Hutchinson
Magazine
The Family Community Theatre
is still in character after
25 years $3.00
5
all aboard
Must-Attend
events
TRAIN
Amtrak
Vintage Type:
Leo Davignon
Spring 2013
2
Hutchinson
dear readers,
Volume 05 / Issue 04
Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Sales Manager
Magazine
Dave Gilchrist
For Advertising Rates and Information
(620) 694-5700 ext. 210 sales Executives
Tammy Colladay Shelby Dryden Tyler Goertzen Mitch Hixson Anita Stuckey Thomas Sullivan ad designers
Kim Hoskinson Marcos Medranos Jessica Price Sam Wilk Photographers
Aaron East Brian Lingle Deborah Walker
Contributing Writers
Amy Bickel Amy Conkling Gloria Gale Edie Ross Richard Shank Patsy Terrell
Production and Editorial Services for Hutchinson Magazine provided by:
I recently have spent time with an Amtrak veteran, one who spent years riding the rails and seeing the country. Hearing those stories absolutely fascinated me. Maybe it was the vintage appeal of taking a train or the concept that I now have another mode of transportation for weekend getaways.
Regardless, I began to wonder about other stories of the still-resilient Amtrak train travel. In Richard Shanks’ feature, “Little Hub on the Prairie,” we meet some folks who are Amtrak devotees and one station agent who continues to enjoys the sound of “All aboard.” As we advance more and more with technology and creature comforts in travel, it’s nice to know that one of America’s treasured industries is still thriving (and with WiFi). This season we also tip our hat to the Family Community Theatre. Creating special bonds among families and entertaining the community for over two decades, this theatre group has a rich trove of stories. Writer Patsy Terrell and photographer Brian Lingle take us down memory lane of this well-known community pillar. Enjoy this and much more this season, and join us in looking forward to celebrating our fifth anniversary this summer!
Editor Katy Ibsen Designer Jenni Leiste COPY EDITOR Christy Little GENERAL MANAGER Bert Hull Publishing Coordinator Jenni Leiste Editorial comments (866) 655-4262 Subscriptions
$25 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Hutchinson Magazine. For subscription information, please contact:
The Hutchinson News Circulation Department Elizabeth Garwood 300 W. Second | Hutchinson KS 67501 (620) 694-5700 ext. 115 (800) 766-5730 ext. 115 egarwood@hutchnews.com
— Katy, Editor Follow us on twitter @hutchinsonmag
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Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Spring 2013
contents Features
38 Little hub on the prairie
Amtrak still a place for making connections far away—and personal
46
commemorative curtain call The Family Community Theatre celebrates 25 years
Lifestyle
Profile
Travel
The perfect house ends a family’s long run with fixer-uppers
Lloyd Ballhagen retires with a pen and paper
South Dakota’s manmade and natural wonders blend a legacy of the Old West with monumental geologic attractions
8
Cabin fever
14 Farm to present A functional space for the 21st century
20 The storyteller
24 Enjoying the Dog’s Life
Educational and outreach efforts breed friendships among participants
28 Remington appeal
Devotee Leo Davignon fixes and collects relics from pre-computer era
32 Ringing in Spring
54 Crazy Big and Bad
In Every Issue: 2 dear readers 64 Calendar Hutchinson
Magazine
Hutch Talks
60 Terry Bruce
Kansas Senator, District 34
62 Linda Schmitt
Executive director, Reno County Historical Society
5
all aboard
Must-attend
eventS
trAin
amTrak
Vintage type:
Leo DAvignon
Spring 2013
On the Cover
Sarah Berblinger as Glinda from Narnia. Photograph by Brian Lingle
Five-must attend events
Hutchinson Magazine |
The Family CommuniTy TheaTre
is still in character after
25 years $3.00
Spring 2013
7
departments 8 Lifestyle • 20 profile Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
8
Justin and Staci Unruh found a log cabin that was more than perfect for their family of five.
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
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Lifestyle
The Unruh Home
cabin fever The perfect house ends a family’s long run with fixer-uppers
E
ven after five years of day-in and day-out living, the beauty, comfort and serenity of Justin and Staci Unruh’s log home continue to dazzle them. The moments when the morning light hits the logs just right or when flames dance in the two-story limestone fireplace on a cold night still quicken their hearts in gratitude and wonder. “Just about every morning I still find myself saying, ‘Thank you Lord!,’” says Staci Unruh. “I can’t believe we get to live here.” Staci and Justin, along with their three boys—Nation, 13; Cayden, 11, and Tate, 7—moved into the home in December 2007. Even though they were the home’s second owners, it has always felt like the place was made just for them. “The couple who made it did such an amazing job,” Staci says of the 3,400-square-foot home. “So much of what they did is what we would’ve done if we were really brave.”
Stepping stones
Justin and Staci Unruh have literally known each other their entire lives. Justin’s mother, in fact, drove her son’s future mother-in-law to the hospital when she was ready to deliver Staci. Nine months later, Justin was born, and although his family moved to Nebraska when he was in preschool, the two saw each other in the summers when Justin would come back to Reno County to visit family. Early on he knew Staci was the girl he wanted to marry. “God didn’t reveal that to me until much later,” Staci says, laughing. During their college years Justin and Staci became best friends and eventually fell in love. Justin started college in South Carolina and finished it at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri, which is also Staci’s alma mater. They moved back to Reno County in 1999—just before Nation was born—and spent the next decade growing their family and Justin’s career at Pipeline Testing Consortium Inc. They moved five times within the Reno County area—each time finding a fixer-upper to pour themselves into and eventually sell as a stepping stone to the type of home they dreamed of.
