Enjoy these latest additions to our website:

The Plains in the Civil War – Explore how the Civil War unfolded across the Great Plains, from frontier battles and guerrilla warfare to Native American alliances, conflicts, and the struggle for control in the West.

Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park, Lafayette, Indiana – Fort Ouiatenon (wee-ah-teh-non), built in 1717, was the first fortified European settlement in what is now Indiana.

Stories of Early New England – (by Wilbur F. Gordy, 1917) In the early days of American settlement, many immigrants came to the New World to worship as they saw fit without punishment.

Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes – Today, over 6,000 vessels in the Great Lakes have caused an estimated loss of 30,000 mariners’ lives.

Hanston, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Hanston, Kansas, is a small town in Hodgeman County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 259, and it had a total area of 0.28 square miles, all land.

Big Hill Lake, Labette County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Big Hill Lake in Labette County, Kansas, is a reservoir covering 1,240 acres, with 367 acres available for public use.

Buffalo Hunter’s War of Texas – The Buffalo Hunters’ War, or the Staked Plains War, occurred in 1877 on the High Plains of Texas between the U.S. and Native Americans.

Edna, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Edna, Kansas, is a small town in Elm Grove Township of Labette County. As of the 2020 census, the city’s population was 388.

Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railroad – (Legends of Kansas) The Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railroad was the last of the railroad companies chartered in Winfield, Kansas, from 1873 to 1887.

Memphis, Kansas & Colorado Railway – (Legends of Kansas) The Memphis, Kansas & Colorado Railway Company was organized in 1877 to secure a road from Cherokee, Kansas.

Neodesha, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Neodesha, Kansas, is a town near the confluence of the Verdigris and Fall Rivers in Wilson County. As of the 2020 census, Neodesha had a population of 2,275.

Leoti, Kansas – Wichita County Seat – (Legends of Kansas) Leoti was founded in 1885 by a company of men from Garden City, Kansas. When it first gained a post office on January 7, 1886, it was called Bonasa.

Arnold, Kansas – Extinct in Ness County – (Legends of Kansas) Arnold, Kansas, is a tiny unincorporated community in the Ohio Township of Ness County. It is also an extinct town, as it no longer has a post office.

Itaska, Kansas – Lost in Sherman County – (Legends of Kansas) Itaska, Kansas, is an abandoned town in Sherman County. Laid out in 1885, it was originally called Leonard.

Voltaire, Kansas – Lost in Sherman County – (Legends of Kansas) Voltaire, Kansas, was an old town in Sherman County. It is gone today.

Edson, Kansas – Extinct in Sherman County – (Legends of Kansas) Edson, Kansas, is a tiny town and census-designated place in Washington Township of Sherman County. It is also an extinct town with no post office.

Eustis, Kansas – Lost in Sherman County – (Legends of Kansas) Eustis, Kansas, is a long-abandoned town in Sherman County.

Sherman County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Sherman County, Kansas, located in the northwest part of the state, was created by the Kansas Legislature in 1873 and named after General William Sherman.

Sappa Creek – (Legends of Kansas) Sappa Creek is a stream in the central Great Plains of North America through Kansas and Nebraska, and has quite a bit of Native American History.

Mingo, Kansas – Extinct in Thomas County – (Legends of Kansas) This place was first called Thurford when a post office was opened on October 3, 1888. The town and post office were renamed Mingo on April 4, 1894.

Otterbourne, Kansas – Lost in Thomas County – (Legends of Kansas) Otterbourne, Kansas, was the first town in Thomas County to be laid out, platted, and to have the first store. However, it is gone today.

Menlo, Kansas – Extinct in Thomas County – (Legends of Kansas) Menlo, Kansas, is a small town in Thomas Township of Thomas County. Menlo is also an extinct town, as its post office closed years ago.

Stuttgart, Kansas – Extinct in Phillips County – (Legends of Kansas) Stuttgart, Kansas, is an unincorporated community, is named after Stuttgart, Germany, where many of its settlers originally came from.

