KITES
Kansas Interpretive Traveling Exhibit Service
Threatened with military conscription and the loss of
economic privileges, thousands of Germans left Russia in the 1870s just as they had left war-torn Germany for Russia's unsettled agricultural provinces a century earlier. With the railroads advertising land for sale in Kansas, many Russian-Germans responded. They sought good farm land with convenient access to markets via the rails. An added attraction
was exemption from military service on religious grounds. By 1879, 12,000 Russian-Germans lived in the state. Historic photographs,
quotes, newspaper articles, and handbills tell the story. Produced by the Kansas Historical Society.
On-Line Tour: View this exhibit online.
Handling Fee: $25
Exhibit Format: NIMLOK units using 5 panels; includes 18 black and white photographs and labels measuring approximately 16"x20"
Shipping: (1) plastic case measuring 31"
x 25" x 8" and weighing 20 lbs. and (1) NIMLOK case w/wheels
measuring 49" x 38" x 14" and weighing 150 lbs.
KHC Speakers:
William Keel, University of Kansas, "The German Heritage of Kansas" and "German Dialects of Kansas"
Norman Saul, University of Kansas, "The Kansas Miracle: Mennonites, Volga Germans, & Turkey Red Wheat"
KSHS Multimedia Resources:
Trunk: Volga-Germans in Kansas
KSHS Publications:
History Resource Packet, Settlements, available for purchase
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Kansas--the land of rich soil and large crops! Modern Kansans know that that statement has an
element of truth. But early settlers were often exposed to forms of exaggeration which made
Kansas sound wonderful beyond belief. Tall tales are a staple of old-fashioned western humor,
and Kansans seemed to delight in the contrast between the truth and the tale.
By the late 1800s artists and photographers were turning the tall tale
into a visual joke. These exaggerated picture postcards helped Kansans
cope with hardship. This exhibit explores the history of these unique
and entertaining postcards. Produced by the Kansas Historical Society.
Handling Fee: $25
Exhibit Format: NIMLOK units using 10 panels; includes black and white photographs and labels
Shipping: (1) NIMLOK case w/wheels measuring
49"x38"x14" and weighing 150 lbs and a small accessory
case.
KSHS Publications:
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