Sto ry by Ed ie Ro s s
•
Ph otog r aph y by D eb o r ah Walker
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Dream come true
In 2007, now with three children in tow and ready to move out of a cramped home, the Unruhs began looking for a new, larger place. “We had never considered a log home,” Staci says. “We came out and looked in the windows before the realtor got here and immediately said, ‘Wow, this is perfect.’” After living in one fixer-upper after the next, the Unruhs found a home about which they would not change one single thing. “When we were touring the house, I remember stooping down to take a picture of these cabinet pulls,” Staci says, running her hand along the slender iron pulls in her large kitchen. “They were exactly what I would’ve picked.” Not only did the home’s layout and location cater to the Unruhs’ priority on time together and with extended family, but even the motif, which balanced the rustic feel of the logs with more neutral terra-cotta tile floors and textured interior walls, perfectly fit their natural and relaxed style. The list of what the Unruhs love about their home is long and includes both indoor and outdoor qualities. One of the family photos perched on a ledge along the stairs to the basement shows Justin in the back yard, walking away from the camera, carrying one of the boys on his shoulders. The family’s golden Labrador, Harley, is by his side. The three seem to be on an adventure. “That photo pretty much sums up what we love about this area,” Staci says. “Our boys can explore. It is beautiful and quiet.” The home’s wrap-around deck affords views of wooded areas and the Highlands Country Club’s 15th hole, “The Outback.” The backyard boasts a lower-level patio and fire pit; however, the best star-gazing is in the front yard, where the family spends some summer nights laying in their driveway enjoying the view above. The beauty of the outdoors is still on display inside the home via picture windows all around the house, including what constitutes a wall of glass on the eastern side of the main floor. The space offers 20-foot ceilings and an open concept kitchen/dining room/great room arranged around a two-story limestone fireplace. The main-floor master bedroom has an en suite bathroom complete with limestone counters. A staircase made of half-log steps leads up to a second-story loft that includes two bedrooms and a full bathroom. A finished basement adds another bedroom adjoined to a large living room area and rec room where the family can watch television and play pool. The basement also includes a kitchenette and bathroom, which makes it perfect for hosting Justin’s family when they visit from Nebraska.
The Unruhs have experience with fixer-uppers, so it was a relief to find a home that instantly fit their style and needed no renovations.
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The open kitchen and family room is often abuzz with activity from one of the three Unruh boys.
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Elegant and rustic styles blend in the kitchen.
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Hutchinson Magazine |
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The Unruh Home
The Unruh Homestead at a glance A place for everything
The Unruhs find that they use every single inch of the home. The majority of their family time takes place on the main floor around the large custom-made wooden table or in the cozy great room. “We love how it is so open,” Staci says. “Family time is really important to us, and this allows us to be all together.” Justin has found the best spots in the house for everything from reading the morning paper (the chair to the east of the fireplace gets the best morning light) to taking a Sunday afternoon nap (Cayden’s room on the home’s southwest corner is perfectly warmed by the afternoon sun.) “We love the natural elements of it,” Justin says. “It is very comfortable.” Not only did the home fit the family’s needs, but it also fit their style.
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Lifestyle
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Staci’s love for bright, vibrant colors, which she traces back to her teenage days stacking oranges at Smith’s Market, is easy to incorporate into the home’s earth-tone motif. A bright yellow teapot is the perfect pop of color in her kitchen alongside floor-to-ceiling wooden cabinets and cupboards. Likewise, the colorful Mexican pottery she has collected since she was a child is at home in a built-in bureau. Larry Tatro, Staci’s father, says he’s glad that some of the items he’s built, especially those with a family history, have found a place in his daughter’s home. “It’s an awesome place,” he says. “It’s a great place to raise kids.” Staci and Justin couldn’t agree more. “Life is so busy and we come home and are able to really relax,” says Staci. “It is calming. You just don’t want to leave.” Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
Built in 2000 by Jeff and Brenda Pennick. Featured in the August 2002 edition of Log Home Living Magazine. Built from a kit by Precision Craft Log Structures of Idaho. Features 10-inch round spruce logs with Douglas Fir load-bearing logs. Entry door hand-carved by local craftsman Mike Livingston. Two-story limestone fireplace continues into the basement and was designed and built by Mike Nevius using chestnut limestone, quarried in Kansas. Master bedroom bath features tumbled marble floor and Rosa Verona marble accents.
12 Nation and Staci catch up.
In the details
FRUIT pictures Staci still marvels at how well their furniture and accent items— including some that have been handed down through generations of family—fit perfectly in the log home. Two still-life pictures of fruit that belonged to Staci’s grandmother were practically made for a wall in her kitchen.
kitchen bench A bench Staci’s father, Larry Tatro, made from walnut lumber he cut with his father in 1958 sits comfortably in front of a large window in the dining room. Tatro, who also made twin iron beds for the boys and some iron candle holders for the family, recently used that same walnut wood to build his daughter an entryway table.
“We came out and looked in the windows before the realtor got here and immediately said, ‘Wow, this is perfect.’”
entryway door Local artist Mike Livingston carved the door in the entry.
–Staci Unruh
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Farm to present a functional space for the 21st century
Renovating a family home from the 1900s was the ultimate endeavor for Jeff and Callie Brawner. Sto ry by Amy B ickel
• Ph otog r aph y by A aro n E ast
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Lifestyle
The Brawner Home
The spacious entry provides a quick homage to family. The farmhouse was inherited from Jeff’s grandparents.
J
eff Brawner’s grandparents grew their farm operation around a century-old farmhouse— an heirloom just like the fields of wheat and pastures that surround the residence. Yet the home near Haven wasn’t built for modern conveniences. Moreover, the rooms were small, and time was taking a toll on the structure built in 1903. With three daughters and growing needs in a more contemporary time, tearing it down was an easy solution. Jeff, a third-generation farmer on the property, and his wife, Callie, however, knew that wasn’t an option. Their home was too rich in history and family ties to let it disappear from the landscape. Today, the couple and their three daughters—Bailey, 13, BrieAnn, 7, and Brooke, 9—live in the restored oldfashioned country home with a greener floor plan. Wide, old pine flooring is featured throughout the residence, along with the original doors and woodwork. Meanwhile, a pellet stove helps heat much of the home, which is no longer drafty, thanks to spray insulation and new windows. It is a functional space for a 21st century family. “We wanted to keep the feel of the old and have the convenience and beauty of a more modern look,” says Callie, a teacher at Burrton Elementary School in Burrton.
