BackgroundKansas State Historic SitesJourney into Kansas history. Experience the traditions of Native Americans and walk where farmers and ranchers settled on the plains. Read the history in the landscapes of the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. Contemplate "Bleeding Kansas" and the Civil War. Meet such notables as John Brown and Carry A. Nation. The Kansas Historical Society administers sixteen state historic sites, preserved and protected for their unique historical significance. Each site is on the National Register of Historic Places and tells the colorful story of Kansas. Between 1851 - 1854 fifty Kaw (or Kansa) boys lived and studied in the historic stone Kaw Mission in Council Grove. The U.S. Government removed the Kaw to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, in 1873. The Kaw Nation, known as "The People of the South Wind," gave our state its name. You can view exhibits that feature the history and culture of the Kaw and the Santa Fe Trail that passed nearby at this state historic site. Kaw Mission State Historic Site Great Lakes Indian tribes were forced to emigrate to Kansas in the 1800s. They had to adapt their traditional Woodlands cultures to the rolling prairie landscape. The Native American Heritage Museum is housed in the former Presbyterian Mission, built in 1845 to educate Iowa and Sac and Fox children. The museum features quillwork, baskets and other artwork of present day descendants of those emigrant tribes. Native Americans tell stories in their own words in the museum's interactive exhibits. Hands-on exhibits include a bark house. Native American Heritage Museum State Historic Site As many as two thousand Pawnees lived in the village in the 1820s which consisted of more than 40 lodges. The Pawnee Indian Village museum encloses the excavated floor of one of the largest earth lodges, with the remains of other houses visible on the grounds. The thousands of artifacts tell the story of the powerful Pawnee Nation. Visitors can view a rare a Pawnee Sacred bundle and walk along the village trail. Pawnee Indian Museum State Historic Site From 1839 - 1862 children of the Shawnee, Delaware and other Indian nations attended the manual training school. The Shawnee Mission, located in Johnson County, served as an early territorial capitol, supply point on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, and a camp for Union soldiers during the Civil War. This thirteen-acre National Historic Landmark provides a rich tapestry of three historic buildings, period rooms and exhibits, plus special events, workshops and guided tours. Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site While the nation watched, proslavery delegates to the Constitutional Convention hotly debated the issue of slavery in Kansas in this hall, now designated a National Historic Landmark. In the land office on the ground floor of Constitution Hall, thousands of antislavery settlers filed their claims to the land. In doing so, they ultimately secured a Kansas free of slavery. Constitution Hall State Historic Site In July 1855 an early territorial legislature convened in this stone building. These proslavery delegates tried to guide the fate of Kansas Territory. In 1928, the Union Pacific Railroad building was rebuilt from its ruins by the. Outside, the Kaw River Nature Trail lies near the Kansas River. First Territorial Capitol State Historic Site Pioneers Reverend Samuel and Florella Adair struggled to survive on the Kansas frontier while maintaining their Abolitionist principles. The Kansas career of Florella's legendary half brother, John Brown, and his Abolitionist efforts are featured in an exhibit gallery. Here John earned the sobriquet "Osawatomie Brown" as he fought for the free-state cause. John Brown Museum State Historic Site In May 1858, proslavery men gunned down eleven free-state men in a ravine that is now listed as a National Historic Landmark. The shootings shocked the nation and became a pivotal event in the Bleeding Kansas era. A few months later, Abolitionist John Brown came to the site to build a fort. The Marais des Cygnes site offers outdoor exhibits in a beautiful natural setting. Marais des Cygnes Massacre State Historic Site In October 1864, Federal forces attacked the retreating Confederate Army along the banks of Mine Creek. One of the largest cavalry engagements of the Civil War, Mine Creek was the only major battle fought in Kansas. This dramatic story comes alive in the visitor center where you will see Civil War era uniforms, weapons and photographs. Walk the trails for an up-close look at the battlefield. Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site General George A. Custer, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody and James B. "Wild Bill" Hickok are just a few of the well-known people who made history at this outpost. Established in 1865 in the land of Cheyenne and Arapaho, Fort Hays protected railroad workers and travelers on the Smoky Hill Trail. Tour the blockhouse, guardhouse, officers' quarters, and walk the parade grounds. Enjoy the military items and photographs at the visitor center. Fort Hays State Historic Site Pony Express riders and hundreds of pioneers once made a stop at historic Hollenberg Station. In 1858 Gerat H. and Sofia Hollenberg established a way station for travelers on the Oregon and California Trails. In 1860 the Hollenbergs began to operate a Pony Express station. Stop inside the station, a National Historic Landmark that looks much as it did in those exciting times. Enjoy interactive exhibits at the visitor center. Hollenberg Pony Express Station State Historic Site For travelers on the Santa Fe Trail, this sandstone citadel was one of the most prominent landmarks on their long journey. Native Americans were said to have used Pawnee Rock as a vantage point to spot bison herds and approaching wagon trains. Stand atop Pawnee Rock and you can contemplate the rich history of the Santa Fe Trail and take in the commanding view of the Arkansas River Valley. Pawnee Rock State Historic Site Walk the grounds of this relatively unchanged rural ranch and take in the austere beauty of the South Solomon River traversing the High Plains. Constructed from 1885 - 1896 by John Fenton Pratt, Cottonwood Ranch incorporates architectural elements from his English homeland. Explore the ranch where the Pratt family flourished and John Fenton became a successful sheep rancher and businessman. Cottonwood Ranch State Historic Site Glimpse into the life of Isaac Goodnow, a leader in the free-state movement and one of the founders of the town of Manhattan. He later established the college that became Kansas State University. Isaac and Ellen Goodnow built this unique stone farmhouse in the 1860s. Isaac and Ellen's interest in education and nature is reflected in the hundreds of objects they collected. Goodnow House State Historic Site Overlooking the historic Delaware Crossing on the Kansas River, the stately Grinter Place was the home to Moses and Annie Grinter. The brick farmhouse was built in 1862. It is located near the site of Grinter's Trading Post, where he traded with the Delaware. Annie, a Lenapi (Delaware), helped to farm, raise poultry and livestock, and plant an apple orchard. Today Grinter Place features furnishings from the late nineteenth century. Grinter Place State Historic Site From the 1890s through the Second World War, William Allen White influenced state and national politics through his writings from the heartland town of Emporia. White looms particularly large in the colorful politics of his home state, debating the Populists of the 1890s and battling against the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. His house and gardens, with its furnishings and memorabilia, allows us to experience this man and his descendents. William Allen White House State Historic Site The Kansas Historical Society is headquartered at 6425 SW Sixth Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099; 785-272-8681, TTY 785-272-8683; www.kshs.org. The Kansas Historical Society does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs. The Society requests prior notification to accommodate individuals with special needs or disabilities. Contact: |
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