KANSAS! Magazine | Spring 2016 by Kansas Magazine

SPRING 2016 | VOL 72 | ISSUE 1 | KANSASMAG.COM

Native-American Pride

contents features 36 |

Being Native. Being Kansan.

48 |

Pueblo on the prairie

54 |

A glimpse of Kansas

With deep roots in the state, Native cultures continue to thrive.

The original home on the range? It’s a Southweststyle ruin where the deer, as well as the squirrels and the beavers, roam.

The statewide Kansas Sampler Festival is coming to an end. Experience the entirety of the Sunflower State at its final two-year run in Winfield.

departments 04 |

In This Issue

06 |

Editor’s Letter

09 |

This Season

22 |

Wide Open Spaces

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

SPRING 2016

22 | HIDDEN TREASURES IN HUTCHINSON Small-town charm, underground activity and out-of-this-world attractions await 26 | JUST HIS (TIN)TYPE Photographer Earl Richardson revives the rare art of tintype photography 30 | TASTE OF KANSAS: HAYS HOUSE The restaurant that takes diners back in time

59 |

KANSAS! Gallery: Spring

64 |

Spring 2016 Milestone

DOUGLAS COUNTY | Jeffery McPheeters

KANSAS! MAGAZINE SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016 | VOL 72 | ISSUE 1 | KANSASMAG.COM

Native-American Pride

$4.99

ON THE COVER Dancers participate in a free dance performance at the Haskell Indian Art Market in Lawrence. Photograph by Mark and Tree Mangan.

IN THIS

issue 36

NATIVE-AMERICAN ISSUE

SPRING 2016

SEASONED

THANK YOU

This spring, our CONTRIBUTORS team includes

As we put together the photo illustrations 09 for “This Season” a handful of businesses assisted KANSAS! magazine with props. Thank you to The Dusty Bookshelf, Sunflower Outdoor & Bike, Blackbird Trading Post and The Toy Store.

NEW ISSUE, NEW DESIGN

DOWNTOWN LAWRENCE!

Writers

Photographers

KANSAS! magazine is such a rewarding, yet challenging publication to design. A new, clean and simple design for 2016 highlights the great photography and the well-written editorial that we have grown to love over the past five years that we have been working with Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. — Shelly Bryant, designer/Art director

CORRECTION In the winter 2015 edition, gallery photographer Lou Stine’s name was incorrectly spelled. Also in the winter 2015 edition, we misidentified the owner of the True Prairie home as Larry; his name is Jerry Langdon.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF Kansas Historical Society

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Kansas has a rich Native-American culture that is ever present across the state. When we began thinking about a Native-American Issue, we spoke with Lori Hasselman of Haskell Indian Nations University, where she oversees the country’s oldest Native-American student newspaper, The Indian Leader. Hasselman assisted us in preparing our feature on page 36 and shares this reflection: “Working on this issue has been very exciting for me. I am so proud of what The Indian Leader staff has accomplished,” says Hasselman.“I have been fortunate to work with some very talented Natives on this project, and I can’t wait for Kansans to see and read their work.” Thank you, Lori, and student contributors of The Indian Leader it was a pleasure to welcome your voices to KANSAS! magazine.

SPRING2016

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Andrea Etzel EDITOR

Sam Brownback GOVERNOR

Robin Jennison

KDWPT SECRETARY

WWW.SUNFLOWERPUB.COM LAWRENCE, KANSAS

WWW.MCAPRINT.COM WICHITA, KANSAS

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

PRINTER

Katy Ibsen

Cheryl Wells

GENERAL MANAGER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Shelly Bryant DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR

Nadia Imafidon SECTION EDITOR

Nathan Pettengill SECTION EDITOR

Joanne Morgan MARKETING, (785) 832-7264

Bert Hull

Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS, and at additional mailing offices. Newsstand price $4.99 per issue; subscription price $18 per year; international subscription price $22 per year. All prices include all applicable sales tax. Please address subscription inquiries to: Toll-free: (800) 678-6424 KANSAS!, P.O. Box 146, Topeka, KS 66601-0146 e-mail: ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com Website: www.KansasMag.com POSTMASTER: Send address change to: KANSAS!, P.O. Box 146, Topeka, KS 66601-0146. Please mail all editorial inquiries to: KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612 e-mail: ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com The articles and photographs that appear in KANSAS! magazine may not be broadcast, published or otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism or the appropriate copyright owner. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Additional restrictions may apply.

05 SPRING 2016

KANSAS! (ISSN 0022-8435) is published quarterly by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612; (785) 296-3479; TTY Hearing Impaired: (785) 296-3487.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS

FROM THE

editor

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

GOING WEST! Last summer I had the opportunity to spend a short afternoon at the Cimarron National Grassland, the largest area of public land in Kansas. Tucked into the southwest corner of our state at Elkhart, the grassland is home to Point of Rocks, one of the highest points in Kansas. Point of Rocks was also a popular resting point for travelers along the Santa Fe Trail, and as I stood at the rocky edge overlooking the vast open prairie of the high plains, I could almost hear the faint sound of churning wagon wheels in the wind. This was my first visit the Cimarron National Grassland, and it left an impression. Since then, I’ve caught myself going back in my mind (clearly my subconscious is telling me something, and I’m listening). So this spring I’ve planned a weeklong excursion to explore western Kansas. Between my list of places to visit and the time scheduled, I might have given myself a real challenge. The great thing about road trips, though, is that you can change your itinerary along the way. I will share my journey on the KANSAS! magazine Facebook and Instagram pages and invite you to follow along. Do you have a must-see or must-do experience? I would love to hear them! I want to thank Lori Hasselman, editor of The Indian Leader, who served as guest editor of our special Native-American issue. Her contribution and guidance allowed us to respectfully share and embrace the stories of Kansas’ sacred Native community.

SPRING 2016

06 ANDREA ETZEL

EDITOR, KANSAS! MAGAZINE

LOOKING AHEAD TO WINTER! We are currently in the throes of planning our winter 2016 edition and invite you to join us. Tell us what your favorite small town in Kansas is (population must be less than 5,000). You can write us a letter or email, submit your choice on social media (tagged with #BestSmallTownKS), or call us. Submissions must be received no later than March 14. Voting will occur between March 15 through May 19. Winners will be announced this winter. NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE SMALL TOWN! www.facebook.com/KansasMagazine/ 1020 S Kansas Ave # 2 | Topeka, KS 66612 | (785) 296-7091

facebook.com/KansasMagazine

@KANSASMag

KansasMagazine (get spotted; use #kansasmag to tag us)

I T ’ S M O R E T H A N A D O N AT I O N

Keep 5 in Kansas

The concept is simple: By remembering your community in your legacy — by leaving just 5% of your estate to your local community foundation — you will help ensure your community’s future.

620-200-4947

keepfiveinkansas.com

THIS SEASON 26 Welcome to KANSAS! magazine’s “This Season.” Here we explore what’s new and buzzing throughout the state—from restaurants and shopping to cultural happenings and attractions.And this season, we fly into Salina. 10 Eat 12 Culture 15 Shop

16 Outside

Manhattan

18 Reasons We Love Kansas

22 Hidden Treasures in Hutchinson 26 Just His (Tin)Type

Where in

KANSAS?

30 Taste of Kansas: Hays House

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

21 Spring 2016 Events

09 SPRING 2016

Topeka

Hutchinson Salina

Great Bend

17 Ride

Liberal

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP) Earl Richardson, Kristen Garlow Piper, Doug Stremel

13 Sampler

this season

eat.

By Lou Ann Thomas

YUMMY EVENTS INTERNATIONAL PANCAKE DAY February 16, Liberal For more than 60 years the women of Liberal have competed with the women in Olney, England, in a pancake-flipping contest down the streets of their respective towns. There are also pancake eating and flipping contests, and recipe and cooking contests taking place over the weekend before. pancakeday.net

whole or hole-y W KANSAS! MAGAZINE

hether raised or glazed, frosted or filled, creative and delicious donuts are a sweet treat that can be found all across the state.

SPRING 2016

DRUBER’S DONUTS in Newton is known for made-from-scratch donuts and its openall-night hours.Two of the most popular treats in the line-up are peanut butter rolls and buttermilk sticks.The peanut butter rolls feature a trifecta of sweet deliciousness: house-made peanut butter frosting and chocolate over a twist of raised donuts, sprinkled with nuts.The buttermilk sticks are made with cake flour and buttermilk, which gives them a texture perfect for dunking in coffee or milk. JOHN’S SPACE AGE DONUTS, in downtown Overland Park, has been satisfying our cravings for morning sweets since 1967. The shop’s apple fritters are some of the best you can find. A sweet and crunchy outside glaze covers the moist

Where in

KANSAS?

and light inside with threads of cinnamon running throughout. They are so good that after eating the first one you will want to have another as proof of just how delicious they are. Get there early for the best selection, then grab some to go, or climb onto one of the vintage swivel stools at the counter to enjoy any of the far-out treats filling the three-tiered glass display cases. They say “Donuts make people happy” at VARSITY DONUTS in Manhattan, and they are doing all they can to increase the happiness quotient in the area. One of the most popular flavors is the maple bacon bar, which is a long john raised donut, covered with maple frosting and loaded with bacon. The Flat Tire is also a local favorite with vanilla frosting covered in Oreo cookie crumbs. Oh, and it’s square … kind of like a flat tire. Worry not, the tires on the vintage Schwinn bikes that Varsity Donuts rents are all inflated and ready to go for a spin around town.

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE February 27, Wichita Chocolate lovers won’t want to miss the 10th annual Death by Chocolate, a benefit for Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd. Enjoy all the chocolate you can eat from the city’s top chocolate vendors. Food, wine, beer, a signature cocktail, live music and games are also part of this evening’s festivities. facebook. com/DeathbyChocolateEP

WHERE TO GO DRUBER’S DONUT SHOP 116 W 6th St., Newton (316) 283-1206 JOHN’S SPACE AGE DONUTS 8124 Floyd St., Overland Park (913) 381-0980 (As seen in the photo) VARSITY DONUTS 704 N. Manhattan Ave., Manhattan (785) 539-7654

“Donuts make people happy.” —VARSITY DONUTS

UP TOP

John’s Space Age Donuts

PHOTOGRAPH Doug Stremel

Sweet treats

this season

culture.

Celebrating contributions,

“O

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Historical & Modern

SPRING 2016

Where in

KANSAS?