Lengthy restoration
While their conviction led the couple to renovate the aging homestead, the project would present a few challenges. Architect Jim Putnam even suggested it would be easier just to start from scratch. “We were asking for the world,” Jeff says. “We wanted something modern out of something old.” But, he adds as he looked at the solid pine antique woodwork through the family farmhouse, “You can’t buy wood like this that is in these walls and floors. You can’t duplicate the workmanship.” Still, Callie says, it was a lengthy and stressful time. The project took 2½ years with the family living out of tubs. Their home also was raised on beams for a time while a crew dug out a larger basement. “It is by far the most difficult thing we have ever done while raising a family,” she says. The goal was to have the farmhouse renovated before Jeff’s grandmother Virginia Brawner’s 90th birthday party, which would be celebrated at the home where she herself raised her family. Work started in fall 2008 with the digging of the basement. From the outside, the farmhouse stayed largely the same. Jeff and Callie didn’t add on the structure except to expand the basement. Inside, however, they largely gutted the home, taking down almost all the walls and removing the lathe and plaster on others.
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1 Uncovering the home’s bones, the Brawners were able to make the rooms their own while still keeping the integrity of the house. 2 The structure remained mostly the same, but the basement was exposed. 3 Characteristics of the original farmstead still remain around the home.
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Spring 2013
A family heirloom Jeff and Callie Brawner are the next generation on the family farm, turning the 440-acre operation that Jeff’s father, Lowell, operated into one that today includes more than 1,500 corn, wheat and soybean fields. They also have a cow/calf herd, and Jeff started a farm chemical and fertilizer business, Target Applications, in 2000 to help diversify the operation. The family farm has been a great lifestyle to raise children. A schedule hanging in the home keeps the family on track between daughter Bailey’s junior high sporting events as well as local recreation ballgames, 4-H and church. Bailey, Brooke and BrieAnn are the fourth generation to live in the farmstead that their greatgrandparents, Leo and Virginia Brawner, purchased in 1947, not long after they were married. Jeff and Callie moved into the farmhouse after they married in 1998.
The process meant exposing 100 years of dust that had collected in the framework. “It looked worse than the back end of a combine at wheat harvest,” he says, adding they were cleaning nearly every day. They stripped layers of wallpaper from the walls, along with wood paneling from the kitchen. Chocolate-colored stain was scraped off the antique flooring and woodwork, which Jeff took up board-by-board and restored. Metal kitchen cabinets were replaced with new custom-built wood ones. The couple also added on a deck with a hot tub off the back of the home. The end result was worth it, Jeff says. His favorite room is the kitchen, which includes an office and family area off the side—space that was opened up when tearing out a bedroom and mudroom. It’s one place where the family spends time together after a busy day of school and farm work, Callie says. “I love to be able to cook and talk to people sitting around the bar,” Callie says. Meanwhile, the couple added square footage by finishing the basement. The downstairs has a living area with a big-screen television, along with a spare bedroom, bathroom, safe room and laundry. Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
The farmhouse was built in 1903 before running water and rural electricity. And when Jeff’s grandparents first moved in, there was no indoor privy. Instead, the family used an outhouse in the backyard. Jeff also recalls his grandmother telling him stories of how she would hand-pump water at the kitchen sink from a well just outside the kitchen window. She did this every evening before she went to bed. The couple didn’t move the sink from its original location. Callie says, “This is the same window she looked out of.”
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Lifestyle
The Brawner Home
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Reflections in a farmhouse
before—From pieces of furniture to the entire home, the Brawner’s gave many things new life. Old doors—Original old doors are featured throughout the home, including one door that closes off a walk-in pantry in the kitchen. Woodwork—Century-old pine is one of the main features of the restored farmhouse. This includes the original staircase, banisters and colonnades. “His dad would keep all his toys in the little compartments,” Callie says of one of the colonnades near the front door. Built in desk—Local contractor Jeff Loop built a desk, which is used for the couple’s farm operation and their business, Target Applications. Milking shed—Jeff’s grandparents’ milking shed still sits next to the home. His grandparents milked a few cows for their own use. “That’s where they would get their milk and grandma made butter,” Jeff says.
A family home restored
Grandma’s antiques— A dining room table and buffet are the centerpieces of the dining room, wedding gifts that Virginia Brawner’s parents had given to her in 1918.
Jeff estimates they did about 25 percent of the work themselves. They used local Haven contractor Jeff Loop of Loop Carpentry for finish work, Concrete Plus and Willard Yoder for foundation, basement and stamped concrete (sidewalks/porch) and Dan Miller for everything else from demo to framing to siding and windows. Loop is currently renovating the girls’ bathroom upstairs. In the end, they made their deadline, completing the project by Virginia’s birthday in October 2010. “She loves it,” Callie says of the renovated farm home. “She really did.”
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The storyteller Lloyd Ballhagen retires with a pen and paper Sto ry by R ic har d S han k
• Ph otog r aph y by B r ian Ling le
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Profile
Lloyd Ballhagen
Lloyd Ballhagen is an author, painter and photographer extraordinaire.
O
n December 31, 1997, Lloyd Ballhagen locked his office door for the final time as CEO of one of Kansas’ largest media groups, Harris Enterprises Inc. Plans were well under way to launch the next chapter of his life, which would include writing, painting and photography. Ballhagen is a Kansas transplant who grew up on a South Dakota farm as the sixth of eight children. His formative years in rural America in the 1930s were normal for a farm boy of that era as he saw firsthand the ravages of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression while herding cattle and harvesting crops of wheat, corn, barley and oats—experiences that would later play a role into his creative work.
Chapter one After high school, Ballhagen joined the Marine Corps where he saw duty during the Korean War and developed a flair for writing. After being discharged as a sergeant after three years of service, he returned home and used his GI Bill to enroll at the University of South Dakota; he received a double degree in journalism and history. During his senior year, he noticed a flier seeking applications for an executive intern program at the Harris Group, a Kansas-based company headquartered in Hutchinson that owned newspapers and radio stations. In spring of 1958, Ballhagen and 39 other college seniors from throughout the nation put in applications.
He soon found himself in Hutchinson sitting across the table from legendary newspaper magnate John P. Harris, CEO of the Harris group, and president Peter Macdonald. Ballhagen emerged at the top of the list and became the second intern behind Dick Buzbee. Harris, known to his readers as JPH, and Macdonald dispatched Ballhagen to The Ottawa Herald for his first assignment as a reporter followed by duty in the “back shop” to produce the daily paper copy of the news. They had him trained in all aspects of the business. Next, he was on his way to The Salina Journal to be an advertising salesman, then on to Hutchinson to work as Macdonald’s assistant.
