limestone which Frazier selected from the quarry.”
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TWO. After removing the 1954 date stone, workers prepare to extract the time capsule from the wall of the Docking State Office Building.
relief sculpture by Bernard Frazier. The steel frame structure with its 1,986 tinted glass windows was completed at a cost of $9 million in March 1957. The building was renamed to honor former Kansas Governor Robert B. Docking in 1987. When the decision was made to replace the Docking office building with a newer facility, the question of the time capsule arose. A group of legislators, senators, and government officials gathered this past April to retrieve the copper box stored in 1956. The contents of the time capsule were fairly well preserved with minimal moisture penetrating the case. Those items are now preserved in the State Archives. The new three-story Docking building under construction will utilize many of the original building elements including the relief sculptures by Frazier. Designed to be open and transparent, it will house state agency offices, historical and cultural exhibits, conference meeting space, and a rooftop terrace offering a view of the nearby Kansas statehouse.
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Newspapers: Our National Conscience Newspapers were one of the earliest items preserved by the Historical Society and continue to be a vitally important part the State Archives’ collections. While they’re an important source of information and research tool, they also serve a larger symbolic purpose. Check out our latest Kansas Memory blog, written by Lauren Gray, Head of Reference, to discover why we make such an effort to collect and preserve newspapers visit: bit.ly/ksnewspapers
Kansas Historical Society
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KSHRAB: Bringing Kansas Memory to You By Megan Burton, MA, State Archivist
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ansas Memory, the Kansas Historical Society’s online digital archives, contains more than 730,000 images. Most of the Kansas Memory entries come from the Historical Society collections, but some are made possible through the Kansas Digital Access to Historical Records (KDAHR) Regrant program administered by the Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board (KSHRAB). KSHRAB developed this regrant program to expand online access to historical records and boost digital literacy and citizen engagement. This funding is awarded to historical records repositories that are committed to these goals and demonstrate financial and programmatic need. In 2022 KSHRAB distributed funding to three repositories across the state: 1. Baldwin City Public Library’s Kansas Room was developed through grassroots efforts and serves as the community’s access point to historic documents and genealogical information. Their project aimed to digitize and provide access to city council minutes and ordinances. It resulted in 2,740 digital images of ordinances and charter books, ranging from 1887 to the 1980s. 2. The Topeka Garden Club provides opportunities for its members to promote their love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility. Their project sought to preserve written materials affiliated with the Kansas Associated Garden Clubs Council of Flower Show Judges.
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3. The Independence Historical Museum and Art Center serves as the primary repository for Montgomery County, housing the largest collection of local photographs. Their project involved digitizing fragile historic images from Independence and its vicinity. Photographs focused on transportation and included automobiles, streetcars, horse-drawn vehicles, trucks, trains, and other conveyances. To learn more about KSHRAB or the KDAHR regrant program, visit: bit.ly/ksdahr
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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 classrooms through exhibits, exterior interpretation, and programming.
Staff Member
Spotlights
Nate Forsberg, Exhibits Director
Mark Brooks, Site Administrator
Nate Forsberg is the creative genius behind the special exhibits at the Kansas Museum of History, as well as the exhibits at the state historic sites, including the recently renovated Kaw Mission. Nate’s path to exhibits director includes a degree in industrial design from the University of Kansas. He is responsible for every element of exhibit design and fabrication which includes graphic design work; printing and mounting graphics; and carpentry and welding. All these tasks are accomplished inhouse in one of his three workshops. Nate enjoys the creativity that comes with conceptualizing and building an exhibit. He turns an exhibit script into an experience, using design, artifacts, space, and interactives to entertain, teach, and connect museum visitors with Kansas history.
Mark Brooks at Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store Museums, is a fourth generation Council Grovian and can trace his lineage back five generations before Kansas was a territory. Mark oversees the Council Grove sites, managing three employees, minor repairs on the buildings and grounds, site tours, and Facebook posts. He helped develop the new exhibits for Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store, wrote the script for Last Chance Store, and researched all the reproduction items on display. During the pandemic he oversaw all contractor work on the buildings. Mark spent 13 years on Council Grove’s City Council, leaving as president, and serves on the board of directors for the Santa Fe Trail Association. Besides working at Kaw Mission, Mark’s favorite aspect of the job is educating and visiting with guests from all over the world.