By MeLinda Schnyder ne of the biggest misconceptions of people visiting the center is that American Indians are either not around anymore or that they still live like they did 200 years ago,” says Sarah Adams, museum director of the Mid-America All-Indian Center. The Indian Center lies just west of downtown Wichita’s Keeper of the Plains, a 44-foot sculpture by Blackbear Bosin, who helped start the Indian Center in 1969. Because so many misconceptions abound, the 3,000-artifact museum focuses on modern American Indians, who celebrate and practice their traditions while contributing significantly to their presentday communities. The wide range of temporary exhibits this spring is evidence. From the child-focused “Gentle Harvest: Every Sheep Gets a Haircut” (through April 16) to “Indians in Aviation” (through July 16), a full-length documentary sharing the stories of those who moved to Wichita to build airplanes, these important traditions and contributions are evident in the museum’s diverse exhibits this spring. A family-friendly event on April 23 launches the newest temporary exhibit:“Kachina— We Are the Spirit” (through April 15, 2017).Visitors will learn about the small carved dolls originally used by Hopi members to teach the young people about spiritual beings. “We want people to walk away with a sense of community and belonging from our center and hopefully a better understanding of American Indians and their art and culture contributions today,” Adams says.

WHAT TO DO KANSAS ROCK ART Republic, through May 31 Pawnee Indian Museum State Historic Site is displaying nine casts of Kansas rock art, carvings into exposed bedrock that were originally found in Ellsworth County and nearby counties (and in many cases are no longer viewable). An accompanying booklet describes petroglyph sites in Kansas with detailed photographs and other information about these little-known Kansas treasures. Admission $5 adults, $1 students. kshs.org KANSAS PEOPLE’S HISTORY PROJECT EXHIBIT OPENING Lawrence, May 27 The Watkins Museum of History partnered with five arts-based and educational groups across the state, lead artist Dave Loewenstein, printmaker Justin Marable and Kansas artists of all ages to bring to life stories of lesser known but greatly influential figures and events from the state’s past. The project resulted in the creation of a series of screen-printed broadsides with narratives. The opening reception will be during Lawrence’s Final Fridays gallery walk and will include a presentation from Loewenstein. Free admission. watkinsmuseum.org

WHERE TO GO MID-AMERICA ALL-INDIAN CENTER 650 N. Seneca, Wichita Museum hours: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday Discount admission from 1–3 p.m. April 23 for the exhibit opening of “Kachina— We Are the Spirit” and activities for kids. theindiancenter.org

“We want people to walk away with a sense of community and belonging from our center ...” —SARAH ADAMS, MID-AMERICA ALL-INDIAN CENTER

this season

By Marci Penner, Kansas Sampler Foundation

sampler.

FROM THE BLEACHERS 3A STATE BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT See the best 3A boys and girls basketball teams compete for State honors in the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class 3A basketball tournament. Held at Hutchinson’s Sports Arena, March 9–12, 2016.

BIG LEAGUE WEEKEND Our boys in blue take on the Texas Rangers at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, as part of this spring training exhibition. In addition to two exhibition games, the “Kings of the Diamond” hall of fame dinner featuring Nolan Ryan and George Brett, a sports collectible show, fan fest at Sunset Station and concerts following each game. BigLeagueWeekend.com

Take me out to the

Where in

KANSAS?

posters about New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle playing on the area Whiz Kids team in 1947 and 1948. Independence hosted the first night game in organized baseball on April 28, 1930, between the Muskogee Chiefs and Independence Producers of the Western Association. That game was played under permanent lights. Ness County has a few artifacts and pictures of major-leaguers Chief Hogsett, submarine-throwing pitcher from 1929–1944 and Smoky Joe Wood, pitcher and right fielder from 1908–1922. Brothers Virgil and Jesse Barnes were famous as the first brothers to pitch against each other in the major leagues (1924). Their local uniforms stand out in the Jackson County Museum in Holton along with pictures. Find even more commemoration of baseball greats across Kansas at these destinations: University of Kansas’ Booth Family Hall of Athletics displays pictures of many alumni who went on to play in the major leagues.Wichita State University has a nice tribute with statues and plaques to its major leaguers in front of Eck Stadium. Of course, there is plenty to see at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. From baseball players Ralph Houk to Darren Daulton, more than 200 other Kansas sports figures are honored with a portrait and biography at the hall of fame, located in Wichita.

The Kansas City Royals play 32 Cactus League games March 2--April 2. Get the schedule at royals.com

13 SPRING 2016

PHOTOGRAPHS Doug Stremel (2)

ith the Kansas City Royals heading into spring training and preparing to defend their World Series crown, now is the time to explore the state for all its baseball glory. Add these sites honoring former major leaguers with Kansas connections to your bucket list for 2016. In the western Atchison County town of Muscotah, you’ll find the home of Joe Tinker, one part of the famous Chicago Cubs double-play combination “Tinker to Evers to Chance.” The trio is memorialized in an intricate mural by artists Erika Nelson and Matthew Farley; the creation extends on all sides of the park’s concrete concession stand at the intersection of Sixth and Kansas. A bronze plaque at the park entrance pays tribute to Tinker. Outside of Humboldt is a quirky stop where you’ll find a home plate etched in concrete to note the birthplace of the Washington Senator’s Hall of Fame strike-out pitcher Walter “Big Train” Johnson (played from 1907–1927). (Finding home plate: go 2.5 miles north of Humboldt on Eighth Street, becomes 1100th Street, then 2 miles west on Iowa Street.) See a trophy, uniform, balls, plaques and many pictures about Johnson’s major league exploits at the Dalton Defenders Museum in Coffeyville. Baxter Springs Historical Museum has photo displays and

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

ballgame

this season

By Katy Schamberger

shop.

WHERE TO GO BLUEBIRD BOOKS Hutchinson BluebirdBookstore.com ODDFELLOW’S FINE BOOKS AND COLLECTABLES Topeka oddfellowbooks.com

PHOTOGRAPH Doug Stremel

BLUEBIRD BOOKS Three years ago, Melanie Green made her dream a reality when she opened Bluebird Books to the Hutchinson community. A wide selection of books mingles with monthly exhibits from local artists. More recently, Green opened an in-store café that features homemade pastries, breakfast items, smoothies, tea and the shop’s signature coffee blend, Bluebird Coffee, roasted by Radina’s Coffeehouse & Roastery in Manhattan. “The community was craving a space where people can come together, talk about books and ideas and spend time among books,” says Green. Patrons are welcome to browse on

Where in

KANSAS?

their own, but Green and her staff also love the challenge of discussing books and literary tastes with customers, then making recommendations. “Everyone’s tastes are so different, but that’s what’s great about an independent bookstore,” says Green.“You can talk about what you’re reading, what you love, and your bookseller can put a recommendation in your hands. This person has read the book and loved it, and they want to share it with you.” ODDFELLOW’S FINE BOOKS AND COLLECTABLES Brandon Rison and his wife, Martie, are passionate collectors who have also harbored a longtime love of rare, antique and collectible books. The pair knew they wanted to open a bookstore, yet they viewed it as a retirement plan. “A little bookstore showed up 30 years ahead of schedule,” Brandon says. He was able to step away from a career in accounting, a field of work that he says turned out to be “not my favorite thing.” Oddfellow’s Fine Books and

Collectables is a predominantly antiquary bookstore, meaning that most of the books are more than 100 years old.Yet if something catches Brandon’s eye, it will likely be added to the store shelves. “Anything substantial, I own it,” he says.“We have books that people want to make part of their family.” Brandon says most people collect first editions, first printings. At Oddfellow’s, those are in good supply, with modern first editions by notable authors such as James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway. What makes book collecting especially intriguing is that it’s like a treasure hunt, and Brandon and Martie are knowledgeable guides. “The difference between the first and second editions of The Sun Also Rises is one page—‘stop’ is misspelled,” Brandon says. Of course if there’s a particular book you’re coveting that you can’t find at Oddfellow’s, don’t despair—Brandon and Martie can help. “We don’t keep anything with a retail value over $5,000 at the shop, but we can help you find it,” he says.

“Everyone’s tastes are so different, but that’s what’s great about an independent bookstore.” —MELANIE GREEN, BLUEBIRD BOOKS

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

very business has a story, but independent bookstores have character, personality and a heaping helping of charm. Kansas is filled with independent bookstores, but two shops are particularly noteworthy: Bluebird Books in Hutchinson, and Oddfellow’s Fine Books and Collectables in Topeka.

15 SPRING 2016

Page Turner

Two locally owned bookstores have stories as entertaining as those they sell

this season

outside.

By Dave Zumbaugh

GET OUTSIDE THIS SPRING

for birding KANSAS! MAGAZINE

F SPRING 2016

or those embarking on a “Big Year,” a quest to see and identify the greatest number of bird species in a calendar year, central Kansas is definitely THE place to go. On the lands surrounding the wetland acres of the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, and The Nature Conservancy’s Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve, more than 340 species of birds have been spotted. Birders from all over the world travel to Great Bend in the spring, especially to view the amazing array of shorebirds and waterfowl on their northward migrations. Visitors may catch a glimpse of endangered whooping cranes or their cousins, the sandhill crane. If your timing is right, you also can witness the flying spectacle and hear the resounding concert of great flocks of geese numbering close to a million in the winter months. Both destinations offer driving tours for wildlife viewing. Be sure to bring along a good set of binoculars or a spotting scope, and don’t forget a camera to document your discoveries. For the more adventurous, a canoe or kayak can get you into some cozy nooks of cattails for more intimate encounters (only in designated areas at Cheyenne Bottoms). In April, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center sponsors the Wings ’N’ Wetlands Birding Festival in odd years and the Great Migration Rally in even years for those inquisitive about the natural history of birds.

fws.gov/refuge/quivira ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Southwest/Cheyenne-Bottoms wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu

Where in

KANSAS?

HUNTING SNOW GEESE February–April Because an out-of-balance population of snow geese has contributed to devastating destruction of their arctic tundra breeding grounds, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has initiated a special spring hunting season to better manage the species. In Kansas this opportunity is in place from February 14 to April 30. KANSAS CONSERVATION April 9, Lawrence Titled “Silent Spring 2016: Threats to Birds, Bees and Other Wildlife,” the conference in Lawrence on April 9 will feature Steve Lerner’s 30-minute documentary When the Well Runs Dry and will include other conservation topics as well. Dr. Leonard Kristalka, director of the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, is the keynote speaker. audubonofkansas.org

Check out the eBird Trail Tracker for recent bird sightings. Search location, species and time of year.