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“Lloyd has a love of life that he expresses in his writing. As he sits at a computer, the words just seem to flow.” –Robin Sanders
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Spring 2013
“Peter Macdonald was my mentor, a brilliant man and a great boss,” Ballhagen says. Before landing a permanent job in the home office, Ballhagen would make stops in Olathe; Spencer, Iowa, and Hays, and in 1973 he was recalled to Hutchinson where he put down roots for the remainder of his 40-year career. In 1978 Ballhagen succeeded Macdonald as president of the Harris Group and five years later succeeded him as CEO and still later chairman of the board for an organization that comprised 11 newspapers and 14 radio stations.
Chapter two
As a new year dawned in 1998 Ballhagen was hard at work in his Hyde Park home to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming an author.
Within months, he was ready to edit his first volume, titled Small Town, Dark Secrets, a 60,000-word novel that explores the story of a small town editor who discovered how the city is controlled by a extremist madman. “As I write each book, I often don’t know how the book will conclude and sort of let my fingers do the writing,” Ballhagen says. “I start in the afternoon by writing 1,000 words, and when that is accomplished, I stop until the next day,” says Ballhagen. His works are self-published, and he has written 21 novels, is working on his 22nd, plus a history of the Harris Group, a family history and his own autobiography. “I don’t need to make money and can afford to do it this way, and, besides, I have no desire to become involved in promotion and book tours,” he says. So, when Ballhagen and his bevy of good editors, all local Hutchinson friends, reach consensus on a final version, he orders 10 hardbound copies of each book, one for a sister in South Dakota, one for a brother in Arizona, one for his longtime
companion, Sonia Hayse, and a single copy for the Hutchinson Public Library, available to be checked out. The remaining volumes are reserved for his home library or other friends, of whom he has many. No matter how many times Lloyd will say, “I love to write,” there is more to this former journalist than connecting words into sentences and paragraphs.
Chapter three
As the spring bring sunshine and warmer weather Ballhagen, the painter, emerges. He can lay claim to no less than a dozen paintings, and some say he has just begun. When he’s not painting or writing, he’s socializing. Ballhagen and Hayse are regulars on the Hutchinson social scene. As events unfold, he makes the rounds capturing the moment. His collection of photographs numbers in the thousands. Perhaps it could be said that Ballhagen’s collection of photographs is the community’s best record of life in Hutchinson over the past 15 years.
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
Hayse, as Lloyd’s companion during the past 24 years, knows him best. “It amazes me that anyone can write 1,000 words per day but am not surprised Lloyd can do this so easily,” Hayse says. “His paintings are also very good, and the ones that include horses are the best I have seen.” “Lloyd has traveled a great deal during his lifetime, continues to read a lot and always pays rapt attention to his surroundings, all of which help in his writings,” Hayse continued. Robin Sanders spent 20 years as Ballhagen’s executive secretary and continues her association with Lloyd as a proofreader. “He is a very unique person who has a huge imagination, which has helped him write so many interesting books,” she says. Ballhagen sums it up by saying, “As long as I can write, I will continue doing so as I get a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction from creating something.”
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Profile
Lloyd Ballhagen
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Enjoying the Dog’s Life Educational and outreach efforts breed friendships among participants Sto ry by Amy Co n klin g
• Ph otog r aph y by D eb o r ah Walker
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Profile
The Hutchinson Kennel Club
I
t all started with puppy kindergarten— where it soon transformed into puppy love. Becky Ensz and her husband had a wire fox terrier puppy that they took to puppy kindergarten obedience class in 1999. More than a decade later, Ensz has made the club an enjoyable endeavor, serving as current president of the nonprofit organization. An affiliate of the American Kennel Club, the local group was established in 1954. “The club members are a lot of fun, caring people who just enjoy each other and their dogs,” Ensz says. “That’s why I decided this was my home away from home.” And it shows.
In January the Kennel Club teamed up with its sister club, the Hutchinson Agility Training Team, for the United Kennel Club Agility Trials. Here Ensz enthusiastically introduced participants to her “fur babies”— Baron, a brown standard poodle, and Dante, a parti factor standard poodle—and raved about other members’ dogs, too. She played with them, helped them show off tricks, and knew their personalities and characteristics in between working the agility trials. While several of the Kennel Club’s activities center around obedience and training, members know it’s more than achieving graduation status from puppy kindergarten.
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
Robin Karp, Hutchinson Kennel Club member, with her poodle dachshund mix, Stumpy Grace.
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www.hutchinsonkennelclub.org
More than obedience
ABOVE Sylvia Griggs with her mahogany sable sheltie Shetland sheepdog, Skye.
Becky and fellow club members Sylvia Griggs, who’s been a member since 1998, and Chris O’Dell, who’s been a member for nearly 30 years and serves as the Club’s agility director, were drawn to the Kennel Club’s obedience classes. But what started as a simple eight-week course turned into a future life of agility training and shows.
“We had a very shy dog, and the agility director thought it might help Shadow with selfconfidence,” Griggs says. “We never intended to compete, but with the friendship and encouragement from the group, we did and Shadow got several AKC and UKC agility titles.” It’s a sign of the times, according to Ensz, that the Club has changed its approach to dog obedience throughout
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Spring 2013
the years. “Obedience used to be a very dominating type of training, and now it’s gone to positive reinforcement where we encourage our dogs to make the best decision,” she says. “We want to have classes that help everyone have a mannerly dog that is a pleasure to have in their home.” And they do. Not only does the Kennel Club provide obedience classes, such
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Profile
The Hutchinson Kennel Club
Scenes from the Hutchinson Kennel Club agility training at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
as puppy kindergarten, puppy junior high and basic obedience, but they also offer classes in agility training and fundamentals, provide Canine Good Citizenship testing, offer a Good Dog U course for dogs that have special needs, and even have temperament testing for owners who may have “bully breed” dogs. If that doesn’t keep the 70-plus group members busy enough, they also host and assist with a variety of special events throughout the year. In addition to dog shows, the club hosts Responsible Pet Owner Day in September, a therapy dog group and also makes frequent appearances at the public library’s Reading to Rover program, Downtown’s Third Thursdays, nursing home visits, youth events and fundraisers for the Hutchinson Animal Shelter and Cause for Paws Inc. “It’s fun to be part of a group that celebrates every aspect of success for our dogs and to be involved in our community,” Ensz says. “We’re constantly expanding our horizons when it comes to new methods of training dogs in hope that we can help each and every person that comes to our classes.”
