Margaret Hill McCarter

A Kansas Portrait

Topeka author Margaret Hill McCarter became well known during the early 20^th Century for her novels set against a background of the Kansas Prairies. Such works as The Price of the Prairie, which dealt with settlers in post Civil War Kansas and A Wall of Man, which portrayed the struggle between free-state and pro-slavery factions, appealed to readers who appreciated her detailed descriptions of the landscape and events.

In addition to her writing, McCarter devoted much time to her work civic organizations and clubs and she became well known as a public speaker. Her activities in the Republican Party resulted in an invitation to address the 1920 convention, becoming the first woman to speak to the national gathering.

During her lifetime, McCarter received honorary doctorates from Washburn University and the College of Emporia. Margaret Hill McCarter Elementary School in Topeka, today perpetuates the memory of this Kansas author.