Settlers in the Flint Hills: the African American Experience

Pioneer Bluffs has announced the next winter Prairie Talks!

Come to Pioneer Bluffs, just north of Matfield Green, on Saturay, Feb 7, at 2 pm, to hear Ustaine Talley share her fascinating research on the life and history of these pioneers. "Pap" Singleton, a former slave, founded the Singleton Colony in the Flint Hills in the 1870s - Singleton was a leader in the "Great Exodus" of thousands of black Americans from the South. They weren't allowed to own property in most southern states but could purchase land in free-state Kansas. She really makes the story come alive.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Eagle Viewing at Chaplin Nature Center

31 Jan and 2 Feb are Eagle Viewing opportunities at the Chaplin Nature Center near Arkansas City. See more information at Wichita Audubon Society website, or call 620-442-4133.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Celebrate Kansas!

Thursday, January 29, from 10 am to 5 pm, come by the Kaw Mission in Council Grove, to Celebrate Kansas!

Celebrate Kansas! includes Historic Reenactments, Live Music, and Kansas Quilt Show. Sponsors are the Friends of the Kaw Heritage, Inc., Kansas Historical Society, and the Morris County Historical Society.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills ! ;-)

Decade of Stars - Marysville

Looking for entertainment this weekend?

Consider visiting Marysville, in Marshall County, to participate in the annual fundraiser for the Marshall County Arts Cooperative: Decades of Stars.

Featuring the talents of Marshall County's finest entertainers, the evening will be filled with renditions of hits from the 60's, 70's and 80's - interspersed with bits of comedy and humor. Heavy appetizers are served and a cash bar is available.

7 p.m., Saturday, January 17, 2009, at the Marysville Moose Lodge - call 785-562-5629.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Inside Sidewalk Sales - Council Grove

Saturday, January 17, 2009, 9 am to 5 pm, shop inside during the winter sidewalk sale in Council Grove. Specials at most of the stores, shops, and businesses in the downtown business district.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Deep Creek Road

Scott Bean has shared some very interesting photos of Deep Creek Road on on his blog.
Check them out. While there, browse some of his other photos. Neat. Enjoy!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Native Stone Scenic Byway on K-99

Check out the latest Cheryl Unruh (Flyover People) article in The Emporia Gazette on the Native Stone Scenic Byway. Also follow her regular blog and writings at: Flyover People (also see link to the right, under Flint Hills Blogs, that I check regularly). She always has interesting subjects, and writes about them in a distinctive voice, that I appreciate!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The Flint Hills: A Kansas Treasure

"The Flint Hills: A Kansas Treasure" will be on display at The Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum in Logan, from January 9, 2009 to February 1, 2009.


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Home Town Competitiveness Workshops Upcoming

A series of four Home Town Competitiveness Workshops, based on The Four Pillars, will be held over the next four months in the Kansas Flint Hills region. The first, the Entrepreneurship Workshop will be held February 26 in Herington. The second, the Charitable Assets Workshop, will be held March 26 in Marion. The third, the Youth Attraction Workshop, will be held April 23 in Alma. The fourth, and final of this series, the Community Leadership Workshop, will be held May 21 in Marion. This series of workshops are sponsored and supported by a number of organizations in the region dedicated to local community development and economic stimulus. Please consider attended and supporting these important activities for our area.

Send me a note at billsmith2003@gmail.com and I'll be happy to send you a copy of the pdf brochure.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills

Kansas Grape Growers and Winemakers Association Conference

The Kansas Grape Growers and Winemakers Association is hosting its annual conference in Emporia, January 9-10, 2009. Currently, there are close to 200 acres of grapes and 13 commercial wineries across the state.

The conference is for current growers/winemakers or those interested in commercial production of grapes and wine.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Pioneer Bluffs first 2009 Saturday workday

I'd like to share this note I received; a great volunteer opportunity in the heart of the Flint Hills:

"This Saturday, January 3, is the First Saturday. And the weather is
predicted to be warm! Please consider joining us at Pioneer Bluffs
for:

"8:30 am - Coffee and treats in the house. We will be brainstorming
ideas for future Prairie Talks and planning the 2009 calendar of
events. (If you have ideas for programs you'd like to see offered at
Pioneer Bluffs but won't be available Saturday, please call or email
me!)