Want to Join? Man’s Best Friends
While members consider their four-legged friends to be close—even family—they say the same for their two-legged counterparts. “Our club is a great group of caring people who are like-minded animal lovers and a great source of support for not only animal-related things but also on a personal friendship level,” Griggs says. Some members don’t even own a dog, Ensz notes, but simply enjoy the club’s camaraderie. O’Dell, who has just one dog of her own, now fosters dogs and often looks to the club for support and assistance in socializing and training them. It’s a complete 180-degree turn from 30 years ago, when she desperately registered for obedience classes after her English Springer Spaniel puppy was so “naughty, I was in danger of being evicted from a rental house.” The Club also caters to students and youth by partnering with 4-H Clubs in the area. “We try to do the best we can for anyone and everyone that steps through our doors,” Ensz says. “We are thrilled when someone adds a new member to our club – two-legged and four-legged, and we shed tears of sorrow when someone loses that four-legged best friend or when we lose a club member.” Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
Members of the Hutchinson Kennel Club say they keep their membership process simple and are always looking for new dog enthusiasts to join, whether or not they have a dog. “We’re a working club and need people that are willing and able to help with club events and special projects,” Sylvia Griggs says. The qualifications are basic: Individuals must attend four meetings, have two HKC members sponsor them and then be voted in. For more information on becoming a member, or any of the obedience classes, agility training and special projects and events the Club sponsors, visit the website. www.hutchinsonkennelclub.org
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Profile
Leo Davignon
Remington appeal devotee Leo Davignon fixes and collects relics from pre-computer era
Sto ry by Patsy Ter r ell • Ph otog r aph y by A aro n E ast
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“They’ll be gone if we don’t save them. I hope to save a few old machines.” – Leo Davignon
Leo Davignon in his Hutchinson repair shop.
T
here’s not a computer to be found at Leo’s Service Center. Instead, Leo Davignon has a Juki-brand typewriter on the corner of his desk. Since 1958, typewriters have been an integral part of Leo’s daily life. That’s when he answered an ad for a delivery boy at the Royal Typewriter Company in Wichita. It wasn’t a planned career move. It was February, and he was working as a roughneck in the oil fields. He didn’t want to work outside in the cold anymore. It wasn’t long before he was being trained to repair typewriters. Fifteen years later, on February 15, 1973, he opened his own shop, Leo’s Service Center in north Hutchinson. Looking back, he says, “It took guts to do that.” He had five children at the time, all in parochial school, but he decided the time was right to convert one side of his two-car garage into a shop. His father came and helped him put in a couple of windows and a door, and he was in business for himself. “I was harder on myself than I would have allowed a boss to be,” Leo says. He grew up as a farm boy in western Kansas and says, “I’ve always been independent, growing up on a farm. A farmer has a hard time working for someone else.” His business model was straightforward—keep overhead low and don’t overspend. “One of the reasons I didn’t go bankrupt was I used my own money to go through the highs and lows,” he says. In the 1990s, when computers became commonplace, “Business went down pretty fast,” he says. But he continued to work on fax machines, small copiers, calculators and even typewriters. He’s still doing it. “I work over here as a service man,” he says, gesturing to his workbench on one side. “Then I roll my chair around and I work over here as a business man … I work over there as a flunkie,” he says as he looks at the rest of the small shop. He said he has been blessed with a good clientele over the years. Like any service business, he says if customers are pleased with how their machine works when they get it back, they’re happy customers. He said he has always tried to give people good value for their money and just wouldn’t give up on difficult situations. “I’m a persistent cuss,” he says with a laugh. Along one end of the shop are shelves housing typewriters from eras long past, including a Remington No. 7, made in 1874. There are others from Smith Corona, Royal and lesser-known companies. In the basement are some “toy” typewriters, including a Tom Thumb, which is the most famous of the toy typewriters. Leo and his son, Dan, who worked with him in the business before becoming a pilot, have been collecting typewriters for a few years. “A museum
31
Profile
Leo Davignon
has entered our minds,” says Leo. “It will take some looking into to see if it’s worth making a small museum. It’s a thought.” He knows typewriters are something the average 18-year-old has never touched, but it saddens him to see the keys cut off to be used in jewelry. “They’ll be gone if we don’t save them,” says Leo. “I hope to save a few old machines.” The typewriters are just one of his collections in the shop. Another one is business cards that are spilling over the frame of a window near his workbench. He has been collecting them since he opened and says he probably has 1,000 now. He still adds to the collection as customers come in, and they still come around, although he’s “retired” now. He doesn’t take on too many projects but still enjoys tinkering in his shop in the evenings. The wall near his workbench is covered with tools, some of which are specialized to work on typewriters. He sometimes gets a call to restore a family machine or to find a ribbon for a typewriter. He has an inventory of supplies and also some machines he can cannibalize if needed “just like going to a junkyard,” he says. For ribbons and other things they aren’t making anymore, he says, “That’s a bridge I cross when I get to it.” Repairing machines has given Leo something to occupy his mind. “It has been a constant learning experience,” he says. “It’s been a good trip.” Now, as typewriters are no longer in common usage, and becoming museum pieces, he says, “I just hope some of them get preserved. I hope people don’t forget the typewriter. I hope they understand it as a lost art.”
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Ringing in Spring Five-must attend events For restless souls, spring is on the bud. Upcoming weekend events provide opportunities to peruse earlyblooming flowers and glean ideas for freshening up gardens and homes. But there are also other edifying ideas before the more active summer season hits.
Date:
8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, March 30
Location:
Businesses throughout the Pleasantview area
Annual Pleasantview Spring Celebration Spring in Pleasantview means dappled pansies, hardy cabbages and onions sets peeking out among the hot sale items inside Stutzman’s
Greenhouse during the Annual Pleasantview Spring Celebration Preview. Along a small stretch of U.S. Highway 50, such businesses such as the Dutch Kitchen, Glenn’s Bulk Food Shoppe or Humphrey Window Door and Awnings, among others, will join the celebration. Each business will give away door prizes with
Sto ry by K athy Hanks
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
grand prizes for both adults and children. Glenn’s will feature giveaways and samples. “It’s one day only, and everyone participates,” says employee Linda Miller. “People can start from one end of Pleasantview and go to the other or pick and choose which businesses to visit.”
