Winter 1997 (Volume 5, Number 4)

"Facing the Music: The Turn of the Century Hometown Band"

The flash of trumpets, the blare of horns, the boom-boom-boom of the big brass drum--join the parade back to the turn of the century, when the community band voiced the heart and soul of small-town America.

"'In Their Best Bib and Tucker': The Harvey Girls"

The table is set, the silver is polished, and the ultimate in dining comfort and luxury awaits you! But how did those Harvey Girls do it? Take a peek at the secrets that made these women the best in the business.

The Heritage Sampler: "Jumping Off To Lincoln County"

Rustic treasures in the heart of post rock country!

Voices From the Heartland: "Frontier Christmas"

Young Readers: "Bands in Kansas"

Articles and activities include Strike Up the Band! from parades to high school bands; Tooting Your Own Horn on wind, brass, and percussion instruments; "Note-worthy" with interesting tibdits on bands and music in Kansas; and The Beat Goes On. . .Make your own instrument!

History in the Making: Joyce Theirer and Ann Birney: Riding into History

Two very different figures from Central Plains history come to life with the historical performance touring troupe, Ride into History. Meet Calamity Jane and Amelia Earhart.

The Times of Our Lives

About Faces: "Wyatt Earp: He was an iron man behind a tin star"

Presenting the Past: Calendar of Events

Lasting Impressions

A man and his dog and a "voice from the sky." Although the wireless age began in the late 1800s, the miracle age of radio came in the 1920s with early broadcast programming. Magically, it seemed, a voice or music was plucked from the air thousands of miles away and brought into homes all across the country. Suddenly baseball scores, election results, orchestras, comedy, and even the opera were at the fingertips of the fortunate radio owner. In this photo, by Abilene photographer W.E. Wierman, the radio's receiver, headset, and speaker horn date to the mid-1920s. We thank Mark Hunt, director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, for donating this "lasting impression," which we hope will warm your spirits on a cold winter day.

What lasting Kansas impressions do you have in photos from 1854 to 1955? We invite you to share them with our readers. For information and guidelines about submitting your photos to "Lasting Impressions," please write Kansas Heritage, Kansas State Historical Soceity, 6425 SW Sixth Avenue, Topeka KS 66615. Photos will be returned upon request.

To order any of these magazines call the museum store at the Kansas Museum of History, 785-272-8681, ext. 413.