Walter's Pumpkin Patch - Burns - last chance this week

Walter's Pumpkin Patch is all about fun for the whole family - the last week of the season is upon us!


See the website for hours and the wide variety of activities available - corn maze and haunted cannery included.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Madison Fall Fest - Oct 25, 2008

Check out Madison Fall Fest, Saturday, October 25, 2008, including a costume contest, parade, sloppy joe feed, food sales, and arts and crafts.

At the link, above, click on the Chamber link and see their nice website, featuring their two museums in town - look real interesting!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Historic Courthouse - Marshall Co - Marysville

My final story on our visit to Marysville last Friday is the Historic Courthouse, where we actually had our meeting. Kansas is very fortunate to have preserved some fine hundred plus years old county courthouses.


The Marshall County Historical Society now owns and operates this fine old building, included a good genealogical research library. Several of the rooms are filled with interesting exhibits of early Marshall county history. Here is an exhibit about early fur traders and explorers:

And, another about ethnic settlements in the county:

We held our meeting in the historic courtroom, upstairs; I may add a photo of our meeting, later... stay tuned.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Koester House Museum - Marysville

Also on Friday, as noted the last couple of days, we briefly visited and toured the Koester House Museum in Marysville. Here we are at the House:


Note on the link the reference to the "lions and dogs" seen by Laura Ingalls Wilder when she passed through in 1894,noted in one of her books. The dogs were the first thing I saw as I arrived (they are to the left rear in the photo above). The lions are right behind me as I took the photo, above; one shown below, second is to the right, on each side of this entrance.


Just one photo inside, here, the piano; it was said to be appraised by the Smithsonian Institution at in excess of $100,000 in value:

Again, I have shown 2 of the five museums in Marysville. I hope this will cause to to stop by and enjoy them one day soon! Be sure to leave a donation to these fine organizations. I did!! ;-)

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Marysville Pony Express Museum Photos

As promised yesterday, I'm including here three photos I took at the Pony Express Museum to "tease" you a bit to hopefully encourage you to visit Marysville. By the way, this is one of five neat museums in Marysville. I have photos to share of two more of them, later.


A series of dioramas highlight the history of Marysville, above shows Mr. and Mrs. Marshall and some of their "stuff." There are several of these on the balcony level. Nice variety of displays.


This is a photo of a painting on the wall of the original ferry across the Big Blue River that made Marshall rich, initially.


Finally, this is neat display from the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express. A good variety - many more not even hinted at here. Stop by and see it for yourself!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Pony Express Home Station No. 1

Marysville, KS, is home to Pony Express Home Station No.1, located at 106 S. 8th St.


Last Friday, we visited the Home Station No. 1, in Marshall Co, for our Flint Hills Tourism Coalition monthly meeting - just a month after visiting the Hollenberg Station in Washington County, to the west.

During our visit, a "re-rider" came right down the same street as the rider with the mail from Sacramento would have come in 1860-61. Home Station No. 1 was the first station west from St. Joseph where riders were changed. At the intermediate stations, only horses were changed. Therefore, the same riders rode back and forth between St. Joseph and Marysville. Different riders rode the next leg west to Home Station No. 2 and back. An enjoyable visit. Good displays inside the museum. Have some photos I'll try to share later.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Historic Stone Fence Workshop - Update

On Tuesday, October 07, 2008, I wrote about this workshop being conducted by certified stonemason Rocky Slaymaker of Emporia this weekend (Oct 18 and 19). Today, Friday, Oct 17, I drove through Alma on the way to a meeting in Marysville - in the morning, in a hurry, I saw Rocky working, along the road (K-99). On the way back, about 4 p.m., he was just finishing up, and I got to stop and talk to him.
Rocky had spent the day, with others, laying the foundation for the stone wall they will be "building" at the workshop on Saturday and Sunday. He said "this is the hardest and most important part" of building a proper stone fence.


As a reminder, here is the photo I showed, before, of a completed stone fence (south of Alma), from previous year's workshop. A really professional process and product! I'll enjoy seeing the new one, when done, north of Alma, along K-99.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Flint Hills Traveling Exhibit to Independence

The Flint Hills Traveling Exhibit featuring photographs from the National Geographic Magazine will be at the Independence Historical Museum from Tuesday, October 21 to Saturday, October 25.

The exhibit will be open from 10 am to 4 pm on those days. Admission is free.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Prairie Harvest Festival and Barn Dance

At the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, on Saturday, October 18: An Old-Fashioned Prairie Harvest Festival and Barn Dance!


Enjoy an old-fashioned harvest festival as living history characters get ready for winter. Cider making, hay rack rides, live music, and pumpkin carving from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Barn dance from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with the Tallgrass Express String band. Refreshments served. For more information call 620.273.8494.

The preserve's ranch headquarters is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, daily except for Thanksgving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Arkalalah - Annual Fall Festival - Arkansas City

Arkalalah is an annual fall festival featuring 3 parades, Queen Alalah coronation, craft show, carnival, street games, food vendors, and lots of fun. It runs from Oct 18 to Oct 25. Visit the Ark City website for details of each event and the complete schedule of events.

Arkansas City residents have a tradition of annual celebrations going back at least to the mid-1880s. What a great tradition!