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ph otog r aph y s h ut ter sto ck
Profile
Spring Preview
Date:
9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, April 13
Location:
Memorial Hall, 101 South Walnut
Hutchinson Recreation Commission presents the Spring Arts & Crafts Gala After the 2012 Christmas Boutique, local handcrafters requested that the Hutchinson Recreation Commission sponsor another show, but in the spring. The HRC is excited
to announce a premiere spring show for 2013. “People are ready for spring,” says Tina Frees, coordinator. Fused glass, plates, pendants, wood carvings, original art and hand-stitched rugs are just a sampling of items that will appear at the show. “There will be lots of fun kids’ things like fairy wands, tutus and hair bows,” Frees says. “There will be jewelry vendors and original jellies. We’re trying hard to keep it all handcrafted items.”
34 Date:
Family Health Fair: 8 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 20; Women’s Show: 9 a.m.- 4p.m.
Location:
Kansas State Fair
Date:
8-11 a.m., Saturday, April 27 (or when they sell out)
Location: Dillon Nature Center
Lesser Known Lovelies Plant Sale T i ny seed l i ngs a re beginning for sprout for the benefit plant sale at Dillon Nature Center. “We start about 10,000 plants for sale,” says Betty Taylor, who with her husband, James, orchestrates the annual fundraiser to help support the nature center. “It’s a little crazy,” says Betty of the magnitude of the popular spring plant show. This year they have selected 26 varieties of annuals to sell. “The only things we sell are the plants that greenhouses don’t sell,” says James. “Or if they do, they don’t sell them in four or six packs.”
The Taylors focus on the unusual. Some of the plants they sell grow rather large, like the tropical milkweed (which can grow to 3 feet tall). Unlike the plants sold at commercial greenhouses, these plants will not be in bloom the day of the sale. “They are young but will transplant well,” James says. “We have photographs so people will know what they will look like.” Thousands of plants will be available for purchase, but be forewarned—they go fast. “It’s one day only, and everyone participates,” says employee Linda Miller. “People can start from one end of Pleasantview and go to the other or pick and choose which businesses to visit.”
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
This year two events will celebrate health in tandem at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System is sponsoring the Family Health Fair, which will take place in conjunction with the Women’s Show. Physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and other health care professionals will be onsite to offer a wide array of health screenings and information on a variety of topics. “The family health fair will target the underinsured and uninsured,” says Susan Puls, director of the Health Fair. “It is our hope that the screenings and preventative education provided at the fair will allow the community to be proactive about their health.” The free Family Health Fair will take place in the Sunflower South Building on the fairgrounds. Meanwhile the Annual Soroptimist Women’s Show will be in full swing. Jewelry, clothing, accessories, lotions, candles, makeup and hairstylists can all be found under one roof at this event. The Soroptimist Club established the Women’s Show in 2002 and expanded the event to include a health fair in 2009. The show will be in the Meadowlark Building. Admission is $2 for ages 12 and older.
ph otog r aph y s h ut ter sto ck
Soroptimist Women’s Show and Family Health Fair
Spring Preview
Profile
35
HHutchinson Annual Outdoor Art Fair More than 50 years ago the Hutchinson Outdoor Art Fair began as a means for local artists to showcase their work. Through the ensuing decades the concept remained the same as the show grew to become an important part of the community’s social calendar. The now indoor and outdoor event takes place in Memorial Hall, on Walnut Street and in George Pyle Park, all in downtown Hutchinson. Fun for children is provided as well as music and food. Enjoy the talent of nearly 80 regional artists.
Date:
9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 11
Location: Downtown Hutchinson
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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features 38 Little hub on the prairie • 46 commemorative curtain call Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
38
Amtrak Avengers
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
e h t n o b u H e tl
Lit
Story by
Richard Shank Photography by
Aaron East
It’s
2a.m.
Main
Street is buttoned up, resting for another day. Local residents are snug in bed. Whipping across the plains, guided by bright headlights, is the Amtrak Southwest Chief. At 2:19 it comes to a complete stop, and just three minutes later it’s en route again. Somewhere across the Kansas prairie, the Southwest Chief will pass within sight of a westbound version of the same train as it prepares for a 3:20 a.m. stop in the Salt City. Hutchinson can lay claim to being one of only six cities in Kansas where Amtrak stops, with the other five being Newton, Topeka, Lawrence, Dodge City and Garden City. Thirty-five miles away, a sign hanging in Newton’s century-old train station labels Amtrak “America’s Railroad”—and that it is. Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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40
The Station Agent Hutchinson Magazine |
Some might think Hutchinson resident John Arbuckle, passenger service representative at the Amtrak Station in Newton, has an uneventful job. Arbuckle grew up with a love of trains and tells of owning several electric models during his youth, so it comes as no surprise he is well into his 41st year with Amtrak. He joined the organization on November 28, 1972, and for the past 13 years has been in charge of the operation at the Newton Amtrak Station. Arbuckle has worked in all the Amtrak-operated stations in Kansas: Hutchinson, Dodge City, Garden City, Emporia, Topeka, Wichita and also the Oklahoma City station.
Spring 2013
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John Arbuckle serves as the station agent for Amtrak in Newton.
Other than a handful of employees who reside in Kansas and work for Amtrak in Kansas City, Missouri, Arbuckle and two contemporaries, from Topeka and Garden City, are the only Kansas employees among 19,000 that are employed by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak’s parent company. As the clock strikes midnight in downtown Newton, Arbuckle unlocks the south and north doors. On most mornings, he brings in the new day with a group of customers from as far as northern Oklahoma as well as south central and southeast Kansas. He will remain on duty until 8 a.m. Last November Arbuckle celebrated his 40th Amtrak Anniversary at Cool Beans, located at the
Hutchinson Amtrak station. One of the attendees was Bob Mahathey, a former station agent. Arbuckle says he doesn’t mind being the lone employee eight hours a day in the massive historic building. “It is just a building,” he says. “For a time someone with the Santa Fe Railway had an infatuation with English Tudor style. The largest example is the former AT&SF depot in Colorado Springs, but there are others around.” These days, when the world is just a click away, it is refreshing to know that in Newton, you can talk to someone who can tell you everything you need to know about Amtrak … and sell you a ticket. John Arbuckle is that person.
