Bleeding Kansas Program Series 2023

There is so much to love about Lecompton and this program series is at the top of the list! We hope you got to see Jonathan Earle kick off the series on Kansas Day! Each of these presenters is learned and entertaining and we cannot say enough about what a wonderful experience to sit inside Constitution Hall State Historic Site, where so much history was made, and revel in the rich stories!
 

Kansas Day at the BBCC!

More than 800 students from Northwest Kansas schools attended the Kansas Day activities at the Buffalo Bill Cultural Center in Oakley! Jayne Humphrey Pearce and I represented the Fort Wallace Museum. 

The Friends of the Cottonwood Ranch and the Logan County Foundation sponsored the event and presenters came from the Sternberg Museum in Hays and the El Quartelejo Museum in Scott City, and the Nature Conservancy. 

While each and every one of these presenters was outstanding, we had an edge in that Jayne was the only one with a musical instrument. She played the autoharp and sang Kansas songs. Several students had questions about the instrument itself.

It was awesome to visit with old friend Ian Trevethan who does an amazing job at the Sternberg and to meet Justin Roemer, the young man keeping things in order on the Nature Conservancy. Lori and Brooke did an awesome job organizing the event and their volunteers are always welcoming and so helpful.

Across town, the Fick Fossil Museum celebrated with music education and hosted 500 students. Tomorrow, Kansas Day events in Salina.

Is this a great state or what?

Below: Brooke Plummer with volunteers at the BBCC; Bottom: Ian Trevethan got tons of questions!!! All Photos Courtesy of the BBCC

Party Like It's The 1860s!

 

The Fort Wallace Memorial Association is excited to sponsor an evening of fine dining and dancing 1860s style!!! This will actually be the official prom for the area's homeschoolers. This is your opportunity to don your finest 19th Century attire and act like somebody!!!

Great Programs Coming to the Kaw Mission!

 The Kaw Mission State Historic Site at Council Grove maintains excellent programing! Be sure to mark your calendar for any or all of these presentations!

True West Names Abilene a Top Ten Town!

 Longhorns in the Abilene corrals -- 

Our friends at True West have named Abilene -- KANSAS!!! -- among the Top Ten Western Towns! Kudos to the folks in Abilene who work so hard to keep the diverse stories of Abilene alive and accessible! 

The newest issue of True West hits the newsstands on February 14. Better yet, subscribe and make sure it's delivered right to your door!

Kudos, Abilene, and thanks again to the folks at True West!

Monarch of the Plains

Western Kansas is experiencing an extreme drought. Much-needed moisture arrived this week and provided some amazing photo ops as well. None is more amazing than this bull on Brent Ginther's buffalo ranch near Atwood, in the northwestern corner of the state. Brent's hired man, Jesus, took this amazing photo and many more. Follow him on TikTok @Jesus_86. 

Share your own snow pix with us on FB or in your comments here, or just send me an email: author.debgoodrich@gmail.com.

UPDATE!!!!! Fort Hays State Historic Site Presents

Scott Pelly, CBS, and Col Steve Boylan from Steve's service in Iraq a few years ago.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Steve will not be able to attend Sunday's meeting. Sending Steve our best wishes and hope to see him down the trail in the coming year.

Join The Friends of Historic Fort Hays in welcoming Dr. Steven Boylan to Fort

Hays as part of their 2023 annual meeting. Dr. Boylan will be presenting the very

interesting and informative program titled, “Military and the Media Then and

Now.” He currently serves as a Professor of the Practice and the Director of

Graduate Programs for the University of Kansas School of Business in

Leavenworth, Kansas. Teaching at the graduate level, he has developed and

teaches a total of five graduate courses.

Dr. Boylan retired from the United States Army in November 2010 as a Colonel

with almost twenty-seven years of service in both Public Affairs and Army

Aviation. During the Surge 2007-08, he was responsible for the Public Affairs

mission in Iraq under Commanding General David Petraeus. He has worn many

hats (helmets) in his career, and as Master Army Aviator, he qualified in both

Huey and Apache helicopters.

His knowledge of the subject matter and his personal experience make for a

compelling program. As Deb Goodrich, former media liaison at Fort Leavenworth

recently commented, “If you think his resume is impressive, you ought to see him

in action.” We look forward to seeing you at Historic Fort Hays Sunday, January

29th at 2:00 p.m. to hear Dr. Boylan.