Gretna, Kansas – Extinct in Phillips, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) The town was initially known as Dana when it was laid out in September 1887. A post office was established on January 28, 1888.

Phillips County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Phillips County, Kansas, is located in the north-central part of the state. Its county seat and largest city is Phillipsburg.

Prairie Dog Creek, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas)  Prairie Dog Creek is a stream that is a tributary of the Republican River. It originates in the High Plains of northwest Kansas near Colby.

Buffalo, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Buffalo, Kansas, is a small town on Buffalo Creek in Clifton Township of Wilson County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 217.

Altoona, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Altoona is a small town along the Verdigris River in Cedar Township of Wilson County, Kansas.

Benedict, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Benedict, Kansas, is a small town on the Verdigris River in Guilford Township of Wilson County.

Guilford, Kansas – Lost in Wilson County – (Legends of Kansas) Guilford, Kansas, was a small town on the Verdigris River  in Guilford Township of Wilson County. The old townsite is abandoned today.

Coyville, Kansas – Extinct in Wilson County – (Legends of Kansas) Coyville, Kansas, the oldest town in Wilson County, is a small community on the Verdigris River. It is also an “extinct town,” as its Post Office closed years ago.

Fredonia, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Explore its frontier beginnings, railroads, industry, historic landmarks, and the small‑town charm that shaped this Wilson County community.

Parsons, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Parsons was initially named Mendota when a post office was established on September 25, 1869. It is the most populous city of Labette County, and the second-most populous city in the southeastern region of Kansas.

Osage Indians of Neosho County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Explore the history of Osage Indians in Neosho County, Kansas; ceded lands, treaties, missions, and cultural legacy shaping the region’s heritage.

Stark, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Discover Stark, Kansas, Neosho County’s youngest town. Explore its 1880s origins, railroad history, early churches, and the community that shaped its past.

The Governor’s Sons: The Short Lives of Outlaws Charley and Tom Smith – (submitted by Roger Myers) Discover the tragic tale of an Illinois Governor’s sons… frontier justice, family honor, and a deadly 1860s feud that shaped Kansas history.

Chanute, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Chanute, Kansas, on the Neosho River in Tioga Township, in northwest Neosho County, was founded on January 1, 1873. As of 2020, its population was 8,722.

South Mound, Kansas – Extinct in Neosho County – (Legends of Kansas) South Mound, Kansas, is a census-designated place in Lincoln Township of Neosho County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27.

Thayer, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Thayer, Kansas, is a small town in Chetopa Township of western Neosho County. As of the 2020 census, the city’s population was 432.

Southwest Kansas – Wild West Country – (Legends of Kansas) Wild West Country, in Southwest Kansas, is one of the Midwest’s hidden treasures, featuring wide-open spaces, magnificent sunrises and sunsets, and diverse, sometimes rugged, landscapes.

Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Cheyenne Bottoms is a wetland in central Kansas that occupies approximately 41,000 acres and is the largest in the interior United States.

Lakin, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Lakin, Kansas, located in southern Kearny County along the Arkansas River, is a small town and the county seat.

Chouteau’s Island, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Chouteau’s Island, in Kearny County, Kansas, was an island in the Arkansas River and a landmark of the old Santa Fe Trail.

Shallow Water, Kansas – Extinct in Scott County – (Legends of Kansas) Shallow Water, Kansas, is a small town and census-designated place in Scott County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 89.

Altamont, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Altamont, Kansas, is a small town located at the geographic center of Labette County. As of the 2020 census, the city’s population was 1,061.

Labette, Kansas – Extinct in Labette County – (Legends of Kansas) Labette, Kansas, is a small town in eastern Labette County. It is officially an extinct town as its post office closed years ago.

Oswego, Kansas – Labette County Seat – (Legends of Kansas)  Oswego, Kansas, is an early frontier settlement shaped by Osage heritage, pioneer trade, Civil War turmoil, and the enduring stories of Labette County.

Battle of the Diablo Mountains, Texas – The Battle of the Diablo Mountains, an engagement in the Jicarilla War, was fought in October 1854 between the U.S. Army and the Lipan Apache.