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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The Passengers Dick Buzbee traveled the nation by airplane during the Dick & first 22 years of his career as a Kansas newspaper reporter marie and publisher, but his first trip buzbee on Amtrak converted him to rail service. Since the early 1980s, Buzbee and his wife, Marie, could be called frequent travelers on Amtrak. They can even lay claim to nearly 20 trips. “I tired of airline travel even before the need for high security or what I call strip searches,” Buzbee says with a wry laugh. Buzbee’s first trip on Amtrak was to attend a newspaper convention in Chicago. Today they often make the 2 a.m. drive to downtown Hutchinson to board the train for trips to California or the Washington, D.C., area to visit their children. The scenery, according to Buzbee, is great, but the most enjoyable part of any trip is the opportunity to visit with interesting people. “At mealtime, you will always be seated with strangers, some of whom may even tell you their life story,” Buzbee says. “I remember visiting with a pair of silver miners and learned a lot about that subject.” On a return trip from California, the train was diverted out of Colorado to avoid a mudslide. Soon the Buzbees found themselves traveling through the Dakotas and Wyoming while taking the long way home to Hutchinson. “The trip through the Dakotas provided an opportunity to explore the early stages of the oil boom in those states,” Buzbee says. The amenities extend beyond the scenery. Buzbee is quick to share that the Amtrak food is excellent and equal to a fine restaurant, certainly better than airline food from what he calls the good old days. “There is more to Amtrak than getting from here to there, and I have found the service to, more often than not, to be on schedule,” he says.
Lori Hart, Hutchinson resident, had to make a quick trip home to Iowa before going to Las Vegas for a business trip. As a result she opted to travel the first leg of the journey Lori via train. Her maiden voyage on Amtrak went so well that more trips are planned for the future. “I am adventuresome, so a ride on Amtrak provided an opportunity to visit this part of the country during the fall to see the rolling hills and the trees as they were changing colors,” Hart says. “We saw a lot of beautiful train stations along the way.” Hart traveled through her old college stomping grounds in Kirksville for a train’s-eye view of the area three decades after graduation. “The Amtrak staff was very polite,” she says. Amtrak is passenger-conscious, allowing passengers to bring their own food on board along with their favorite pillow and blanket from home. Even those needing to plug in will find outlets for computers and electronics in abundance. For Hart, one good trip deserves another, so she and her husband are planning a family outing to Chicago aboard Amtrak. “It is a relaxing way to travel and an experience I want to repeat,” Hart says.
Hart
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Spring 2013
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LEFT Dick and Marie Buzbee occasionally travel to California and Washington D.C. to visit their children. RIGHT John and Barbara Summervill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with Amtrak and friends on a trip to Chicago.
Denny Stoecklein never imagined standing on a railroad track at 2 a.m., peering into the dark waiting for the light of a train while awaiting the arrival of the Southwest Chief. He learned that one should never Denny say never. Stoecklein As the story goes, the Stoeckleins were looking for an affordable way to visit Chicago to celebrate their eldest son’s graduation from high school. So one May evening in 2011 the Stoeckleins were front and center at Hutchinson’s train station preparing to board for the 10-hour trip to the Windy City. “What amazed me is that the stop in Hutchinson was so short, and within a few minutes we were on our way,” Stoecklein says. “It was our first trip on Amtrak, and we may go again,” he continues. For the Stoeckleins the entire trip was low-stress, and they were pleased that there was no limitation on luggage. “It was a new experience; we may just want to repeat at some point,” he says.
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
Joh n a nd Ba rba ra Summervill were looking for a unique way to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, ultimately hosting nine friends and family members on John & a maiden voyage Barbara aboard Amtrak to Summervill Chicago. “It was the first Amtrak ride for all eight of us, so it was truly a new experience,” Barbara says. “What I liked most about Amtrak travel is that you are not tied to your seats and you can, at any time, get up and walk to the observation car or dining car,” she says. “We met a lot of wonderful and interesting people that we may connect with again.” During their trip, Barbara’s 7-year old grandson was engaging with another young boy. It turns out, John, a retired Nickerson High School teacher, had taught this young boy’s parents. “What makes the story even more interesting, I, many years ago, had played volleyball with his grandmother at the Hutchinson YMCA,” Barbara says.
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
Wi-Fi 42 service is available on
Number of Years
Amtrak has been in existence. President
Richard
Nixon saw a need for passenger rail service and proposed legislation in
1969
31 million passengers
2012
trains.
Cool Beans A groovy deli at the Hutchinson Amtrak Station.
Open 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday
minutes
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AMTRAK In 1971 Kansas’ legendary Attorney General Vern Miller raided Amtrak in Newton to seize all the liquor on board and arrest the conductor.
“The Vern Miller raid in Newton was a famous moment and a big deal, and to this day, Amtrak does not serve liquor on trains crossing Kansas,”
46
s tat e s have amtrak service
says John Arbuckle.
Order & CHECK IN tickets with your online smart phone IN
TRA TRAIN
Amtrak i n a u g u r at e d service in Hutchinson and throughout t h e n at i o n o n
M ay 1 , 1 9 2 1 In 2012, Amtrak was on time
98
percent of the time
Amt r a k may transport as many as
350 passengers
at a time Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
“During our busy times, Amtrak may add cars to the trains to accommodate increased demand.” – John Arbuckle 1970 – Nixon affixed his s i g n at u r e t o
Rail Pa s s e n g e r S e r v i c e A c t.
Time
V
allotted
to board a train
Newton
1930
Year the station was completed Sprawling two-story structure in
Tudor Revival The station was modeled after
William Shakespeare’s home on
Stratfordon-Avon. A hub for more than
130 years Local high school uses the
“Railroaders” as their
team mascot.
46
Barb Geuy gets in character as Robin from Godspell.
