LOCAL HISTORY

HISTORY LOCAL MEMORIALS AND MUSEUMS

Teachers set us on a better path, and Emporia is where many get their start. Once known as “the Athens of the Plains” for its colleges and Carnegie libraries, Emporia is home to the National Teachers Hall of Fame and the poignant National Memorial to Fallen Educators.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL TO FALLEN EDUCATORS Located next to Emporia State University’s One Room School Museum, the National Memorial to Fallen Educators(12 W. 18th Ave., ESU Campus, nthf. org) is free to visit and open 24 hours a day. It is the first and only national memorial in the state of Kansas. The memorial commemorates educators who have lost their lives while serving in their professional roles.

NATIONAL TEACHERS HALL OF FAME The National Teachers Hall of Fame(1701 Morse Rd, ESU Visser Hall, nthf.org) recognizes and honors exceptional career teachers, encourages excellence in teaching and preserves the rich heritage of the teaching profession in the United States. The museum honors the teachers inducted and is a teacher resource center. SCHMIDT MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY The Schmidt Museum of Natural History (1320 Merchant St., ESU Cram Science Hall Room 043) contains a comprehensive collection of approximately 600 taxidermy mounts of birds, mammals, reptiles and fish from Kansas. A research collection of more than 2,500 bird and mammal skins from various parts of the U.S. is maintained for advanced study and research.

PETERSON PLANETARIUM Open to students and the public, discover the wonders of the universe in the Peterson Planetarium(1320 Merchant St., ESU Cram Science Hall Room 031). Free shows play Thursday evenings and the second Saturday of each month.

JOHNSTON GEOLOGY MUSEUM See a western Kansas Cretaceous mosasaur, a giant ground sloth, a mastodon tusk plus other displays in the Johnston Geology Museum(1320 Merchant St., ESU cram Science Hall Room 106). The museum contains geological specimens predominantly from Kansas.

HONORING HEROES

Emporia is the official founding city of Veterans Day. We celebrated the first Veterans Day in 1953, a year before congress made it a National Holiday in 1954. The idea came from Emporian Alvin J. King, who suggested the renaming of Armistice Day. Emporia Congressman Ed Rees and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also of Kansas, took the final steps to create this reverent holiday. Every year, Emporia honors our veterans.

ALL VETERANS TRIBUTE The All Veterans Tribute is a two-week observance honoring our service men and women. Festivities include the Veterans Day Parade, Veteran Artist Exhibit, Quilts of Gratitude, Essay and Poster Contest, FreedomFest and more.

VETERANS BANNER PROJECT Emporia started a national movement by dedicating street banners to individual veterans. A project of Emporia Main Street, see these tributes to local heroes along Commercial Street and Emporia State University every year around Veterans Day. LIVE MUSIC Listen to free summer concerts in Fremont Park as the Emporia Municipal Band plays American standards in a Norman Rockwell setting. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the music and fireflies on Thursdays. Enjoy the Emporia Symphony Orchestra ensemble made up of community and university musicians. They perform a repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary at Albert Taylor Hall as well as other venues.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN Designated as a Historic District, Downtown Emporia(3001200 block of Commercial St.) is the place to go for local nightlife, cuisine, coffee, antiques and boutiques. With more than 17 architectural styles, including the Spanish Colonial Revival of the Historic Granada Theatre, a stroll down Commercial Street is an architecture lover’s dream.

ALL VETERANS MEMORIAL The All Veterans Memorial (933 S Commercial St.) features a World War II M-4A6 Sherman army tank, Vietnam Veteran Memorial with Huey Helicopter, USS Oliver Hazard Perry anchor and Purple Heart Memorial. Open daylight to 11 pm. (933 S Commercial St.) LYON COUNTY HISTORY CENTER The Lyon County History Center(711 Commercial St.) is more than a museum, it is a place to discover and share your history. With a Kid's Zone and a model train, this center is fun for all ages. You will experience history and connect with stories in new and memorable ways through guest speakers and traveling exhibits. Come be inspired in this community center. Insightful conversations start here.

SETTLER HISTORY Built in 1867 by a Welsh immigrant stone-mason, the Howe House & Welsh Farmstead(315 E. Logan Ave.)is one of the oldest homes in Emporia. This historic limestone home features original architecture and furnishings. Info and tours by appointment, 620-340-6310.

NOTABLE PEOPLE

Famed publisher William Allen White wrote in 1922, “Things start in Emporia that finish in history.” He couldn’t have been more right. The roots of Emporia are the roots of the state, and of the country.

SAGE OF EMPORIA

Voted as one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas People, William Allen White (1868-1944) created a newspaper that brought Emporia national attention. Explore his life and his impact around town. Start your day at Red Rocks State Historic Site (927 Exchange St.).

RED ROCKS STATE HISTORIC SITE The home of William Allen White is known for its famous guests, including five U.S. Presidents. Furnishings and memorabilia portray the world travels and writings of White and his son, William Lindsay, both nationally prominent writers and journalists. (927 Exchange St.)

WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE BUST & MEMORIAL This bust of William Allen White (SE of lake at S. Rural St. & Randolph Ave.), dedicated in 1950 by President Herbert Hoover, includes White’s moving essay “Mary White” in remembrance of his daughter who was killed in a horseback riding accident.

WILLIAM LINDSAY WHITE MEMORIAL This bust of William Lindsay White (1900-1973) (6th Ave. & Merchant St., in White Memorial Park), author and son of William Allen White, includes selections of writings by the two men.

OLD SCHOOL COOL As the birthplace of Maud Wagner, the first known female tattoo artist, Emporia has been on the forefront of culture since the beginning. Maud’s legacy is being kept alive at Maud’s Tattoo Company(720 Commercial St.) and she is being honored by having a wine named for her at Twin Rivers Winery (627 Commercial St.). YES, GUNNY! Emporia is the birthplace of actor R. Lee Ermey. He is best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Ermey was a former Marine and Vietnam Veteran.