Kansas Historical Society
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Investing in History: Reopening Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store
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here are many reasons to celebrate the opening of Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store State Historic Site in Council Grove. On September 16, 2023, after years of archeological investigation, fundraising, rehabilitation, and reinterpretation, the community gathered for ribbon-cuttings and receptions to mark the project’s completion. Community trolleys provided rides for visitors to see both Kaw Mission and the Last Chance Store. This was not the first time the community waited to view Kaw Mission. Patrick Zollner, Kansas Historical Society executive director, reminded participants that after the state legislature designated Kaw Mission as a state historic site in 1951, that year’s flood caused major damage. The site was opened to the public in September 1952. “But there were few artifacts to display,” Zollner said. His predecessor, Nyle Miller, asked “Kansans to consider donating items related to the site’s history.” Many responded. Kaw Mission was the last of the Historical Society’s 16 state historic sites to receive a comprehensive reinterpretation. The timing was right when Connie Essington of Council Grove donated the Last Chance Store to the State of Kansas in 2015. The store, positioned at the west edge of Council Grove on the Santa Fe Trail, now provides a unique opportunity to offer schools lessons in the economics of the trails. Archeological investigations were conducted at these two locations to learn more about their usage. Rebuilding the chimney, masonry repair, and window rehabilitation were among the work 18 Zephyr
LEFT: Archeologist Bob Blasing; Ray Essington; Connie Essington; Tom Essington; and Tiffany Grassmuck, State Historic Sites Supervisor, cut the ribbon at the Last Chance Store opening.
RIGHT: Patrick Zollner, Kansas Historical Society Executive Director, welcomes visitors to the newly reinterpreted Kaw Mission.
completed at the Last Chance Store in preparation for visitors. The late Jennie Chinn, former Kansas Historical Society Executive Director, drafted the exhibit script working with Nate Forsberg, Historical Society Exhibits Designer, to present a modern interpretive museum within the confines of a historic house. Representatives from the Kaw Nation, Santa Fe Trail Association, and Council Grove provided information and resources throughout the project. Numerous donors contributed significant funding. “We greatly appreciate the generosity and patience of all who have contributed funding, materials, artifacts, and information to this major project,” Zollner said. “These new exhibits offer visitors an opportunity to understand the significance of this site to the Kaw people on whose lands it was built, the heavily traveled Santa Fe Trail, and the new settlers coming to claim lands in the west.” Zoey Bond, Executive Director, Council Grove Area Trade & Tourism Association, underscored the significance of the sites to the community today. “They bring substantial economic benefits,” she said, “creating jobs, stimulating business growth, and enriching the lives of Council Grove’s residents.” November/December 2023
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Mark Brooks, Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store Site Administrator, said it was his dream to work at Kaw Mission. “Growing up here where my father was active in the community, even giving tours here at the site, I developed a love of its history,” he said. “Now that we are able to offer free admission, we can share this history with an even larger number of visitors.” Approximately 50 people attended the morning reception for donors, including former U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker. Zollner welcomed a group of 50 to the Last Chance Store ribbon-cutting earlier in the day, which included special recognition for Connie Essington. Former Representative Tom Moxley acknowledged the community’s years of support. Visitors included Arthur Harness of Delaware, a descendant of Charles and Jennie Harness, a formerly enslaved couple who had sought refuge in the store cellar during the Civil War before homesteading in Morris County. Nearly 150 people attended the Kaw Mission ribbon-cutting. Robert Allen, Kaw Nation Tribal Council Member, represented the Tribe at the event. Council Grove American Legion posted the colors, high school students sang the National Anthem, and singer Annie Wilson provided afternoon music. Groups of visitors waited patiently to tour the mission’s new exhibits. They were enthusiastic in their comments about the stories included, the interactive displays, and the videos. Guests especially enjoyed hearing words in the Kanza language.
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Kansas Historical Society
ONE. Patrick Zollner thanks attendees of the donor
reception as they enjoy refreshments provided by the Kansas Historical Foundation.
TWO. Tiffany Grassmuck visits with former U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker at the donor reception.
THREE. Zoey Bond, Executive Director of the Council
Grove Area Trade & Tourism Association, emphasizes the role of historic sites as economic drivers at Kaw Mission’s opening.
FOUR. Patrick Zollner and Tiffany Grassmuck
recognize the Kaw Nation’s invaluable assistance during the reinterpretation with a presentation to Robert Allen, representing the Kaw Nation Tribal Council.
PLAN YOUR VISIT! Kaw Mission
Last Chance Store
500 North Mission Council Grove 66846 Visit 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday; 1 – 5 p.m. Sunday
516 Main Street Council Grove 66846 Schedule tours ahead by visiting Kaw Mission’s visitor center or calling 620-307-2754
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NEWS and NOTES Kansas Sampler Foundation Celebrates 30th Anniversary
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he Kansas Sampler Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023. Founded by Marci Penner and father, Mil Penner, the non-profit is known for preserving and sustaining rural culture. Visit kansassampler.org to learn more about their Kansas Guidebook for Explorers, Eight Wonders of Kansas contest, annual Big Kansas Road Trip, Kansas Explorers Club, and We Kan! Network. We are grateful for the Kansas Sampler Foundation’s ongoing support and wish them a happy anniversary!