Dr. Boylan was a speaker at Fort Wallace Museum's annual symposium last March and was honored as a D. K. Clark Lecturer. Photo by Jayne Pearce

Just Like a Welcome Stage Stop in Years Gone By

Mittens/Western Kansas Wildlife Travel Center, Exit 76, I-70, Oakley, KS

Imagine traveling toward the sunset 150 years ago. How welcome would that town in the distance be--the stage stop or railroad depot with hot coffee and a place to stretch your legs. Some things never change. Our mode of transportation may have changed, but not our longing for a comfortable place to take a break.

It is always reassuring when I am heading home from travels and there is Mittens/Western Kansas Wildlife Travel Center on the horizon. It literally is the front door to western Kansas--to the rock formations, museums, hunting--adventure!

I have a warm place in my heart for truck stops. Growing up just outside of Mount Airy, NC, every other person has a trucking company and Karns Virginia 500 and Brintle's were local hangouts for drivers and everyone else that wanted a good cup of coffee and camaraderie. Daddy's cousin, Orin Jarrell, owned the world's largest truck stop on I-95 in Virginia. So I always associated truck stops with hardworking people, good food, and interesting stories. This is what drew me to Mittens when I traveled through western Kansas and eventually moved here. 

It is a welcoming environment but there is also a sense of adventure. I mean, anyone can walk in. Anyone! From the guys hunting elk in the Rockies to the families with six kids and two dogs crammed in their vehicle with their luggage on top. Musicians and movie stars and ranchers and oil rig workers. School teachers and dropouts. Anyone. Folks you might run into at the country club or the corner bar. Anyone. 

Sometimes, it is someone I know. Friends who are passing through text me and say, "Hey, I'll be at Oakley in a couple of hours. Can you meet me at IHOP?"

"Sure!"

When the grandkids come to visit, we head over to IHOP and then they run around upstairs fascinated by the wildlife mounts that line the walls. I grab the massage chair and give my spine a good workout. They have added an Urgent Care on the upper level now which is a great service to the traveling public but also to us locals.

Mittens provides hundreds of jobs and is a great community partner There is a Subway inside, in addition to the deli and IHOP, and a Sonic next door.  I cannot say how much they mean to this community and to the traveling public and we are so proud and grateful that they are sponsors of Around Kansas.

2023 Kansas Music Hall of Fame Inductees

 

After a three-year hiatus, the Kansas Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony and concert is back! Live at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, this will be an incredible celebration. As a former member of the board of this august organization, I am thrilled for the new inductees and count many friends among them. Join and support them, and support live music in your neighborhood!

Good News from Black Jack

We just received some very good news from our friends at the Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park in Douglas County:

Black Jack is ready to make history again! We have raised 93% of our $2.1 million dollar goal to build a

visitor center and adjacent parking lot, and to restore the battlefield to tallgrass prairie – the way it was

when the combatants took aim at each other.

In the pre-dawn hours of June 2, 1856 – five years before Ft. Sumpter – Abolitionist John Brown led

Free-State forces into battle against Pro-Slavery militiamen in the vast prairie of southeast Douglas

County. The Battle of Black Jack is now widely characterized as the first real battle of the Civil War, so

historically significant that the site has been designated a National Historical Landmark.

As Black Jack Battlefield gains recognition, we’ve noticed a steady increase of visitors to our site, but

there is not a visitor center to accommodate the influx of guests who are interested in learning about

Black Jack’s rich history. A visitor center will serve as a space for the community and school children to

learn about Black Jack through exhibits. It will also allow visitors to take shelter during inclement

weather.

Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park is a non-profit, committed to robustly fulfilling our educational

mission, confident that the greater the number of visitors to Black Jack, the greater the economic

development potential for surrounding communities.

Although we are nationally recognized, we are unique in that we are privately owned by the Black Jack

Trust. This means that our members (as stakeholders) get a direct voice in shaping Black Jack's future.

We’ve achieved our goals without direct federal dollars. In fact, over 60% of our pledges have come from

private donors and non-profit organizations. Please consider making a pledge to help Black jack’s story

continue.

We could not be prouder of our hard-working and dedicated friends. The Ivan Boyd Nature Park next to the battlefield contain some of the most obvious ruts of the Santa Fe Trail and the first ones I saw upon moving to Kansas. This area has a special place in my heart and is one of the most important Civil War sites in America.

To donate to the Capital Campaign visit:

www.dccfoundation.org/fund/Black-Jack-Battlefield-The-Story-Continues-Capital-Campaign-Fund

Learn more about the Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park by visiting:

www.blackjackbattlefield.org

www.facebook.com/BlackJackBattlefieldAndNaturePark

Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park

163 E 2000 Road, Wellsville, Kansas

(3 miles east of Baldwin City, KS)