Fort Parker, Texas – Fort Parker, Texas, was a private fort built by Elder John Parker and his three sons, Benjamin, Silas, and James W. Parker, and other church members.

Fort Richardson, Texas – Fort Richardson, the northernmost of the chain of Texas forts, replaced Fort Belknap, which was abandoned after the Civil War due to a lack of water.

The Yellowstone Expedition of 1825 – The Yellowstone Expedition of 1825 caused the government to adopt more effective measures for the reduction and pacification of Missouri River Tribes.

Keeping the Frontier Alive: Living Historians and the Art of The American West – (by Wayne Heim) For Western reenactors, it’s about far more than props or spectacle. They’re researchers, craftsmen, and storytellers rolled into one.

A Sketch of Texas – Henry Howe wrote this piece in 1857, discussing the history and struggles for the boundaries of Texas, as well as its landscapes.

Big Iron – (by Steven “Pacheco” McCann) Discover the story behind Marty Robbins’ “Big Iron,” its ties to Arizona Ranger Harry Wheeler, and the enduring legend of Old West justice and folklore.

Springfield, Kansas – Lost in Seward County – (Legends of Kansas) Springfield, Kansas, was once a bustling town in Seward County that served as the temporary county seat. The town is gone today.

Fargo Springs, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) When this place was established, it was called Harwoodville when a post office opened on July 27, 1885. The name was changed to Fargo Springs that December.

Arkalon, Kansas – Lost in Seward County – (Legends of Kansas) Arkalon, Kansas, is a ghost town located northeast of Liberal on the west side of the Cimarron River in Seward County.

Scott County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Scott County, Kansas, is in the western part of the state, and its county seat is Scott City, the only incorporated city in the county.

Scott City, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Scott City, Kansas, is a city and the county seat of Scott County. As of the 2020 census, the city’s population was 4,113.

Extinct Towns of Scott County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) There are several extinct towns in Scott County, Kansas.

October Newsletter – Yellow Hair Cheyenne Warrior Woman, The Original Dirty Harry, Mile High Ghosts, A Code to Live By, And much more! In this month’s newsletter.

Marienthal, Kansas – Extinct in Wichita County – (Legends of Kansas) In 1892, the community was founded by a group of immigrant Volga Germans; they named it after their previous hometown of Marienthal, Russia.

Coronado, Kansas – Extinct in Wichita County – (Legends of Kansas) Coronado, Kansas, is a mostly abandoned place in Wichita County. It is located three miles east of Leoti.

Wichita County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Wichita County, Kansas, is in the west-central part of the state, and its county seat is Leoti. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,152. It had one of the bloodiest County Seat wars in American History.

Confederated Tribes of the Kaskaskia, Peoria, Wea, and Piankashaw – The Confederated Tribes of the Kaskaskia, Peoria, Wea, and Piankashaw were a group of related Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes who united in 1854 in Kansas to form the Confederated Peoria.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 was a massive win for the United States. Not since the Louisiana Purchase had so much new territory been added.

Beeler, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Extinct in Ness County Beeler, Kansas, is an unincorporated community in Eden Township of Ness County. It is also an extinct town as its post office was discontinued.

Brownell, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Brownell, Kansas, a tiny town in Waring Township of Ness County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 23.

Goodman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Goodman State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area in Ness County, Kansas, contains a 40-acre lake and a 225-acre upland wildlife area.

Ness County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Ness County, Kansas, is in the central part of the western half of the state. Its county seat and largest city is Ness City.

September Newsletter – Washington puts down a tax rebellion, Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Leavenworth, Worse than the Great Depression, “What if?” Virgil wasn’t there, and more! In this month’s newsletter.

Smoky Valley Scenic Byway, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) The Smoky Valley Scenic Byway is a 60-mile horseshoe path traveling through Trego and Ness Counties in west central Kansas and the Smoky Hill River Valley.

Threshing Machine Canyon Massacre, Kansas – In 1867, a wagon train traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah, near Cedar Bluff State Park in Trego County, Kansas, was attacked by Plains Indians.