PHOTOGRAPHS Doug Stremel (2)

A year

KANSAS WILDLIFE FEDERATION Wichita, February 26–27 Don’t miss the annual meeting of the Kansas Wildlife Federation at the Hotel Old Town in Wichita, February 26–27. The event is open to the public and features the dynamic Colin O’Mara, CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, as keynote speaker. Other information will be presented on the dilemma of insect plant pollinators. A casual dinner and auction of outdoor gear complete the event. kswildlife.org

this season

By KANSAS! magazine staff

ride.

JET SET IN SALINA EAT Whether you’re here for a brief stay or a longer visit, Salina offers plenty of delicious options for a bite. Walk up to the Cozy Inn for a bag of sliders and potato chips, belly up to the bar at Blue Sky Brewery for a locally brewed beer, or make a date at the hometown favorite, Martinelli’s Little Italy.

Where in

KANSAS?

KDOT Economic Development Grant

n the fall of 2014, the Salina Regional Airport (KSLN) received a Kansas Department of Transportation Economic Development grant to fund improvements at the airport for its large tenant, Bombardier Aerospace. Bombardier selected Salina as the location for its multi-million dollar certification program of the CS100 aircraft. As a result, the Salina Regional Airport need to make $675,000 in improvements to an existing bay hangar where Bombardier could base its flight test vehicles.With the assistance of the KDOT Economic Development grant, the airport could afford to proceed. “This project is an example of state and local government assisting a major Kansas employer, Bombardier Aerospace, to achieve their goals,” says Tim Rogers, Salina Airport Authority executive director.

Today, Bombardier trainees visiting Salina for the certification program have been given the opportunity to take in some of central Kansas’ finest attractions and local favorites. “We have a great partnership with [Visit Salina] so immediately upon arrival we make sure that all visitors have the Visit Salina Guide, which also ties into the other attractions across this north central region,” says Rogers. More than a year later, the economic impact on state and local tourism, as well as the local economy is around $3 million. “The fact that Kansas has such unique and wonderful attractions, places to see and ways to experience Kansas—that in the end makes the job of recruiting these types of projects to the Salina Regional Airport easier,” adds Rogers.

“We’re fortunate that we have the attractions for [trainees] to see that there is something to do when they’re off duty.” —TIM ROGERS, SALINA AIRPORT AUTHORITY

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

ENJOY Tim Rogers shares that visitors often enjoy the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home in Abilene. They often take day trips to Lindsborg and of course, see the sights in Salina such as the Rolling Hills Zoo or the Stiefel Theatre.

Salina Regional Airport 17 SPRING 2016

SLEEP IN The Salina area offers two unique, family-owned accommodations that will treat visitors to a restful night in Kansas. The End Iron Inn is a beautiful limestone bed and breakfast in the heart of Salina. Only 10 miles from downtown Salina, in Smolan, you can experience a quintessential Kansas stay on a working cattle ranch at the C&W Ranch. In the heart of Saline County, the ranch is also a short drive from Lindsborg or Abilene.

reasons.

By Cecilia Harris

REASONS we love Kansas KANSAS! MAGAZINE

We search the state, near and far, to find reasons to love our Sunflower State.

SPRING 2016

ZIPPING ALONG Wildwood Outdoor Adventure Park Fly through the air on seven zip lines—from a low, gently sloping short ride to an exhilarating 50-mile-per-hour adrenaline rush at Wildwood Outdoor Adventure Park in Manhattan. Hike to each line for a different birds-eye view of the Flint Hills as you zip through the trees.“Three generations of people can have fun on our course,” says owner Steve Springer. The oldest rider thus far? Age 90. wildwoodoutdooradventurepark.com

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT): Dave Mayes, Courtesy of Shilo Vineyard and Winery, Cottin’s Hardware, KDWPT, Deborah Walker

this season

CHEERS! Shiloh Vineyard and Winery

FOR THE KID AT HEART Toy Depot

CALLING ALL COWBOYS Boot Hill Museum

STUD FINDERS TO SQUASH Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market

Relax while sipping wine in a converted 1920s chicken house or in the 100-year-old barn at Shiloh Vineyard and Winery, WaKeeney. “We are out in the country and have the quiet and peacefulness of that, where there’s no city lights, there’s no traffic, there’s no trains or anything like that so you get to see the beauty of Western Kansas,”says owner Kirk Johnston.Whether you are a novice wine drinker or have lots of tasting experience, the winery offers dry whites and reds, semisweet white, fruit and dessert wines to please every palate. shilohvineyard.com

Recall childhood memories of playing with Tinker Toys, wooden Lincoln Logs, metal toy tractors and Cabbage Patch dolls at The Toy Depot in Hutchinson.You are sure to spot your favorite among the 40,000-plus vintage toys, whether you grew up in the 1950s or 1990s.“Toy Depot is not just a store, but an experience,” says owner Mark Buckley. “We don’t sell toys—we sell smiles.” Kids can ride the 1960s-era mechanical horse and visit the Lionel train museum with its interactive display. toydepothutch.com

Take can-can lessons or belly up to the bar for a drink at Dodge City’s Boot Hill Museum, now featuring upgraded exhibits.“We’re more than just a museum; we’re a historical institution with enough fun thrown in for the whole family,” says Lara Brehm, executive director. “There are lots of fun stories that we are sharing with people about our history and more interactive exhibits than we’ve ever had.” Don’t miss the gunfights, country-style dinner, and Long Branch Variety Show. boothill.org

Savor more than fresh produce at Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market every Thursday in Lawrence. More than 10 vendors offer items like eggs, meat (including goat), vegan queso, fudge, baked goods and honey inside Cottin’s Hardware and Rental through April, says owner Linda Cottin.The market sprouts to more than double its size when it moves outside to the store’s parking lot in May, with Free State Beer and different live acoustic music and locally prepared hot food every week.You can even play chess!“It’s a very European feel; it’s a community event,”she says. cottinshardware. com/farmersmarket

REASONS

we love Kansas

Send your “Reasons We Love Kansas” to ksreasons@sunflowerpub.com or to Reasons, KANSAS!, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

reasons.

19 SPRING 2016

this season

events.

PARADE OF QUILTS / March 1–31 / Yoder Soak in the quilting tradition of the Amish community of Yoder during their annual Parade of Quilts. yoderkansas.com

PSU INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND CULTURE FAIR / March 5 / Pittsburg The rich international diversity on the Pittsburg State University campus will be on display as the International Student Association (ISA) hosts its annual Food and Culture Fair. memorialauditorium.org

TALLGRASS FILM FESTIVAL ROAD SHOW / March 20 / Junction City The Tallgrass Film Festival Road Show returns to showcase a selection of short drama, comedy, and documentary films from the 2015 Tallgrass Film Festival. jcoperahouse.org

EISENHOWER MARATHON / April 9 / Abilene Be a part of a race that covers part of the historical Chisholm Trail in our 34th president’s hometown of Abilene. Beginning at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, various distance races are open for registration. eisenhowermarathon.com

DISCOVER SALINA NATURALLY / May 1 / Salina This free event offers more than 60 participating demonstrators, historical reenactors, artists, booths, nature walks, delicious food, entertainment, kids activities, and more. facebook.com/pages/Discover-Salina

50TH ANNUAL ANTIQUE & BARBED WIRE FESTIVAL / May 5–7 / La Crosse A festival for the entire family! Enjoy displays of barbed wire and fencingrelated tools along with other antiques and collectibles at the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum. rushcounty.org/Wireshow

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES NIGHT RACE / May 7 / Kansas City Don’t miss the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Night Race. kansasspeedway.com

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

BREWS ON THE BRICKS / April 2 / Hays Regional brewers come together to provide samples and drinks to the public. Live music, food vendors, a VIP reception and more will also be featured. downtownhays.com

21 SPRING 2016

EVENTS spring 2016

ANTIQUE APPRAISAL FAIR / March 12 / Garden City Find out what family heirlooms are worth from a team of experts.A ticket will admit audience members to observe evaluations. Benefits the Finney County Historical Society. fico.historical@gcnet.org

wide open spaces

Hutchinson hidden treasures in

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM LEFT) Kristen Garlow Piper, Deb Hagen, Deborah Walker (2)

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Small-town charm, underground activity and out-of-this-world attractions await

SPRING 2016

By Amy Bickel

Find fresh produce, sweets and a sample of Kansas products at Smith’s Market.

Stop into Hatch Studios to channel your creative side and make a masterpiece.

FRIDAY BEEF AND BEER - 5 P.M. With more than 6 million cattle, Kansas ranks third in the nation for beef production. Oliver’s Beef and Brew, in downtown Hutchinson, takes that to heart with its meaty menu offering hamburgers, chicken-fried steak, steak salad and homemade meatloaf. “It’s a good place to come in and catch a sporting event,” says owner Shad Byard, who named the restaurant after his dog. Try a customer favorite, the Boxcar—a double bacon cheeseburger with American and Swiss cheese, ham, onion rings and barbecue sauce. 22 E 2nd Avenue MOVIE AND MEMORIES - 7:30 P.M. Step under the flashing neon marquee at Hutchinson’s

“You are seeing the movie in this gorgeous, restored, historic American theater. The theater itself has personality.” —MITCH HIXSON, Hutchinson’s Historic FOX Theatre

Historic FOX Theatre to take in a film and soak up some nostalgia. “When you walk into it, it looks like it did when it was built in 1931,” says Mitch Hixson, the FOX’s director of development. “It transports you back in time,” he adds, noting the FOX’s art deco architecture, along with the chandeliers, terra-cotta floral decor, large mirrors and the golden staircase that winds to the balcony. Most weekends the FOX shows a movie that debuted in the past six months, as well as timeless classics. And the price is right— $4 a person. hutchinsonfox.com SATURDAY BREAKFAST AND BOOKSHELVES 7:30 A.M. Get an early start with a good book and breakfast. Bluebird Books, located downtown, offers espresso, coffee and smoothies, along with homemade pastries, granola, quiche and breakfast burritos. Browse the shelves to find books from every genre—including New York Times best sellers and books written by Kansas authors. “Coffee and books are a great way to start any day, but especially a day away in downtown Hutchinson,” says owner Melanie Green. bluebirdbookstore.com

23 SPRING 2016

o get the real Hutchinson treatment, you can’t just scratch the surface. You have to dig deep—whether it is searching unique local shops downtown, finding beauty and solitude amid the sand hills or riding an elevator 650 feet below the earth. Forty miles northwest of Wichita and with just over 40,000 people, Hutchinson offers all kinds of activities. Explorers will enjoy a space museum with a collection second only to the Smithsonian and the only salt museum tour of its kind in all of North America. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy several miles of trails and take in incomparable views of the prairie. Be sure to indulge in a few small-town pleasures, like a $4 film or homemade pastries at a bookstore. You have a lot of ground to cover this weekend!