Visitors from Germany
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he Kansas Historical Society was privileged to host a tour group from Germany on September 5, 2023. Lauren Gray, Head of Celebrates 50 Years Reference, presented documents relating to German settlers in Kansas in the research room he Greenwood County Historical Society for the group to observe. Museum Curator Anna marks its 50th anniversary this year. Organized Woods displayed artifacts connected to German in 1973, the society has been working to document immigrants who settled in Kansas. Individuals the county schools using research, interviews, came from Berlin, Nuremburg, and Munich. Leo travels, and film from the 1930s. Their project Rung (center), the group’s tour guide, is on the inspired memories and an effort to restore a board of the Historischer Forschungsverein der one-room school. More commemorations for the Deutschen aus Russland (Historical Research anniversary are in the works. Happy anniversary! Association of Germans from Russia). He led the U.S. tour in cooperation with the Bayerisches Kulturzentrum der Deutschen aus Russland (Bavarian Cultural Center of Germans from Russia). This was Rung’s second visit to America and the first for the rest of the group.
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KMA Conference
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he 2023 Kansas Museums Association Conference will be held from Monday, November 6, through Wednesday, November 8, in Hays. This year’s programs will center on the Lyon County Historical Society theme, Great Plains Passages, highlighting stories Celebrates 85 Years of growth and diverse lenses that Kansas museums he Lyon County Historical Society marks its use to connect communities. Our staff members 85th anniversary in 2023. Joining members are excited to welcome you at 1 p.m. Monday at at an annual meeting celebration were featured Fort Hays State Historic Site for an immersive guests Amy Sage Webb-Baza, Emporia State tour. We also hope you’ll join Sarah Bell, Kansas University professor; Lori DeWinkler, representing Museum of History Director; Trae Johnson, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Assistant Director of Education and Outreach; and Patrick Zollner, Kansas Historical Society and Ashley Wunder, Evaluation and Engagement Executive Director. The Lyon County Historical Manager; at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday for their panel, Society was founded in 1937 as a chapter of the “Remaining Relevant Through a Museum Closure.” State Historical Society when William Allen White Visit ksmuseums.org to register and view the full was president. Happy anniversary! conference schedule. Hotel Greenwood in the county seat of Eureka, circa 1905.
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November/December 2023
Giving Tuesday
Holiday Gifting
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iving Tuesday is November 28! Are you passionate about Kansas history and want to help inspire generations to come? If the answer is yes, we hope you will consider donating to our sister organization, the Kansas Historical Foundation. The Foundation is a not-forprofit that advances the mission of the Kansas Historical Society through fund raising, retail, and membership. With the generous support of people like you, we can continue collecting, preserving, and exhibiting our state’s history. To make a onetime tax-deductible donation, please visit bit.ly/ kshsdonate
earching for the perfect gift or inspired dish for your upcoming gathering? We have something for all your holiday needs to help you include a taste of Kansas in your festivities. Explore our selection of local handmade goods, including Kansas ornaments, luxurious candles from Prairie Fire Winery, art and jewelry designed with Capitol copper, and unique treats from Judy Gutzmer, “the Jelly Lady.” Visit the Capitol Store (9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday) or shop the Museum Store Online at bit.ly/kshsstore to discover all we have to offer.
TUNE IN! Cottonwood Connections
Cottonwood Ranch, one of the Kansas Historical Society’s partner sites, presents a documentary video series on PBS stations across Kansas called “Cottonwood Connections.” Hosted by Don Rowlison and directed by Ed Lowry, the series focuses on subjects such as “The Legacy of Cottonwood Ranch,” “Life of the Cowboys” and “Discovering the Prehistoric Past.” An episode in September featured our Kansas Archeology Training Program field school held June 2-18 at Historic Lake Scott State Park. It aired on Smoky Hill PBS and KTWU in Topeka. Check out season three, episode three, and the rest of their video series on their YouTube page: youtube.com/@ cottonwoodconnections
Kansas Historical Society
What’s the Matter with Kansas?
