To the emigrants of 1845, there was a very simple reason to avoid Kansas, despite its charms, and press on through the perils and difficulties of the trail to Oregon.
Category Archives: The Sunflower State
The Meek Cutoff and the Great American Desert: Part 1
The year was 1845. More wagons were clustered around jumping-off points such as St. Joseph and Independence, Missouri, than ever before.
Kansas Taxidermy at the Chicago World’s Fair
Dyche’s taxidermy collection was shipped off to represent Kansas at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Surprisingly, this move met with a great deal of resistance.
Canvasback
Once you are familiar with the distinctive characteristics of the male canvasback (Aythya valisineria), you should have no problem identifying it even at a great distance.
Higdon and Poe’s Stone Arch Whitewater River Culvert
While stone arch culverts remain either rare or largely undiscovered in Butler County, Kansas, Higdon and Poe’s little stone arch culvert still stands over the Whitewater River.
What Is History?
Too many historical sources cover strictly the events without delving into the whys, wherefores, and what-came-of-its.
Stone Arch Bridges of Butler and Cowley Counties
Whether you visit the more famous structures in Cowley County or the less familiar bridges of Butler County, Kansas, you’ll be amazed at what you discover.
How Kansas Got Its Shape
Few stop to ask how the boundaries evolved, when in fact some surprising stories surround this topic.
Paradise Bridge: Its Completion, and the Role of Walter Sharp
Paradise Bridge, though expensive, served its purpose. It proved to Russell that well-built stone arch bridges could last much longer than steel bridges.
Paradise Bridge: The Story of Russell County’s First Stone Arch Bridge
Paradise Bridge was something of an experiment to determine if stone arch bridges were suitable for Russell County or not.
Homestead on the Range 