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Explore 14 miles of rolling prairie and nature’s finest at Sand Hills State Park.

wide open spaces

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

LEISURELY ART WALK - 9 A.M. After breakfast, take a leisurely stroll downtown to spot world-class sculptures on display year-round. Each year, the city’s SculptureWalk displays regional artists’ work—all of which is for sale. Find a map on hutchgov.com that guides visitors along the Main Street path to each of the dozen or so pieces of art. Meanwhile, pop in some of the cool, local shops owned by artisans: Serendipity Cupcakes for gourmet sweets; chic boutique Amelia Beadelias for jewelry and beads; and Hatch Studios, where you can release your inner artist, get crafty and paint a portrait. downtownhutchinson.com

SPRING 2016

A STEP BACK IN TIME - 11:30 A.M. It’s the old-time ambiance that makes Smith’s Market unique. The store, with its tin ceilings and wood floors, dates back to 1933. “The people, when they come in here, they say it is like stepping back in time,” says co-owner Chris Barnes. “It takes them back to the old-fashioned shopping experience.” Located on South Main Street, the market has rows of fruits and vegetables, candies, nuts, homemade fudge and more. There is also a sampling of Kansas products, from Blacksmith coffee made in Lindsborg to Kansas honey, jams and salsa. smithsmarketks.com When you are in the mood for lunch, grab a quick bowl of soup and a sandwich at Cool Beans, the groovy coffee, bakery and deli located nearby in an old train depot off Main Street. coolbeanshutch.com HUTCH’S UNDERWORLD – 1 P.M. Head 650 feet beneath the “Salt City” for a glimpse at this part of the city’s storied economy. This one-of-a-kind destination called Strataca allows visitors to explore the environs carved from salt deposits. Strataca is located in an area that was mined out in the ’40s and ’50s when it was the Carey Salt mine. A self-guided tour tells visitors about the massive salt deposits underneath Kansas. Visitors can also check out an exhibit on the Underground Vaults and Storage, a business in the mine that—due to the mine’s constant temperature—provides secure storage of documents and items from all over the world, including original Hollywood movies, posters and props. underkansas.org

LODGING TRADITIONAL Hutchinson has several comfortable hotels in a centrally located district that is home to coffee shops, retail shopping, and 19 restaurants. The Atrium Hotel and Conference Center on North Lorraine often hosts trade shows, conventions and other meetings in its 30,000-square-foot conference center. Both the Holiday Inn Express on Porter and the Fairfield Inn & Suites on North Lorraine include a free hot breakfast and indoor pool. ADVENTUROUS For something more exotic, stay at Hedrick’s Exotic Animal Farm—a bed and breakfast located just up the road from Hutchinson by Nickerson. Here, you can pet a kangaroo or feed a giraffe or zebra. Also, the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism cabin on the Kansas State Fairgrounds offers an urban camping experience next to the fair’s Lake Talbott. RELAXED Nestled in a quaint Amish town south of Hutchinson, the Sunflower Inn of Yoder offers a quiet, smalltown experience in a modernized Amish home. While there, visit Carriage Crossing—known for its home cooking, including pies. It’s also within walking distance of a number of shops, including an old-time hardware store.

DILLON NATURE CENTER – 4 P.M. Come up from underground into the fresh air at the city’s 100-acre wild arboretum designated as a National Urban Wildlife Sanctuary. Dillon Nature Center’s three miles of trails meander through a backdrop of hundreds of varieties of wildflowers, plants and timber, as well as birds and other wildlife. The center’s spring-fed pond is stocked with fish and is a good spot for anglers. Tour the visitor center, featuring interactive exhibits, a nature library and an observation deck. Nearby is an outdoor children’s playscape for the young ones. 3002 E 30th Avenue FINE DINING – 6 P.M. When Jill and Gary Brown opened Jillian’s, their idea was to create an upscale dining experience centered on a pizza oven and Italian cuisine. In fact, the bar—a literal hot spot—is situated in front of the oven. One popular item is the pesto seafood medley, which features scallops, shrimp and mussels, says Jill. “Prime steaks are trendy,” she says, of their certified Angus beef. “The great thing about Jillian’s is you can get anything from a $12 pizza and beer all the way up to fine dining option. We have a filet mignon for $29.” jilliansitaliangrill.com SUNDAY HIKE THE SAND HILLS – 9 A.M. Sand Hills State Park is proof that Kansas is far from a flat expanse. This 1,123-acre vista of rolling prairie boasts natural giant sand dunes, grasslands, wetlands and woodlands. A jog or hike along the park’s 14 miles of trails is a worthwhile trip through this unique ecosystem perfect for birdwatching or sighting deer, coyotes and turkeys—frequent guests of the park. 4207 E 56th BLAST OFF – NOON There might not be a better ending to your time in Hutchinson than the Cosmosphere. It has a space artifact collection second only to the Smithsonian. See Gus Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 Mercury spacecraft, view spacesuits and tools, and even the famed Apollo 13. The Cos also houses the largest collection of Russian space memorabilia outside the former Soviet Union, including Sputnik satellites and a flown Vostok spacecraft. cosmo.org Need a bite before you jet out of town? Stop by the Airport Steakhouse—a city staple located at Hutchinson Airport—for a variety of chophouse fare. 1100 Airport Road

wide open spaces

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT SculptureWalk 2014, Strataca, Serendipity Cupcakes, Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism cabin, Jillianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Italian Grill, Cool Beans

25 SPRING 2016

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Kristen Garlow Piper, Brian Lingle, Deborah Walker, Aaron East, Deborah Walker

PHOTO COURTESY JAJO

wide open spaces

(tin)type just his

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Photographer Earl Richardson revives the rare art of tintype photography

SPRING 2016

Portrait of Breckin Martinez, Earl Richardsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s granddaughter, with her mother, Dr. Mallory Martinez (Richardsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter).

By Amber Fraley

Photography by Doug Stremel and courtesy of Earl Richardson

Richardson spent 20 years working for newspapers, including Lawrence Journal-World, Kansas City Star and Topeka Capital-Journal. Now he does portraiture for family and friends.

“I think with digital, everything looks too perfect sometimes. It’s nice to have something that feels a little more authentic.” —EARL RICHARDSON

The process of creating a tintype is known as wet collodion and was developed by Frederick Scott Archer in the early 1850s. “Traditional film has an emulsion that holds light-sensitive silver in place to make your exposure. A collodion is kind of like the emulsion; it’s got collodion (nitrocellulose in alcohol) and ether, and some other chemicals like cadmium bromide. Those get mixed together and you pour them on a plate.” Richardson says that the name “tintype” is actually a misnomer, as most tintypes weren’t—and still aren’t—made on tin. “They used something else, but they called them tintypes because tin was seen as being a cheap metal.” Richardson makes his tintypes on blackened aluminum, but says that glass or even Plexiglas works. Wet collodion was a process that was in wide use for a fleeting amount of time, about 20–25 years. “And while it largely fell out of favor because of dry plates and film, it did see very limited use in the 20th century,” Richardson says. The beauty—and the handicap—of tintype photography, Richardson says, is that everything has to be done while the plate is wet, which leads to some intriguing blemishes. “Most of my tintypes have a thumbprint in them,” he says, grinning.

27 SPRING 2016

arl Richardson has known since childhood how he wanted to make his living. When his dad introduced him to photography, “It was just like somebody flipped a switch. From that point on I knew what I wanted to do professionally.” Richardson earned a degree in photojournalism from the University of Kansas and spent the next 20 years from 1983 to 2003 working for newspapers, including the Lawrence Journal-World, Kansas City Star and Topeka Capital-Journal as the director of photography until he left to launch a freelance career. Along the way, he earned a law degree to help other photographers with copyright infringement. “I was bored,” he laughs. These days, he produces high-quality photography for higher-education marketing. He also covers the occasional wedding and does portraiture for friends and family—some of the portraits with a vintage, 1800s appearance. His subjects are in modern dress, but the photos themselves are luminous and imperfect in nature, the result of a chemical photo process Richardson started exploring a couple years ago. Richardson recently stumbled upon the art of making tintypes, taking photography back to its roots. “I started seeing some images out there with just a really different aesthetic,” he says. When he first looked into it, the process seemed daunting. But Richardson reconnected with a photographer friend in Kansas City named Jeff Schotland, who had begun experimenting with tintypes and was willing to teach him. “I had a New Year’s resolution at the end of 2013 that I was going to get into tintypes,” Richardson says. After visiting with Schotland he thought, “Okay, I can do that.”

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Earl Richardson commissioned a reproduction of a Civil War-era camera, with original lenses from the mid-1800s.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

wide open spaces

SPRING 2016

“What I really find interesting is that even if you shoot the same setup over and over again, no two pictures are going to look alike. They’re all going to be slightly different, and I like the imperfections. I think with digital, everything looks too perfect sometimes. It’s nice to have something that feels a little more authentic.” Richardson’s tintype “darkroom” consists of a cardboard box covered with a blanket that he takes with him in the field. “You don’t have to have a traditional darkroom. I do everything out of the back of my car when I am away from home,” he says. It’s not super light sensitive, Richardson says, so you never have to be in complete darkness. It’s not sensitive to red light. As soon as development stops— which takes about 20 seconds—the tintypes are safe to be in broad daylight. “So you have this wonderful 19th-century aesthetic with kind of the immediacy of digital. You’ll have a picture in your hand in under 10 minutes, and an image on that metal that’s probably going to be archival for 150 years.” And, he says, one doesn’t necessarily have to have an old camera to get started. “Basically you can do this with any sort of camera that you can make a film holder to hold a metal plate that’s wet. I’ve seen people do this with regular 35mm cameras.” For himself, though, Richardson commissioned a reproduction of a Civil War-era camera. “It’s nothing fancy,” he says. “It’s basically a beautiful wooden box with a bellows.” Though the camera is a modern reproduction, the lenses are originals from the mid-1800s. “I often wonder, where have these been and what have they seen in the last 140 years?” Richardson says. Because a tintype is essentially a negative on metal, images are mirrored. And though he’s definitely fond of the metal photographs, “I don’t look at this as my end product,” Richards says. “I look at this as a really nice negative that I can scan in and make big prints from.” He is also not against flipping the images digitally so that the print displays the image correctly. But, he says, “There are purists who won’t do that.” Richards often thinks about the tintype photographers who came before him. “It blows me away to think about all of those people during the Civil War taking all this stuff out in a horse-drawn wagon to a battlefield and making pictures, in pretty terrible conditions a lot of the time.” Meanwhile, Richardson is able to talk about wet collodion with a Facebook group of enthusiasts who share tips and techniques. “I think it’s a lot like cooking. You have to do it by experience and feel.”