Dawn of the Doppler
The 2020 documentary William Allen White: What’s the Matter with Kansas? presents the life of William Allen White, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Emporia Gazette. White became known as the “Sage of Emporia,” and befriended notables like President Theodore Roosevelt and Albert Einstein. Directed by Academy Awardwinner Kevin Willmott and narrated by journalist Bill Kurtis, the documentary reveals details of White’s life, from his politics to his personal family tragedy. The film features Jack Wright as the voice of White, echoing his wit and humor. Commentators include Jim Lehrer and former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius. View the documentary for free: youtube.com/@ WilliamAllenWhiteFoundation
Today’s radar system can pinpoint the exact location of tornadic activity, but it hasn’t always been that way. KAKETV in Wichita produced a short film called “Dawn of Doppler.” Narrated by KAKETV meteorologist Frank Waugh, the film describes how Doppler Weather Radar had its beginnings in Kansas in 1958. The film follows the progress of the weather radar systems over the years–from primitive black and white radar to the Doppler Weather Radar meteorologists rely on today. Waugh also recounts how radar helped with analysis and improved procedures after the devastating tornadoes that hit Udall on May 25, 1955, and El Dorado on June 10, 1958. To watch this film, go to kake.com/dawnofdoppler
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On this Day in Kansas History first election in Kansas was held on this day in 1854 11/29 The to select a delegate to Congress. The day of the election
approximately 5,000 proslavery Missourians flooded across the border into the Kansas Territory. Armed “border ruffians” intimidated voters and stuffed ballot boxes. Andrew Reeder, appointed as the first territorial governor by President Franklin Pierce, was a proslavery supporter (he later switched to the freestate movement). He agreed to discard the ballots only in the districts that protested the illegal votes. Violence escalated between freestaters and proslavery forces for the next four years and the territory became known as “Bleeding Kansas.”
On this day in 1912, Eva Rider (the first woman bailiff in Kansas and likely the United States) assembled the first allwoman jury in the state in El Dorado. The women followed the judge’s instructions on a real estate valuation dispute. They rendered a verdict within three hours in favor of the plaintiff for $1,200, on a case an all-male jury has been unable to settle a year earlier. The judge said no jury had a better appreciation of their civic responsibility and praised their keen examination of the evidence.
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12/9 Emmett Leo Kelly was born in Sedan on this day in 1898. As a child, Kelly was enrolled in a cartoon correspondence course. He learned to give illustrated performances known as chalk talks, which he used to entertain at schools. Kelly wanted to work at the Kansas City Star. Instead he became a painter at a carnival. This sparked Kelly’s interest in the circus. His “Weary Willie” character created in 1923, brought clowns to life. He made his professional home with Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1942, remaining until it closed in 1956. His career included movies, nightclub and circus performances, and television. Kelly died in 1979.
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November/December 2023
Upcoming Events... See more events by scanning the QR code to the right -> or visiting bit.ly/kshscalendar
NOVEMBER 3 – Newton
10 – Statewide
Kansas Historical Foundation Annual Meeting, 1:30 – 4 p.m. Friday
Veteran’s Day, all sites closed for the state holiday
4 – Topeka Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review, quarterly meeting, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday
Grinter Place Second Saturday Sessions, presented by Kendall D. Gott, retired army officer and American military historian, 10 a.m. Saturday
6-8 – Hays
13 – Lawrence
Kansas Museums Association Conference; ksmuseums.org/category/conference
Freedom’s Frontier Partner Meeting, Carnegie Library; freedomsfrontier.org/partners/
8 – Virtual
19 – Council Grove
Museum After Hours “Female Buffalo Soldier: The Traditional Story and the Rest of the Story of Cathey Williams/William Cathey,” presented by Dr. Leo E. Oliva, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, via Zoom and YouTube
Kaw Mission Councils “Charles Curtis: The First Native American Vice President,” presented by Erin Pouppirt, 2 p.m. Sunday, The Carnegie
11 – Kansas City
23-24 – Statewide Thanksgiving, all sites closed for the state holiday
Ongoing – Topeka Special Exhibit, On the Move: The Kansas Museum of History, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
DECEMBER 9 – Kansas City
21 – Council Grove
Grinter Place Second Saturday Sessions, Visit from Santa and Holiday Open House, 10 a.m. Saturday
Kaw Mission Councils, Christmas Open House, 7 p.m. Thursday, Kaw Mission
13 – Virtual
25 – Statewide
Museum After Hours, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, via Zoom and YouTube
Christmas, all sites closed for the state holiday
Ongoing – Topeka Special Exhibit, On the Move: The Kansas Museum of History, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
JANUARY 1 – Statewide
15 – Statewide
New Year’s Day, all sites closed for the state holiday
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day all sites closed for the state holiday
10 – Virtual Museum After Hours, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, via Zoom and YouTube
Kansas Historical Society
29 – Statewide Kansas Day
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- Ne x t I s s u e -
CONNECT WITH US!
Tune into the January/February issue for:
@kansashistorical
• Kansas Day Resources • Site Highlight: Fort Hays State Historic Site • New National and State Register Listings • Design Preview of the Kansas Museum of History Renovation
@kansashistory @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