Northeast Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) The Northeast region is in the northeast quarter of Kansas and includes 20 counties.

River Front Park in Atchison, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Riverfront Park east of downtown Atchison, Kansas, provides a close-up view of the Missouri River, upstream that carries traffic between Kansas and Missouri.

Kaw Point Park, Kansas City, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Kaw Point Park, in the Fairfax District of Kansas City, Kansas, marks the spot where the Kansas River flows into the Missouri River.

Miami State Fishing Lake & Wildlife Area – (Legends of Kansas) Miami State Fishing Lake & Wildlife Area includes 101 acres of water bounded by 149 acres of timbered hillsides along the on the Marais des Cygnes River.

Atchison State Fishing Lake & Wildlife Area – (Legends of Kansas) Atchison State Fishing Lake near Atchison, Kansas, covers 66 acres with a maximum depth of 32 feet.

Carona, Kansas –(Legends of Kansas) Carona, Kansas, is an unincorporated community in Ross Township of Cherokee County. It is also an extinct town as its post office has been closed for years.

Mound Valley, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Mound Valley, Kansas, located in the western part of Labette County, is a small town in Mound Valley Township with a population of 348 as of the 2020 census.

Valeda, Kansas – Extinct in Labette County – (Legends of Kansas) Valeda, Kansas, is an unincorporated community in Howard Township of southern Labette County. It is also an extinct town as it no longer has a post office.

Angola, Kansas – Extinct in Labette County – (Legends of Kansas) Angola, Kansas, is located in the Canadian Township in Southwestern Labette County. It is an extinct town as it hasn’t had a post office in decades.

Herndon, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Herndon, Kansas, is a small town in Herndon Township, in northeast Rawlins County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 119.

Atwood, Kansas – Rawlins County Seat – (Legends of Kansas) Atwood, Kansas, is a small town and the county seat of Rawlins County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,290.

Camp Phillips, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) In May 1942, the federal government requisitioned over 45,000 acres in Saline County to construct Camp Phillips, during World War II.

Rio Grande – 4th Largest River – The Río Grande is an essential source of water for the American Southwest. At nearly 2,000 miles long, it is the 4th-longest river in the U.S.

Marshal Virgil Earp’s “What If”  Could Have Changed History Forever – (by Steven “Pacheco” McCann) – What if lawman Virgil Earp wasn’t there to stop a gunfight? His timing could have changed history forever – and perhaps even altered Tombstone’s infamy.

Presidio of Los Adaes, Louisiana – The Presidio of Los Adaes in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, was built on the edge of the Spanish Empire. Los Adaes was the Texas capitol from 1721 to 1773.

Battle of Georgia Landing, Louisiana – Part of the Operations in Lafourche Campaign in Louisiana, Major General Benjamin F. Butler launched an expedition into Bayou Lafourche.

Taylor’s Operations in Louisiana West of the Mississippi – Major General Richard Taylor engaged in a series of clashes with Union forces throughout 1863, primarily aimed at controlling the Bayou Teche region and disrupting Union supply lines.

Fort Butler, Louisiana – Fort Butler, in Donaldsville, Louisiana, was a pivotal Civil War site, engineered by West Point, and built in 1863.

Fort Bute, Louisiana – Fort Bute, Louisiana, was a colonial fort built by the British in 1766 to protect the confluence of Bayou Manchac with the Mississippi River.

Charles Alexander Reynolds – U.S. Scout – Charles Alexander Reynolds, known as “Lonesome Charley”, was a scout in the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment who was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Simpson “Jack” Stilwell – Frontier Scout – Simpson Everett “Jack” Stilwell was a United States Army Scout, U.S. Deputy  Marshal, judge, and U.S. Commissioner in Oklahoma.

Abner Sharp Grover – Frontier Scout – Abner “Sharp” Grover was a Chief Scout for the U.S. Army during the Plains Indian campaigns between 1860 and 1878.

Rawlins County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Rawlins County, Kansas, is in the northwest part of the state. Its county seat and largest city is Atwood. In the 2020 census, its population was 2,561.