Hannah Heatherman is a senior at Ottawa High School and the drum major for the marching band. Her father commissioned Earl Richardson to shoot wet plate senior pictures for Hannah in fall 2015.

taste of Kansas

Hays House TASTE OF KANSAS

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

The restaurant that takes diners back in time

SPRING 2016

By Cecilia Harris

Photography by Doug Stremel

THE CHEF’S RETURN Thirty-five years ago, Rick Paul began working as an assistant in the kitchen at the Hays House. It was a job that sparked his interest in becoming a commercial chef, and he eventually bought the restaurant. “Cooking is my love, and that’s basically what I came back for,” says Paul. Now he brings his exceptional culinary skills to the stove every Friday and Saturday night and for special events. Fueled by a simple philosophy, the self-taught chef kept diners coming back during his tenure, a feat he is working hard to repeat. “It was basically just to use the best quality fresh food we could find, making it tasty and making sure the customers

—TIM TYNER, HAYS HOUSE CO-OWNER

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

“We cook our chicken fried steak a little differently, the oldfashioned way, not in a fryer.”

got good service,” he says. “Once you get them here, it’s a matter of being consistent with what you do and being able to meet people’s expectations.” Seared in the minds of returning customers is succulent chicken, fried golden brown in cast iron skillets after being dipped in egg, milk, and the restaurant’s traditional breading. Tyner says the fried chicken and the chicken fried steak are the two most popular entrees. “We cook our chicken fried steak a little differently, the old-fashioned way, not in a fryer,” he explains. The tenderized steak is hand-breaded and then flattop fried on the grill in real chicken fat. Then there’s Tyner’s favorite, the lean steak fillet wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon and grilled to perfection. Diners also get fired up about the prime rib, served only on Friday and Saturday nights. “We’re not a steak house, but we make great steaks,” Tyner says. “We ensured quality by getting [chef] Rick back and made Hays House a destination location again.”

31 SPRING 2016

he oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River has undergone a revival. Council Grove’s Hays House Restaurant rises from the ashes of a recent fire—the third in its 158-year history—to once again become the hot dining spot in central Kansas. “Hays House is synonymous with Council Grove,” says Tim Tyner, president of Flint Hills Investors, LLC., a group of avid community supporters who own the restaurant and hope to keep the legendary establishment’s doors open. “The structure is probably one of four or five of the oldest, most historic sites in Kansas; it was built in 1857. People come in here for the history initially, but they come back for the food.”

taste of Kansas

STAYING POWER Indeed, the restaurant that continues to serve three meals a day, “from pancakes to prime rib,” Tyner jokes, six days a week and a lunch buffet on Sunday is a culinary institution in Kansas. Adding to its appeal is the building’s unique history. Where else can you feel a kinship to the legendary Daniel Boone by eating in a structure built by his greatgrandson, Seth Hays, along the Santa Fe Trail? You can just picture freight wagons rolling by heading west as you look out the building’s front windows. It’s also not hard to envision dining at a nearby table the likes of Jesse James and George Armstrong Custer, both of whom reportedly ate here. Part of the fun is browsing each room in search of odd original pieces—such as charred beams in the Seth Room and old wooden boards elsewhere—that were purposely left exposed during a major renovation years ago. And the décor? There are many unusual items to look at, from framed arrowheads in the Kaw Room to sparkling glass vases in the Crystal Room. “People will find a cool old historic building that’s a little bit museum-ish, I guess, when you walk through it and look at some of the stuff,” Tyner says, adding diners often comment on the “neat old atmosphere.” Return customers pulling up in front of the restaurant prepare for a shock—gone is the brown cedar exterior, replaced by the historically accurate off-white wood siding found in a 1920s photograph of the building. The structure is one of Council Grove’s Santa Fe Trail sites listed together on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Council Grove Historic District deemed a National Historic Landmark. For a unique view of that famous district, ask to be seated on the new veranda, supported by original, thick wooden posts. “We wanted you to be able to go outside and dine on the second level, so we had to rebuild the porch,” Tyner says, adding that old-timers in Council Grove recall eating there decades ago. “Our mission is to sustain and perpetuate the Hays House for generations to come.”

CHARLIE’S MOTHER’S SOUP Created by the mother of former owner Charles Judd INGREDIENTS • 8 cups Homemade Beef Broth (recipe follows) • 1 cup chopped onion • 1 ¼ cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned • 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked • 1 cup cooked beef, cubed • Salt and pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS Add onions to broth and cook in large pot until the onion is tender. Add tomatoes and macaroni. Add beef when macaroni is halfway cooked (about 5 minutes). Boil until macaroni is done. Taste and season to your liking with salt and pepper.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE BEEF BROTH INGREDIENTS • 2 pounds beef cubes • ½ tablespoon butter • ½ tablespoon olive oil • 8 cups water • 1 onion, quartered • 3 cloves garlic, split • 1 rib celery • 2 carrots, cut in chunks • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns • Beef bouillon; add if needs extra flavor

SPRING 2016

Fried chicken and mashed potatoes are a mainstay on the Hays House menu.

INSTRUCTIONS Brown beef cubes in butter and olive oil in large soup pot. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1½ hours. Add beef bouillon for additional flavor. Strain. Chill. Remove layer of fat from top.

taste of Kansas

ABOVE A display of vintage barbed wire is the kind of ranch decor found at the restaurant.

CRANBERRYSTRAWBERRY PIE

INSTRUCTIONS In blender, grind frozen cranberries. Cover cranberries with sugar; let stand 2 hours. In top of double boiler, melt marshmallows with milk, stirring frequently. Remove from heat when marshmallows are melted. Stir in dry gelatin. Then stir in strawberries, cranberries, celery and walnuts. Let mixture set up in refrigerator until as firm as gelatin, usually overnight. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff. In a separate bowl, beat gelatin mixture until base is smooth. Fold cream into gelatin mixture. Pile into frozen crust. Freeze several hours or overnight. Serve frozen (do not thaw).

33 SPRING 2016

INGREDIENTS • ½ pound whole cranberries, frozen • 1 cup sugar • ½ pound marshmallows, regular size • ½ cup milk • 1 (3-ounce) box cherry gelatin • 1 cup sweetened frozen strawberries • cup finely chopped celery • ½ cup chopped black walnuts • 2 cups heavy cream • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 graham cracker pie crust, frozen

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Inez Williams, a former baker at the restaurant, turned this classic holiday salad into the restaurant’s premiere house pie in the 1970s.

M M

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FEATURES 36 |

Being Native. Being Kansan.

48 |

Pueblo on the prairie

54 |

A glimpse of Kansas

The original home on the range? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Southwest-style ruin where the deer, as well as the squirrels and the beavers, roam.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

The statewide Kansas Sampler Festival is coming to an end. Experience the entirety of the Sunflower State at its final two-year run in Winfield.

35 SPRING 2016

With deep roots in the state, Native cultures continue to thrive.

Being Native. Being Kansan. With deep roots in the state, Native cultures continue to thrive.

PHOTOGRAPH Jason Dailey

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Being Native. Being Kansan. (Being Young.)

SPRING 2016

Traveling through the rolling Flint Hills or the sweeping Konza Prairies, I often imagine young Native Americans on horseback, galloping alongside a swift herd of buffalo. Part of experiencing the beauty of our state is appreciating its history. Today, as we settle into a new year, young Native Americans living in Kansas are creating new narratives. Native-American millennials are embarking on a modern-day hunt finding that entrepreneurship, education, civic leadership, athletic ability, and self-expression provide subsistence for their resilience and perseverance. They are raising their voices with confidence and finding effective new ways of continuing their stories. In the pages of this section, readers will find young Native leaders in contexts that go beyond the regalia and the mouth-watering frybread of powwows. The stories are told from Native perspectives and reflect unique abilities to embrace cultural identities while sometimes living separated from tribal communities. Thriving in Kansas, these leaders are contributing to a larger Native-American narrative and providing new paths for future generations to follow. It is an exciting time to celebrate being Native, being young, and being Kansan. —Lori Hasselman “Being Native. Being Kansan. (Being Young.)” was produced under the guest editorship of Lori Hasselman. Hasselman is the editor of The Indian Leader, the student newspaper at Haskell Indian Nations University.

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY by Mark and Tree Mangan

Spending time on her grandmother’s land on the Navajo reservation, Analyss Benally naturally picked up some of her nation’s traditions—such as hoops. “Where I’m from, everyone plays basketball growing up. We played every weekend, but nobody ever talked about playing college ball,” says Benally. Now they are. This past year, the 5’9” point guard from Wichita Heights High School in Park City has signed a letter of intent to play for San Jose State Spartans, an NCAA Division I team. Benally credits her family for much of her success. “My parents always pushed me to do better and to reach my full potential in all that I did. I loved to watch my sister play when I was younger,” says Benally. “I watched her receive a scholarship for basketball to a NAIA school, I told myself, ‘If she could do it, then so could I.’” Benally also had two Native role models for her college career: former University of Louisville standout Jude Schimmel and her sister, Shoni Schimmel, who now plays in the WNBA. “I realized that as a Native American going into the next level, I could inspire more kids,” says Benally. “And that made me work even harder and want my story to get out there for others, just like the Schimmel sisters did for me.” The young athlete is already a role model for the next generation of Native basketball players. “She’s a leader by example. She spends extra time in the gym, and when others see that, they follow her lead,” says Benally’s Wichita Heights coach, Kip Pulliam. “When we need a basket, the team knows she can make the shot. When she’s got the ball, everyone knows it’s going in.” “Follow your dreams, believe in yourself, and don’t just hear other people’s stories; work for your own,” says Benally. “Through all of it, be family oriented, because they are the people who are there to pick you back up when you get knocked down.” —Raquel Butler

ANALYSS BENALLY

Rising basketball star | Navajo | 17

“My dad told me that where I’m from can’t be something that stops me from following my dreams.”

Powwows for 2016 Isaiah Stewart, a Kansas-based Native dancer and powwow circuit host/judge, provides this must-see listing AIHREA O.N.E. Powwow May TBA | Johnson County Community College, Overland Park This annual event is marking its 10th anniversary with a special lineup of guest performers and its superb host drum crew. The anniversary-celebration Grand Entries will be held three times during the weekend and will feature some of the Midwest’s most talented dancers in one circle.