"9:00 am - Volunteer workday! Among the chores we need help with are:
moving a loom from the barn to an upstairs room in the house, removing
Christmas lights from the cabin, and un-decorating inside the house.
We'll end with lunch.

"You might want to bring work gloves and a beverage cup.

"I look forward to seeing you Saturday! Lynn

Lynn Smith
Executive Director
Pioneer Bluffs Foundation
620.753.3484 office
785.393.1569 cell
www.pioneerbluffs.org"


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Friends of the Flint Hills Fund - Year End Thought

While we all are feeling a little tight in the purse, right now, I urge each of you to consider a Year-End contribution to the Friends of the Flint Hills Fund. Your tax-deductible contribution will help send a bus load of school kids to visit the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve educational program next summer. $25 would be appreciated, if not $50 or $100. Please do it, today.

The Friends of the Flint Hills Fund is now officially affiliated with the Kansas Rural Communities Foundation. Click on Affiliates, left navigation bar; click on Friends of the Flint Hills; and click on to donate to the Fund. I used option 3, to download a printable pdf donation form, added my check for $100, and sent it off to Wamego by mail (this saves $5 for use of a credit card). However, if making an online contribution using a credit card works better for you, please do so! Thank you!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The Pioneer Bluffs Foundation

The Pioneer Bluffs Foundatioin web site is worth a regular visit. On Saturday, 7 February 2009, the Winter Prairie Talks series continues at 2 p.m. with speaker Ustaine Talley [I know Ustaine and I recommend any of her presentations!]. She will share the story of: Settlers in the Flint Hills: the African-American Experience.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Your Next Cash Crop?

Jan Jantzen and the RC& D Agritourism group are again in 2009 offering their business development course focused on authentic rural experiences and the related dining, lodging, shopping and entertainment business opportunities in the Kansas Flint Hills.

To learn more about these training and opportunities upcoming, mark your calendar to attend one of the two identical information meetings, early in January. The first will be in Junction City on January 7, 2009, at Cloud County Community College's Geary County Campus, 631 Caroline, from 6:15 pm until 8:30 pm. The second meeting, a repeat of the first, will be in Wamego, on January 8, 2009, at the Columbian Theatre, 521 Lincoln Avenue, from 1:15 pm until 3:30 pm.

For more information, call Jan or Bruce at: 620-340-0113, ext. 9.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Alma Chamber Christmas

Saturday, December 13, from 4 to 8 pm, celebrate the Alma Chamber Christmas in Alma, KS. Music, Santa, Soup Supper, Sleigh Rides, Christmas Drawing and more. Check out the schedule of activities. Also, see CJ Online article.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Traveling Exhibit update

Clay Center is the current host to the Traveling Exhibit of Jim Richardson's photos from the National Geographic's April 2007 issue examining the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas. The exhibit will be at Orr's Furniture City through January 9, 2009.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Alexander ArtWorks - Council Grove

Alexander ArtWorks is a great addition to the many great places to visit and shop in Council Grove. They were featured in a neat front page story in the Emporia Gazette last week.

Phone ahead (620.767.6698) for hours, as they can only be open a few days a week, at present. Hours in the paper were: 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2-4 on Sunday. Please support this new local business. We need one of these in each of our small towns!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The Heritage House at Canning Creek Ranch

The Emporia Gazette had a nice front page story on this Council Grove Bed & Breakfast that evokes the Victorian era: The Heritage House. Check it out! I love their website photos and info!


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Alta Vista Christmas Celebration

Saturday, December 6, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. brings Christmas Celebration to Alta Vista.

Christmas parade down Main Street! Lighting of the Christmas Tree near Alta Vista Post Office. Songs by the tree and soup supper at the American Legion Soup Supper.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Bells, Boots, and Buggies - Peabody

December 6, 2008, brings Bells, Boots, and Buggies to Peabody Main Street.

This celebration will take you back to the wild west with Peabody's 1880's atmosphere. The event includes kids crafts and games, craft and cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, a parade, Santa and more.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)