Lake Atwood, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Created in the 1930s, Lake Atwood, located in Rawlins County, Kansas, provides recreation, camping, hiking, and fishing.

Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express Stage Stations – A look at the Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express Stage Stations during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush.

Hiawatha, Kansas – Brown County Seat – (Legends of Kansas) Founded in 1857, Hiawatha, Kansas, is the largest city and county seat of Brown County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,280.

The Kidnapping of Jimmy McKinn – In 1885, eleven-year-old Jimmy ‘Santiago’ McKinn was taken captive by Apaches during a raid on the McKinn Ranch in Southwest New Mexico.

Native American Hoop Dance – The Hoop Dance, originating in the Chippewa culture, is a healing ceremony dance incorporating one to 40 hoops to create static and dynamic shapes.

Hopi Snake Dance – The widely publicized Hopi ritual was the Snake Dance, held annually in late August, during which the performers dance with live snakes in their mouths.

Kearny County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Kearny County, Kansas, is located in the southwest portion of the state. Its county seat and most populous city is Lakin.

First Settlements of Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) History of the first people and immigrant settlements in Kansas.

Coronado Heights, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Coronado Heights is a hill northwest of Lindsborg, Kansas. Here, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado gave up his search for the “Seven Cities of Gold.”

Rock City Park, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Rock City Park, a National Natural Landmark, comprises over 200 giant concretions southwest of Minneapolis, Kansas, in Ottawa County.

Baker University, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Rich in tradition and history, Baker University is a private university in Baldwin City, Kansas, founded in 1858.

Cullison, Kansas – Extinct in Pratt County – (Legends of Kansas) Cullison is a tiny town on the boundary between Banner and Richland Townships in Pratt County, Kansas.

Hopewell, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Hopewell, Kansas, is an extinct town located in the Rattlesnake Creek Valley of Pratt County.

Pratt County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) The county was named for Caleb Pratt of the First Kansas Infantry, who died in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri, during the Civil War and who had previously been involved in the Bleeding Kansas era.

Natrona, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Natrona, Kansas, is an extinct town in Pratt County. It was settled in the 1880s.

Ottawa County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Ottawa County, Kansas, is located in the north-central part of the state. Its county seat and largest city is Minneapolis.

Extinct Towns in Ottawa County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) There are a number of extinct towns in Ottawa County, Kansas.

Niles, Kansas – Extinct in Ottawa County – (Legends of Kansas) Niles, Kansas, is a census-designated place on the banks of the Solomon River in Lincoln Township of Ottawa County. As of 2020, its population was 56.

Lindsey, Kansas – Extinct in Ottawa County – (Legends of Kansas) Lindsey, Kansas, was an unincorporated community located in Concord Township, in the central part of Ottawa County.

Chapman’s Dugout, Ottawa County, Kansas – Chapman’s Dugout on the Solomon River in Kansas provided protection for area settlers until it was replaced with Fort Solomon in 1864.

Fort Solomon, Kansas – Fort Solomon, a settlers’ stockade, was built in Ottawa County, Kansas, in the early part of 1864, when Indians became very troublesome.

El Dorado, Kansas – Butler County Seat – (Legends of Kansas) El Dorado, Kansas, the county seat of Butler County, is located in the central part of the county along the western bank of the Walnut River. The discovery of the El Dorado Oil Field in 1915 was a huge boom for the city and launched the Aviation industry of nearby Wichita.

Eskridge, Kansas – Gateway to the Flint Hills – (Legends of Kansas) Colonel Ephraim H. Sanford purchased 460 acres, platted and laid out Eskridge in 1868 at “the Corners”, an intersection of Bronc Rider Road and Eight Mile Road, just about a mile east of the current downtown.

Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie Park, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Mount Mitchell is a hill in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, that looms over the rolling prairie of the Kansas River Valley with historical significance.

One-Room, Country, & Historic Schools of Wabaunsee County – (Legends of Kansas) There are several historic one-room schools in Wabaunsee County, Kansas.