SPRING 2016

TBA June | Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Mayetta This event is full of championship singing and dancing. Native people arrive from as far as Canada to come and celebrate in Mayetta. The contest schedule is packed full, running from Friday to Sunday evening (traditionally in the first or second weekend of June).

WASHUNGA DAYS POWWOW June 18-19 | Council Grove Allegawaho Heritage Memorial Park Tribal Chair, Elaine Huch, invites Washunga Day attendees to witness a celebration of the Kaw Nation. “Each year, Kaw citizens make the trip to central Kansas from their homes in Oklahoma and elsewhere to be a part of this exciting celebration of the tribe’s historical heritage in the area. We also come to honor the bond of goodwill that exists today between the tribe and the people of Council Grove. Generations of good people—Native and non-Native alike—have endeavored to forge and continually strengthen this important cross-cultural relationship,” she writes on the event website.

Haskell Indian Art Market

pictured right

September 9–11 | Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence This is a unique combination of a powwow and one of the nation’s top authentic Native art markets. Guests can purchase jewelry, pottery, paintings and sculptures directly from Native artists and enjoy the regular, free dance performances at one location. —Isaiah Stewart/KANSAS! Staff

PHOTOGRAPHS Mark and Tree Mangan

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Prairie Band Potawatomi Powwow

SHANNON HAWKINS

Sorority Pioneer | Inupiaq | 26 For many college students and grads, the Greek system of fraternities and sororities offers community and lifelong friendships. But the Greek system has not really been a part of Native college traditions. This was something that Shannon Hawkins learned when she left her home in Alaska to begin studies in Kansas at Haskell Indian Nations University. Here, Hawkins joined the Alaskan Club, an association of students from Native nations of that region. It offered fellowship and more. “It was also important for me to be part of teaching others about my culture as well as learning from others,” says Hawkins. But it was not long before Hawkins became friends with some fraternity brothers from Phi Sigma Nu, the only Greek group on campus at the time. These connections spurred her to explore starting a campus sorority. Hawkins initially thought to reestablish a dormant sorority before deciding on Gamma Delta Pi, one of only three all-Native-American sororities in the United States. After reaching out to one of the five original sorority members and completing the application, Hawkins won approval for her new chapter and began the pledge process in May 2015 with nine students. “It was harder than we all expected,” recalls Hawkins, who is now in her junior year. “Trying to organize something from scratch, even though we had a foundation, we still needed to establish connections and partnerships with the different organizations we wanted to work with.” Still involved with the Alaskan Club, Hawkins has helped the Gamma Delta Pi Haskell chapter grow to 19 members. She is also working to reestablish Haskell’s participation in the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), where students compete with other tribal colleges in a variety of academic and extracurricular categories. —Rustie Anglin

“Starting your own chapter anywhere is not supposed to be easy.”

Native Nations Connected to Kansas

Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri

Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri |

SPRING 2016

Kaw Nation | kawnation.com Originally the Kaw, or Kansa, Indians resided on vast reservation land near Council Grove, but they were forced to migrate to Oklahoma in 1872 by the federal government. The Kaw people still celebrate their Kansas heritage with an annual powwow called Washunga Days each June and have a marked historical site where the last Kaw village was located 3.5 miles south of Council Grove. Their capital is in Kaw City, Oklahoma.

Kaw Nation

Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska |

iowatribeofkansasandnebraska.com The Iowa Tribe of Kansas are of Sioux stock. They were originally located in the Plains region where present-day Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri are located. In 1836 a treaty assigned them to a reservation in Brown County and Richardson County, Nebraska, but the official headquarters is in the Sunflower State, located in the small community of White Cloud, along the four-state border of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa.

Kickapoo Nation of Kansas |

ktik-nsn.gov The Kickapoos originally inhabited lands in Ohio and Michigan but were forced to remove through several migrations west. The Kickapoo Nation of Kansas came to Brown County in the 1830s and continues to have its capital in Horton.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation |

pbpindiantribe.com Though the Potawatomi has its seat of government in Mayetta, on the Prairie Band Potawatomi reservation in Jackson County, this nation originally resided in the Great Lakes region. The Potawatomi were forced into Kansas in the 1840s, where they remain living on diminished reserves. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Suzanne Heck

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF Kansas Historical Society

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Sacandfoxcasino.com/history The Sac and Fox (Mesquakie) people were originally two distinct groups who formed an alliance in the 1700s to fend off a French attack. Historically, they were located in the Great Lakes region but were eventually removed into Kansas in 1837. They now reside in Richardson County, Nebraska, and Brown County, Kansas, with their offices in Reserve.

SHANE WILSON

Civic leader | Shawnee | 27

This summer marks Shane Wilson’s 10th year of volunteering with the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy. It’s a week-long leadership exercise for rising high school seniors, using a mock government as a mechanism to teach leadership skills, promote mutual respect, and help shape identity. Wilson began his journey with the program as a participant from Abilene High School in 2006 and was immediately hooked by the hands-on education about government. “I really didn’t have a grasp on the importance of having my voice heard and how I could bring some of the issues my family faced into a political realm,” says Wilson. “Boys State changed all that. I knew that because I had the capacity to strive for change and collaborative success, I also had the responsibility to make it happen—not just for myself, but for those in my community.” At Boys State his first year, Wilson served as a Supreme Court justice. He returned nearly every year after as a volunteer counselor and served as a program coordinator for the last three years. Wilson says the experience is invaluable, particularly for Native youth with few opportunities. “Boys State provides all people, regardless of background, the opportunity to challenge themselves, make critical decisions, and really find out who they are as individuals and as leaders.” Wilson firmly believes that his work with Kansas Boys State is the best way to educate other Native youth on the importance of being involved in the political process. “It is a big responsibility to educate our communities and to be engaged, whether it be at the tribal government level or the next presidential election. Leadership is action, and taking action means our issues as tribal people are heard.” That leadership experience could one day expand the base of political role models in the Native communities. According to Pew research, only 8 percent of Native Americans in the United States are represented by someone of the same racial or ethnic group in Congress. But Wilson notes Boys State isn’t just for those with political aspirations. It offers students a rare opportunity to develop identity. “For many staters—those students who are involved in the program—the chance to truly discover your own opinions about this and that is one that’s hard to come by,” Wilson says. —Derek Ziegler

“It doesn’t simply take a politician to effect change—it’s up to individuals who can effectively pair passion with purpose.”

LEE MEISEL

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Butcher and entrepreneur | Standing Rock Sioux | 32

SPRING 2016

It’s a Sunday afternoon, and Leeway Franks is closed, but owner Lee Meisel arrives at his hot dog joint in Lawrence to butcher and make his own sausage using the recipes his family created on their nation’s reservation in North Dakota. For Meisel, his creations are a mix of Native and American heritage. “Hot dogs evoke really strong memories, good ones from your childhood at a cookout or barbeque. It just evokes a lot of memories for people, especially Americans, because it kind of has that traditional Americana aspect to it,” says Meisel. Many of the menu items at Leeway Franks reflect Meisel’s childhood where family members prepared summer sausage sandwiches and fried bologna. In fact, Meisel credits his grandfather, a rancher, as the inspiration for the restaurant. Meisel first learned to prepare meat on his ranch, and his Native cultural influences helped him connect with using the whole animal in the butchering processes. But Meisel’s path to owning his own business was anything but direct. Reservation life was not always easy for Meisel, who, as a restless teen, tried a year of college, dropped out, then eventually landed at Haskell Indian Nations University. His plans were still up in the air after graduation. Though he had a business degree, he didn’t think about owning his own business—something that is still rare for Natives in Kansas. In fact, according to the latest Small Business Administration figures, Native Americans make up less than 1 percent of Kansas business owners. But Meisel began thinking of breaking this trend after entering the workforce. “I started to see the way businesses were being run, and there were things I thought I would want to consider improving,” recalls Meisel. “So I thought to myself, ‘I bet you I could do this on my own and I bet you I could do it better than them.’” In 2015, Meisel and his wife, who goes by the initial “K.,” opened Leeway Franks. The couple has put their life into creating the shop, which specializes in authentic, local-sourced meats. They encourage others to take the risk with them. “Go for it,” says Meisel. “Native Americans can start their own business. There are people who can help you start.” And Meisel, now an entrepreneur with a successful restaurant, is one of them. —Rachel Whiteside

“I would love it if Indian stereotypes were business oriented and driven. Just break free from those old stereotypes and start on new ones.”

Walter Richard “Dick” West (Southern Cheyenne) Artist and Educator (1912–1996) Dick West was a renowned artist who won numerous honors and awards for his work, primarily pictorial narratives of the Cheyenne and Plains Indian cultures. His art appears at the National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), the Philbrook Museum of Art (Tulsa) and the George Gustav Heye Center (New York City), to name a few. He attended Haskell Institute during his high school years and taught art at Haskell Indian Junior College from 1970–1977. From 1979–1980, West served as a commissioner for the federally appointed Indian Arts and Crafts Board, where he worked to ensure Indian arts and crafts could not be counterfeited.

Charles Curtis (Kaw Nation) Vice President of the United States (1860–1936) Charles Curtis was born in Topeka one year before Kansas became a state and lived on the Kaw Reservation. He attended Topeka High School and was admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1881. Considered charismatic and bright, Curtis was elected to the House of Representatives for six terms and served in the U.S. Senate from 1915 to 1928. Tapped by Herbert Hoover as a running mate for the Republican Party in the 1928 presidential elections, Curtis served as the nation’s vice president from 1929–1933. In his political life, Curtis never forgot his Indian heritage. He was one of the first legislators to introduce the Equal Rights Amendment for women and fought for the rights and dignity of Native people.

Warner A. “Tony” Coffin (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) Educator (1916–1966) Hired by Haskell Indian Nations University as a football coach in 1945, Warner A. “Tony” Coffin went on to become the school’s athletic director, coaching and mentoring many famous athletes, including Billy Mills. Haskell honored Coffin posthumously in 1981, when the school named their new sports complex after him. Coffin was raised in Mayetta and received college degrees from the University of Kansas.