We'll hope you all join us for the 2009 Flint Hills Heritage Conference on Festivals on February 20, 2009, at the El Dorado Activities Center, to discuss how these important local heritage celebrations fit into and strengthen the entire Flint Hills Heritage Area.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

"Three" - a Marysville, KS, art show

The Marshall County Arts Cooperative presents "Three", an art show featuring the work of local artists Betty Fincham, Carol Caffrey and Stacy Holle.

The art will be on display at the Lee Dam Center for Fine Art on Sundays noon to 4 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Oct 15 to Nov 7, 2008). For more information, call 785.562.2828 or email: krusewayne@gmail.com

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

en plein air Art Fair - El Dorado

On Saturday, Oct 11, 2008, from 10 am to 5 pm, at the Butler County Courthouse, 205 W. Central, El Dorado - a fine arts fair including painting, drawing, sculture, ceramics, photography, live music and a Quick Draw Contest (not the kind you might think).
See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Ghosts in the Grass Program at Council Grove

The Kaw Mission Council's 2008 education program will wrap up with "Ghosts in the Grass: In Search of Forgotten Voices" on Oct 18, with programs at 3:30 and 7 p.m. at Kaw Mission State Historic Site, 500 North Mission in Council Grove. The program is free and open to the public. For more information on the program, contact 785.272.8681.



This is the final program in the council's educational program: "Our Fabulous Flint Hills: The Hills are Alive!" program. This final program will be presented by Marva Weigelt, who will present Ghosts in the Grass. This information was reported in the Oct 8 edition of the Emporia Gazette based on a press release from the Kansas Historical Society.

From the press release: "Marva Weigelt lives and works on Homestead Ranch and assists with a cow-calf operation. She also provides support for the Homestead Range Renewal Initiative, a private effort aimed at developing more sustainable range management techniques. Weigelt is an amateur historian and naturalist and has a background in communications. She currently is working on piecing together the history of Charles Rogler's 1859 homestead for the Pioneer Bluffs Foundation. Weigelt has researched the past secrets of the Flint Hills extensively, expecially in southeast Chase County." [the photo above was take this past summer at the Homestead Ranch]

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Jim Bell and Son opened again in Cottonwood Falls

I was very pleased to see that Jim Bell and Son has reopened according to an article in the Emporia Gazette. "The current store has been returned to its historic root business (with) the most authentic real western ranch and work wear as well as fashion available," the article quotes Kerry Ahlstrom, operations manager, in a press release.

The store closed earlier this year, but reopened under new ownership in August. A grand reopening will be held the weekend of Oct 34-26 in conjunction with the opening of the Chase County Courthouse following major renovation and restoration. Many activities at the store are listed in the article in connection with the grand reopening.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Historic Stone Fence Workshop - near Alma

Certified stonemason Rocky Slaymaker of Emporia will be the lead instructor of the third annual Historic Stone Fence Workshop on Oct 18 and 19. The workshop will be held at the Don and Jule Meseke Farm, 1.3 miles north of Alma on Kansas Highway 99. The class is limited to 20 participants... Applications can be downloaded at www.wabaunsee.com or call Marita Elliott at 785.449.7212.
During the first two years of the workshop, the class restored a fence on the Thowe farmstead 4.5 miles south of Alma on K-99, pictured above.

The historic stone fences were authorized by the Kansas legislature in 1867 and many can be seen along the Native Stone Scenic Byway in Wabaunsee County. Slaymaker said: "I find it truly exciting and rewarding to build or restore historic stone fences using the dry masonry methods of our forefathers. Participants will learn the nine essentials for building or restoring stone fences without use of mortar."

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Grillin in the Grove - Sunday, Oct 12

The 2nd Annual Grillin in the Grove Cook-off & BBQ Contest is set for Sunday, Oct 12th, on the banks of the Neosho River in Historic Downtown Council Grove.


Enjoy a delicious day of BBQ in the Neosho Riverside Park - both Grillers and Eaters are encouraged to participate.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Old Time Country Music Festival

The first annual Old Time Country Music Festival will be held Oct 9-11 (Thurs, Fri, Sat), 2008, at The Quail Valley Fun Barn in Winfield.

Featured will be Daryl Schiff & Co. (Martina McBride's daddy), Cowboy Jim Garling from Oklahoma, Bob & Barb Lewis from southern Missouri, and many more - see The Fun Barn festival website for even more details.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Blackdog Festival - Dexter, Kansas

October 4 & 5 is the annual Blackdog Festival in Dexter, celebrating the Black Dog Trail - 200 miles along the southern tier of Kansas counties. See the website for details.


The festival shares in an entertaining and unique, hands-on way, the binding of two cultures and demonstrates the important changes that touched America in a very special way.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

National Geographic Traveling Exhibit - Winfield

The National Geographic Traveling Exhibit of Jim Richardson Flint Hills Photos will open in Winfield on Oct 7 and run through Oct 10 at the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce. More detail is available at the Winfield web site. There is no charge to view the exhibit.

It is another fine opportunity to view this exhibit in the Flint Hills region. Don't miss this opportunity!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Vin Vivante Winery in Wamego

We just missed the opening event, but I wanted to share this with you anyway.

The newest winery in Kansas has opened in the middle of the Flint Hills, in Wamego. Winemaker Britt Nichols, who also founded the Oz Winery and Ozlandia in Wamego, has organized Vin Vivante in the tradition of hands-on, artisinal winemaking. Retail sales are to commence in the second half of October. You may call 785.458.2930 for more information.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)