Lake Wabaunsee, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Lake Wabaunsee is a man-made lake near Eskridge in Wabaunsee County, Kansas. It once housed a German POW camp.

Camp Bird Mine, Colorado – The Camp Bird Mine, between Ouray and Telluride, Colorado, was a highly productive old gold mine in the San Juan Mountains.

San Elizario, Texas – Border Town – The settlement that became San Elizario was first established sometime before 1760 as the Hacienda de los Tiburcios on the south side of the Rio Grande.

Grant Johnson – U.S. Deputy Marshal – Born into slavery in 1858, Grant Johnson was one of the most noted peace officers in the history of the Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

Bound by Duty – United in Friendship (the Nabor Pacheco/Harry Wheeler Story) – Author Steven ‘Pacheco’ McCann discusses the working relationship and friendship of Sheriff Pacheco and Arizona Ranger Harry Wheeler in early Arizona.

Dover, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Dover, Kansas, is an unincorporated community on Mill Creek southwest of Topeka in Shawnee County.

One-Room, Country, & Historic Schools of Chautaugua County – (Legends of Kansas) In Chautaugua County, Kansas, education and the establishment of a school received attention long before the idea of founding a town emerged.

Elgin, Kansas – Chautauqua County Ghost Town – (Legends of Kansas) Elgin, Kansas, is a tiny town located in the fertile valley of the Big Caney River on the Oklahoma border.  It has a history of the wild west, bank robberies, cattle, and oil.

Toronto Lake & Cross Timbers State Park – (Legends of Kansas) Cross Timbers State Park at Toronto Lake is located in the gently rolling hills of the Verdigris River Valley in southeast Kansas.

Chautauqua County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) The county is named after Chautauqua County, New York, the birthplace of Edward Jaquins, a Kansas politician who was instrumental in establishing the county.

Hewins, Kansas – Extinct in Chautauqua County – (Legends of Kansas) Hewins, Kansas, was established in 1886, following the massive flood on the Caney River in Chautauqua County in the fall of 1885.

Ozro Falls in Chautauqua County, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Ozro Falls in Chautauqua County, Kansas, are on the Caney River and drop over a ledge of naturally eroded limestone.

One-Room, Country, & Historic Schools of Montgomery County – (Legends of Kansas) The citizens of Montgomery County, Kansas, paid early and close attention to the matter of youth education and the establishment and maintenance of good schools.

Rock Creek Lake & Waterfall – (Legends of Kansas)  Rock Creek Lake and its waterfalls are near Fort Scott in Bourbon County, Kansas. The 75-acre Rock Creek Lake is an integral part of the city water system.

Farlington, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Farlington was laid out with the building of the Kansas City, Fort Scott, & Gulf Railroad in 1869.

Walnut, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Walnut, Kansas, is a small town in the northwestern part of Crawford County. This community was first called Glenwood when it was established.

McCune, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) McCune, Kansas, is a small town in southwest Crawford County on the divide between the Neosho River and Lightning Creek.

Brazilton, Kansas – Tiny Town in Crawford County – (Legends of Kansas) Brazilton, Kansas, is a tiny unincorporated community in Walnut Township of Crawford County. Its post office closed decades ago, making it an extinct town.

Stone City, Kansas – Lost in Cherokee County – (Legends of Kansas) Stone City, Kansas, was a mining town located in the northern part of the Cherokee County.

Cherokee, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Cherokee, Kansas, is a small town in Sheridan Township in southern Crawford County. As of the 2020 census, the city’s population was 590.

Arma, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Arma is a small town in Washington Township of Crawford County, Kansas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,407.

Tom Horn: A Complex Legend of the Old West – Evan Green, Firearms Historian for the Wyoming State Museum, helped us rewrite our story of Tom Horn and dispels some of the myths surrounding this controversial self-proclaimed killer for hire.

Escaping Smart: How to Plan a Weekend Getaway Without Breaking the Bank – (submitted by Sharon Redd) With a bit of strategy and an open mind, planning a cost-effective getaway doesn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort or experience.