Charles J. Chaput (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) Religious Leader (born 1944) Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia, is the first Native American to be installed as an archbishop in the Catholic Church. He made news in September 2015 when he hosted Pope Francis in Philadelphia. Born in Concordia and enrolled by the Potawatomi as a boy, Chaput knew he wanted to become a priest after attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help grade school in Concordia and St. Francis Seminary High School in Victoria. —Suzanne Heck

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Natives to Know from Modern Kansas History

Olympic Gold Medalist (born 1938) Billy Mills’ come-from-behind victory in the 10,000 meter run at the 1964 summer Olympics in Tokyo has been described by sports historians as one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. Born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, Mills struggled as a youth until he was sent to Haskell Institute in Lawrence (a high school at the time) and graduated in 1957. He became a standout track and field athlete at the University of Kansas before graduating and joining the Marine Corps. Following his Olympic triumph, Mills went on to become a role model to young Native athletes and helped found the Running Strong for American Indian Youth organization dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles. Mills has also supported the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame located at Haskell Indian Nations University and visits Kansas often.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Billy Mills (Oglala-Lakota Sioux Nation)

RIC DUNWOODY

Artist | Pawnee/Otoe/Wyandotte | 25

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Born and raised in Wichita, Ric Dunwoody grew up with the artistic influences of his Pawnee grandfather, renowned Native artist Baptiste Bayhylle Shunatona. Dunwoody says his grandfather’s art spoke directly to him and inspired him to create his own narratives addressing modern issues facing Native Americans. For example, Dunwoody’s mural piece The Future’s Past depicts a Native chief on horseback analyzing Native-American mascots with confusion. Another piece, A River Toke, displays a Native man smoking a pipe while sitting on the Arkansas River bank against the backdrop of a modern Wichita skyline. This visual juxtaposition of ages and cultures is also reflected in Dunwoody’s choice of themes. “Sometimes I like to keep my message simple or easier to digest while in others I’ll focus on more serious matters I see Natives facing every day such as poverty, alcoholism, and drug abuse,” says Dunwoody. The questions that Dunwoody brings up in his art are also part of a larger dialogue in the Native communities, and Dunwoody is quick to point out other like-minded artists he admires, such as Bunky Echo-Hawk. “His subject matter of his artwork is always powerful. He is definitely a huge influence to me. I think of it as modern Indian artwork; classic views with a modern twist,” says Dunwoody of his Pawnee colleague. Ultimately, Dunwoody hopes his artwork will inspire a new generation of Native artists, just as work by his grandfather and colleagues has roused his own vision and awareness of the role a Native artist can play within the community. “Being a Native modern painter creates an interesting platform to share often overlooked views in life and society,” says Dunwoody. “If I had any advice for aspiring Native artists, I would say to not be afraid to step outside of the realm of traditional Native paintings. While charcoal paintings of Sitting Bull are beautiful, there are many ways to look at being a Native-American artist. Tell a story, tell your story.” —Keiton Guess

SPRING 2016

“I like to create pieces that kind of force the viewers to rethink situations they might not have understood fully.”

KANSAS!

Tips

for Respectful Native Tourism

Proud Past – Brilliant Future 785-528-3714 (Osage City Hall) www.OsageCity.com

Being a guest at a Native-American event or celebration can be exciting and educational. But there is protocol to follow when attending Native events in the age of the ubiquitous selfie. Here are some guidelines to honor yourself and your hosts.

Smoke in the Spring – April 8-9, 2016 www.smokeinthespring.com

Sometimes, never is enough. Keep in mind, some Native Americans simply don’t want to be photographed. The famous Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, for example, was said never to have been photographed. Not everyone will feel this way, but it’s always important to inquire before snapping away.

The “Kansas” Antique Shop What antique shops were meant to be

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN

EMPORIA

317 COMMERCIAL ST.

Sacred times Photographing might be particularly sensitive during sacred ceremonies, including some dances performed at public powwows. Usually, an announcement is made, asking people to refrain from photographing a particular dance or dancer—but you can always ask if you are in doubt.

Sacred spaces Native-American sites in Kansas are available to visit. From the Shawnee Indian Mission to El Cuartelejo or even a current school like Haskell Indian Nations University, there is much to see. Just use common sense when taking pictures. For example, at Haskell there is a cemetery for young students who died at the school, and while it is picturesque, it is also regarded as a somber memorial. The world has seen enough insensitive selfies at memorials such as Auschwitz or the World Trade Center site—there’s no reason to add more.

Touch tourism Eagle feathers, fans and other ceremonial objects can be sacred items. Please do not touch something used in a ceremony without asking permission. Never touch a dancer’s regalia without asking as well.

Tribal lands Remember, when you attend an event on tribal land, you are effectively on another nation’s territory. Though tribal laws do not apply to non-Native U.S. citizens, kind consideration and respect are always appreciated. —Rhonda LeValdo

Specializing in authentic antiques full of history, character, charm and craftsmanship Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am-5pm 620.412.2759 • paper-moon-antiques.com

KANSAS VOICES WRITING CONTEST

Like to write?

Enter the Kansas Voices Contest by sending in your short story or poetry to Winfield Arts & Humanities. Deadline for entries March 11, 2016 Reception with performances held on May 7, 2016 Entry fee is $4.00 per story or poem. $1,210 in prizes being awarded Underwritten by Winfield Convention and Tourism

For more information, visit

www.winfieldarts.org or call 620-221-2161

Kansas

Soundscapes 3rd annual Music Composition Competition for Kansas Residents by Winfield Arts & Humanities Council

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES FEBRUARY 26, 2016

Reception with performances held on April 23, 2016

At Baden Square in Winfield, KS Cash prizes given to winners of Formal and Song-writing categories.

620 221-2161 | winfieldarts@gmail.com | www.winfieldarts.org

North of Scott City, ruins of an ancient Indian pueblo at Scott Lake are identified as the only ones in the state of Kansas. Today El Quartelejo, or El Cuartelejo, is studied by the Kansas Geological Survey and archaeologists, revealing new insights into Kansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; past. OPPOSITE A piece of Dismai River pottery was recovered at El Quartelejo and reconstructed.

on the prairie The original home on the range? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Southwest-style ruin where the deer, as well as the squirrels and the beavers, roam.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

PUEBLO

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PHOTOGRAPHS FROM LEFT KDWPT, Courtesy of the Kansas Historical Society

Nathan Pettengill

SPRING 2016

According to stories passed down in Scott County and retold by Dennie Siegrist of the Scott County Historical Society, it was 1888 when farmer Herbert Steele noticed squirrels scratching through unplanted dirt on his farm and discovering a mother lode of maize. Digging around the area, Steele recovered pieces of pottery and objects curious enough to summon experts at the University of Kansas. From 1897–1899, a team from KU carried out the first excavations and declared that the site was undoubtedly what remained of a Pueblo community, most likely “El Cuartelejo,” a settlement of war refugees who had fled Spanish power in the Southwest and were forcibly returned by an armed Spanish detachment. Until the past few years, it was largely thought that El Cuartelejo (variously spelled El Quartelejo or El Cuartalejo) was created by one or two groups of Pueblos who left their home in the mid-to-late 1600s to escape Spanish swords, steels and conversions. They would have traveled at least 450 miles, passing from steep inclines to the plains, until they arrived in a valley near present-day Lake Scott State Park, an area sheltered by hills and lush with springs. The 19th-century KU excavation teams marveled at this hidden valley on the prairie that supported a population of woodland creatures and even a healthy community of beavers. Rex Buchanan, director of the Kansas Geological Survey, says the valley remains a “spectacular” spot in an otherwise arid region. “There is water all up and down that valley,” says Buchanan. “I think the significance of those locations along the prairie, with the growth of vegetation and wildlife that comes with it, would have made people know about it.” According to the standard narrative, in this fertile spot, the Pueblos grew crops and fashioned local clay and limestone rock into a structure that mimicked their traditional adobe homes. Architecturally, this building would be the very first mish-mash of Prairie vernacular and Pueblo revival—historically, it is the most northern and eastern Pueblo settlement yet discovered and the oldest extant settlement in what is now Kansas. Partly for this reason, the site has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Additionally, preservation efforts began in October 2015 to form a private-public partnership between the Scott State Park Historic Preservation and Development Committee and

the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (which produces this magazine) to protectively enclose the ruins and build an interpretative center museum around them. But more than 125 years and five extensive archaeological expeditions after the accidental discovery of El Cuartelejo, scientists are still trying to define the legacy of the lost community. New insights continue to emerge. In 2014, a group of researchers led by Margaret Beck and Sarah Trabert analyzed the structure of the El Cuartelejo pottery and concluded they were created by Pueblo potters living in the region. An upcoming 2016 paper by the same scholars, joined now by David Hill and Matthew Hill, suggests that Pueblo potters arrived individually or in small numbers much earlier than previously thought. The Pueblo community might have been a continuation of inter-marriages, trading and settlement with other Plains Indians communities (going back perhaps to the mid-16th century) that then perhaps welcomed a group of Pueblo people joining the region during the late 1600s and early 1700s when they were battling Spanish control in the Southwest. “The key implication here is that these Southwest groups did not just show up for a short time period and then leave (or get sent back to the Southwest as some historical accounts used to argue). The groups living in this region stayed in the area. They became part of the local area and were not simply short-term migrants,” says Matthew Hill. Additionally, this team has used ground-penetrating radar techniques—the same procedures that recently revealed the extensive underground network of rock formations around Stonehenge—to study the surrounding area. Further studies are planned to reveal the extent of the pueblo-like settlements, as well as what might be under, above or surrounding them. Pueblo historian Tito Naranjo has noted that the Taos Pueblo have passed down stories of traditional buffalo hunts, suggesting that their people—and not just one group of war refugees—spent extensive time throughout the Plains. Mary J. Ward, who has studied El Cuartelejo extensively as senior curator at the KU Natural History Museum, suggests that advances in DNA research might soon enable a determined researcher to return to the charred corn from the site and conduct additional studies to see if the corn retains some genetic traits similar

PHOTOGRAPHS KDWPT

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

What we know about one of the state’s most widely studied and important archaeological sites begins with hungry squirrels.