April Newsletter – Utah War, the Maricopa, Tragedy of the Donner Party, Route 66 Road Trip, U.S. Marshals, and much more! In this month’s newsletter.

Chicopee, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) Chicopee, Kansas, is a small town in Baker Township of Crawford County that began as a coal mining community.. As of the 2020 census, the population was 422.

Crawfordsville, Kansas – Extinct in Crawford County – (Legends of Kansas) Crawfordsville, Kansas, is a lost town in Crawford County. Located on Lightning Creek, it was two miles west and a half mile north of present-day Girard.

John X. Beidler – Marshal and Vigilante – John X. Beidler, who became known as “Vigilante X”, was a Montana Vigilante and Deputy U.S. Marshal.

William “Bill” Dudley Banks – U.S. Deputy Marshal – William “Bill” Dudley Banks was a U.S. Deputy Marshal who apprehended outlaws in Oklahoma Territory.

Jack Dunlap, aka Three Fingered Jack – Southwest Robber – Jack Dunlap (or Dunlop), aka Three-Fingered Jack, robbed banks and trains in Arizona in the closing days of the Old West.

Boston’s Underground Railroad – Boston, Massachusetts, had a prominent role in helping Black Americans flee enslavement in the South via the Underground Railroad.

Salt Lake City, Utah – Salt Lake City, Utah, is the state’s capital and most populous city. It is also the county seat of Salt Lake County, the state’s most populous county.

Maricopa Tribe of Arizona – The Maricopa or Piipaash are a Native American tribe traditionally living on or near the Gila River in southern Arizona.

Mojave Indian Tribe – The Mojave or Mohave are a Native Americans indigenous to the Colorado River in the Mojave Desert. The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation includes territory within California, Arizona, and Nevada borders. The Colorado River Indian Reservation includes parts of California and Arizona and is shared by members of the Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo peoples.

Battle of Ojo Caliente Canyon, New Mexico – The Battle of Ojo Caliente Canyon in New Mexico was an engagement of the Jicarilla War on April 8, 1854 between Jicarilla Apache warriors and the U.S. Army.

Fort Riley-Fort Kearny Military Road – On March 3, 1855, Congress appropriated $50,000 for surveying a road from Fort Riley, Kansas, to Bridger’s Pass in Wyoming. The first section was conducted from Fort Riley to Fort Kearny in Nebraska Territory.

The Bear Flag Republic of California – In 1846, during the Mexican-American War, explorer John Fremont and his men created and raised the Bear Flag over their declared California Republic.

Dominguez–Escalante Expedition – The Dominguez–Escalante Expedition was a Spanish exploration conducted in 1776 by Franciscan priests Atanasio Dominguez and Silvestre Velez de Escalante.

Grange History – Founded in 1867, shortly after the Civil War, the Grange, officially known as The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry is recognized as the oldest national agricultural advocacy group in the United States.

Spring Hill, Kansas – (Legends of Kansas) The first settler in the township was James B. Hovey, who arrived at the present location in March 1857.

Utah War – Also known as the Utah Expedition and the Mormon War, was an armed confrontation in the Utah Territory between members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), also known as Mormons, and the U.S. government’s armed forces.Taking place from May 1857 to July 1858, the conflict primarily involved Mormon settlers and federal troops, escalating from tensions over self-governance within the territory.

Bridger’s Pass, Wyoming – Bridger Pass is a mountain pass on the Continental Divide in southern Wyoming. It was second in importance only to South Pass, Wyoming, as a significant passageway over the Continental Divide during Westward Expansion and migration in the mid-1800s.

Fort Lookout, Kansas – Fort Lookout, in the northeast corner of Republic County, Kansas, was established by the U.S. Army in 1861, near the beginning of the Civil War. Its purpose was to protect the military road from Fort Riley, Kansas, to Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory

Seneca Nation – The Seneca are an Iroquoian-speaking tribe historically living south of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes of North America.

Tequesta Tribe of Florida – Also known as the Tekesta, Tegesta, Chequesta, and Vizcayno, they were among the first tribes to settle near Biscayne Bay in the present-day Miami area.

 

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