VISITING El Cuartelejo

Where The pueblo-style ruins of El Cuartelejo are located in Scott County, on the grounds of Lake Scott State Park, approximately 15 miles north of Scott City or 42 miles south of the junction where Interstate 70 crosses U.S. Route 83. When While the site is open year-round, it is primarily outdoors and visitors should consider weather conditions. Nearby

The surrounding region includes several other sites of interest. SCOTT STATE PARK This park features more than 1,000 acres of public land and includes boating, hiking and horseback riding. http://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/ Locations/Scott

JERRY THOMAS GALLERY Adjacent to the El Quartelejo Museum, this gallery features the Western and wildlife art of Jerry Thomas. elquartelejomuseum.org/gallery MONUMENT ROCKS The stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stunning natural rock formation, located on private land but currently open to the public, is approximately 25 miles north and east of El Cuartelejo. http://www.travelks.com/ listings/Monument-Rocks-NationalLandmark/2886/

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EL QUARTELEJO MUSEUM Located in Scott City, the museum tells the history of the pueblo-style ruins and the surrounding region. Through the Scott County Historical Society, the museum offers regular bus tours of El Cuartelejo, Battle Canyon, the Steele home and observations of bison herds. Tours are free, but reservations should be made in advance. elquartelejomuseum.org/museum

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

BATTLE CANYON This is the site of the last known battle (Sept. 27, 1878) in Kansas between Native Americans and American settlers. http://www.travelks.com/ listings/Punished-Woman-s-Fork-BattleCanyon/6035/

KANSAS! MAGAZINE SPRING 2016

to varieties used specifically in rituals among Native communities in the Southwest—adding biological history to the extensive archaeological, anthropological and documentary studies. Even if future studies would reveal nothing more than what we know now, El Cuartelejo would remain a crucial part of Kansas heritage. State archaeologist Robert J. Hoard points to El Cuartelejo as a historical collision point of civilizations. “You have the French and the English from the east and the Spanish from the Southwest, fighting for control. And here you have the Pueblo Indians and the Plains Indians at El Cuartelejo, right in the middle of this, all caught up in a little patch of ground in a state park in Kansas,” says Hoard. Donald Blakeslee, an archaeological anthropologist at Wichita State University who is recognized as a leading

authority on pre-European settlements in Kansas, notes that El Cuartelejo is an extant representation of many more buried and forgotten communities that populated Kansas before pioneer wagons arrived—a reminder that nations and people have long called the area home. But perhaps the most enduring legacy, notes Buchanan, might be the region itself. After all, whoever settled the region, whenever they arrived, probably did so because of the valley’s beauty and generous natural resources. That surprising beneficence of nature is something that a group of Pueblos might have recognized at the end of a long march across mountain ranges and plains. And it is something we —Matthew Hill continue to witness today, in an area where squirrels roam, where the local high school mascot is the “Beaver” in testimony to a natural woodland wonder in the heart of the Midwest.

“The groups living in this region stayed in the area. They became part of the local area and were not simply short-term migrants.”

a glimpse of Kansas

The statewide Kansas Sampler Festival is coming to an end. Experience the entirety of the Sunflower State at its final two-year run in Winfield. By Lou Ann Thomas

Photography by Jason Dailey

By moving the festival to a different community every two years, people from all over the state have had an opportunity to attend and exhibit. And those who have yet to make the trip should quickly put together plans to head to Winfield this year or next (or both!). The festival now features more than 150 communities, dozens of entertainers and historical performers, Kansas-made products, and a wide variety of food vendors. The goal is to bring as much of the state together in one place as possible so people can “sample what there is to see, do, hear, taste, buy and learn in Kansas,” Penner says. For visitors, like Judy Dayhoff, from north of Boulder, Colorado, who has attended four Kansas Sampler Festivals, being able to learn so much about the state in one place, over the course of one weekend, has been an appealing opportunity. “It’s great fun, inexpensive and very informative,” Dayhoff says. “What a terrific way for Kansans and Kansans-at-heart to know what’s available for day trips, weekend treks, or, if you have the time, weeks-at-a-time sojourns in such a diverse state.” In just a few hours at the festival and you can pick up

So long, Sampler!

“All of us want this to be a great thing for the entire state. The festival really gives people a chance to see all that’s in Kansas.” —SARAH WERNER,

Kansas Sampler Festival Host Director

Ann Birney and Joyce Thierer, of Ride into History in Admire, have participated in all but two years of the Kansas Sampler Festival as historical performers. They say the festival has helped them extend where they perform far beyond their own backyard. “In terms of making contacts with representatives from all across the state, it is really helpful. We try to network among the other booths, tents and with organizations all over the state. This building of relationships from the festival is so important,” Birney says. Birney and Thierer have also discovered new and interesting routes to take or places to explore as they travel around the state as a result of participating. “On the way to Colby we might take a different route or eat at a different place because of something new we’ve picked up from the festival,” Birney says. From that single tent on the Penner farm, now more than 20 large tents are arranged by county, region and theme so attendees can learn about all that is available to them

The last two Kansas Sampler Festivals will be at Island Park in Winfield on May 7 and 8 this year, and May 6 and 7 in 2017. Hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children aged 7 to 12, and free for children 6 and under. Weekend passes are $8 for adults and $4 for children. Island Park is located at the north end of Main Street and consists of 19 picturesque acres surrounded by water. The park was once an ancient campsite and hunting grounds for the Osage Indians, and it hosted Chautauquas from 1887 to 1913.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Rural treasures

Grannie’s Homemade Mustards from Newton or Daddy Jack’s Salsa from Wichita. You can learn about old-time blacksmithing from McNalley Metal Design in Belvue, or cutting rocks for posts from Greenhorn Limestone at the various demonstrations. Or, like Denise Glenn, from Wichita, you can gather information at travel booths to plan both a weekend getaway and a scenic drive to get there. “We would likely have never chosen a road trip to Atchison for my husband’s birthday weekend had it not been for the festival,” Glenn says. The festival is also a way for regions, sites, attractions and even entertainers to spread the word about what they offer. Barbara Shelton, owner of Keystone Gallery, north of Scott City, says people often stop by the gallery saying they learned about it at the Kansas Sampler Festival. “Many of the Sampler Festival visitors and subsequent tourists have said they always wanted to go visit natural sites around this area and also see the fossils at Keystone Gallery,” Shelton says, “plus pick up some souvenirs to remind them of their adventure for years to come!

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was a raw and windy November day in 1990 when Marci Penner and her late father, Mil, set up a single tent on their farm for a book-signing celebration. Neither of them knew the journey they were beginning that day. All they knew was that they had written a travel book, Kansas Weekend Guide, and wanted to celebrate its release with some of the people and places highlighted within the pages. More than 1,000 people showed up on the Penner family farm near Inman that day 27 years ago. The next year the event began its official run as the Kansas Sampler Festival. It continued to be held on the Penner farm until after 1997, when more than 8,000 guests gathered on the grounds. The following year, the festival would start a new tradition of traveling around the state with communities vying for the opportunity to host it for two consecutive years. The past two years, 2014 and 2015, the festival enjoyed record-breaking attendance, with a combined attendance of nearly 24,000 people walking through the gates at Wamego, the smallest community to ever host the festival. Winfield is gearing up to host the festival’s 27th and 28th years—recently announced as the final years for the Kansas Sampler Festival. “It has been a really great run,” says Penner, executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. “When we did our book signing event in 1990 we certainly had no thought that this would turn into a statewide festival that would continue for all these years. We’re hitting the refresh button while the festival is still strong and beloved. It has served us all so well. But there is always that desire to see what might be around the next corner.”

HOSTS OF THE

Kansas Sampler Festival

Concordia 2008-2009 Penner Farm, Inman 1990-1997 Garden City 2006-2007 Liberal 2012-2013

Pratt 1998-1999

Wamego 2014-2015 Ottawa 2000-2001

Newton 2004-2005 Independence 2002-2003 Winfield 2016-2017

Leavenworth 2010-2011

The largest attendance has been in Wamego where more than 11,700 people attended in 2014, and more than 12,000 attended in 2015.

KANSAS! in, say Northeast Kansas before heading over to the Southwest region to learn more about what awaits them there. Communities from Abilene to Yates Center are represented at the festival and share stops for dining, lodging, scenery and shopping. Smaller tents housing demonstrations, entertainers and historical performers are scattered around the grounds. All that exploration and discovery can work up a hearty appetite, and the vendors at Kansas Sampler Festival make sure to supply the eats. This is not typical carnival fare; food vendors are asked to purchase their menu items from Kansan sources to prepare tasty, homemade foods. Here you might find Tuscan chicken wraps, homemade bratwurst, buffalo burgers or a Viking on a stick (a meatball wrapped in rye). There are enough delicious offerings to appeal to any palate, so if you leave the Kansas Sampler Festival hungry, you didn’t do it right.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM RIGHT Marci Penner of the Kansas Sampler Festival wants to thank all the communities that have hosted the festival.

57 SPRING 2016

Sarah Werner, festival host director, says Winfield and all of Cowley County are excited about hosting the festival. Acknowledging the city’s bluegrass reputation, Werner says the festival will also feature an additional stage this year for entertainers—for a total of three stages. “Since Winfield is well known for our musical heritage and for being the home of the annual Walnut Valley Festival, we are adding a regional entertainment tent to highlight some of our area entertainers,” Werner says. As the festival moves into its last two years Penner is looking forward to a new chapter in promoting the exploration and appreciation of the state. But she is also grateful for the support the festival has had through the years. “I’m particularly grateful to all the host directors, the many volunteers and the city crews who all gave an extra effort,” Penner says. “It was successful, too, because of a large core group of exhibitors who were willing to go wherever the festival was held.” Werner says the fact the festival allows smaller communities to have an important presence is something not possible for them at larger travel shows. “The Kansas Sampler Festival is primarily for rural Kansas communities, not for larger communities. This is everyone’s show.”

KANSAS! MAGAZINE

The final countdown

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DOUGLAS COUNTY | Teresa Grove

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WABAUNSEE COUNTY | Rod Weber

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CHASE COUNTY | Patrick Emerson

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BARBER COUNTY | Scott Bean

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GOVE COUNTY | Alan Hutchins

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milestone

Robin Macey, visionary and CFO (Chief Flower Executive) of the Bartlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine, was so tickled at the sight of her arboretum’s inclusion on the KANSAS! magazine Top 70 list (seen in the winter 2015 edition), that she sent thanks to the magazine. “Imagine my delight just now, receiving a package in the mail which honors dear ol’ Bartlett as one of the top 70 bucket listees,” writes Macey. What we weren’t expecting was the fun anthology of KANSAS! magazine clippings on the Bartlett Arboretum that Macey has saved over the years. “I also know of an edition of To the Stars where the arb was also a feature—even earlier that this beauty.” Established in the 1930s, the arboretum fell under Macey’s vision in 1997. Today the arboretum inspires others to experience the beauty of the space. And with dedicated gardeners, known as the Soil Sisters and Brothers, thousands upon thousands of blooming flowers, shrubs and champion trees grow in harmony. One must see for themselves! bartlettarboretum.com

Scott Bean Photography K A N S A S L A N D S C A P E A N D N AT U R E P H O T O G R A P H S

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF Robin Macey

IN HONOR OF THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF KANSAS! MAGAZINE, OUR MILESTONE LOOKS BACK AT THE MAGAZINE AND HOW IT HAS TOUCHED READERS NEAR AND FAR.