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
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e pa s t Fo r t h , rs 25 yea ily m a F the unit y m m Co e ha s Theatr ging ta been s terplay In plays. en e b et w n and e r child e wa s on adult s iginal or of t h e t h e f o ls g oa ation, iz n a o rg wa s which rly the fo r m e o n ins Hutch ’s en Childr e Theatr ily m a and F ’s n e r Child . T he e r t T h ea pt w a s co n c e r t h e a te to u s e u e iq a s a un ac h rell r te e T o t y s y t Pa wa ilit y Story by sponsib le e g r in L n Bria fe r aphy by a n d of o Photogr ht g row t uals. individ
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n i a t r Cu call
com ly
The Fami
atre
y The t i n u m m Co
ars
25 ye s e t a r b cele
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Nathan Geuy, left, as Father Christmas in Narnia and Ivan Tores as the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
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“It is different,” says Craig Williams, president of board of directors. “A dad can coach his kids in baseball or football, but he doesn’t necessarily play alongside them. Here the adult and the child are actually working together to come up with a product, and I think that’s pretty special.” That was exactly what Patrick McCreary had in mind when he founded the theater in 1988. The first show was Oliver!, which had a number of roles for children and adults. It was staged the following year in Memorial Hall. Since then they have performed 150 productions. While some larger musicals are still performed at Memorial Hall, the troupe mounts most productions at the Flag Theatre, which they purchased in 1993. Seasons host about eight shows a year, with at least one musical. That’s roughly one show a month with the exceptions of March, May, October and December, which are left open due to busy family schedules. After McCreary left in 2001, others in the organization began directing and taking on more responsibility. In the most recent season, 610 people participated in some way or another in producing shows. “For somebody to be involved with the theater and to be on stage they’re making a goodsized commitment,” says Williams. “Generally we rehearse for about six weeks, for the most part that’s three times a week that they are dedicating themselves to be at the show. It’s a lot of time, a lot of effort people put in.” The musicals are generally the largest casts and require about two months of practice. This year’s production will have 140 in the cast. In 2012 Narnia required 230 cast members. They encourage families to audition together, which is exactly how Williams got involved during the first production. His daughter was the first one in the family to be interested and went to audition for Oliver! in 1988. However, Williams wasn’t planning to be involved himself.
“I was sitting at home with my feet up on the couch watching football,” he says. “She called back and said, ‘They need men in the show in order to do it.’ And so I went down … tried to do a little dancing, did some singing and that’s when I began in the very first show. From that point on I’ve been involved in some form.” Today Williams’ daughter is a professional actress in California. He has moved from being a somewhat reluctant actor to directing and even writing musicals, and he’s not the only one who has seen his writing come to life on stage. “If we can find a show that fits our genre we certainly will do it,” says Williams. “When we first began the theater, that was one of our goals and values—to provide opportunities for local professionals to have their work shown. We have that history.” All productions are family-oriented. There is a general understanding that parents can bring their children to a show and know it will be appropriate. Williams jokes that they always have a full house because of the murals on both walls. Painted caricatures of celebrities and local people are blended. Elvis, Lincoln, Rhett Butler and the Beatles are all represented. Williams is still trying to identify some of the community people. “What we’ve tried to do is have a place where we can bring people together,” says Williams. “We believe that’s what theater can do. We are committed to providing this opportunity in our community.”
www.familychildrenstheater.com
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
Randy
50
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Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
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Walk er Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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g e r b l i n B e r
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Travel
South Dakota
Crazy Big and Bad South Dakota’s manmade and natural wonders blend a legacy of the Old West with monumental geologic attractions
Sto ry by Glo r ia G ale • Ph otog r aph y co u rtesy o f the so uth dakota d epartm ent o f to u r i s m
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Travel
South Dakota
T
here’s little stopping tumbleweeds pinwheeling across the rolling prairie in South Dakota until a sea of otherworldly bluffs, buttes and spires looms unexpectedly. Unlike the foothills of other mountain ranges, the western region of the state shifts abruptly from vast grasslands into an eerie lunar landscape of mammoth proportions. Throughout this rugged land pioneers once rushed for gold, battlefields echoed the wail of native tribes, and a steadfast symbol of democracy stands the test of time. An old-fashioned road trip covering roughly 350 miles is a leisurely way to experience the journey that in one week will yield a lifetime of memories.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
The gateway to the best-of-the-West itinerary begins at Rapid City providing easy access to monuments and parks. Badlands National Park is 1.5 hours southeast of Rapid City. The Lakotas named the “Maco Sica” or “Land Bad” upon discovering this wonderland of multihued spires, pinnacles and canyons. Erosion of the soft sedimentary rock dating back 37 million years is home to the world’s largest prehistoric fossil beds—all explained at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, Julie Johndreau, educational specialist in the park says, “Walk 10 feet from your car and you’re in the middle of nowhere. Even though it’s desolate, there’s so much to do here. Hike, bike, camp or take the 30-mile Badlands State Scenic Byway looping through the serrated sandstone landscape. You’ll never get bored.”
Camp for the night at the Cedar Pass Lodge or Circle View Guest Ranch offering travelers an opportunity to hunker down like a homesteader in an 1889 cabin. Head for the town of Wall, famous for the historic 1931 drugstore, to load up on souvenirs before traveling to one of America’s most enduring patriotic symbols ,Mount Rushmore National Memorial located in the Black Hills. The memorial was conceived by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who carved presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt on a 5,725-foot-tall granite mountain in 1937. The Shrine of Democracy took 14 years and 400 people (without a fatality) at a cost of $1 million to complete. Other Rushmore attractions include Avenue of the Flags, a half-mile walking trail, interpretive programs and a guided walks to the Sculptor’s studio. After one-half day at Rushmore, wind down Iron Mountain Road Scenic byway to Custer State Park, one of the largest state parks in the nation. This 71,000acre preserve of granite, pine and prairie is home to unparalleled scenic beauty and diverse wildlife. The 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road is a must-see overlooking grasslands supporting 1,500 bison and herds of bighorn and pronghorn sheep. “Custer State Park is a must stop for every traveler. Here, you’ll experience South Dakota’s only traffic jam—caused by a herd of bison, of course,” says Jim Hagen, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism. Custer Resorts offers five different historic game lodges for an overnight stay.
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Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Potato Creek Johnny are among Deadwood’s legendary residents now buried at Mount Moriah cemetery. Hutchinson Magazine |
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Travel
South Dakota
The Black Hills National Forest continues to the west with another driver’s delight on the 13-mile Needles Highway. This scenic drive provides spectacular hairpin turns surrounding granite formations and ponderosa pine forest so dense they look black. Within 30 minutes Crazy Horse Memorial presents itself. This titanic edifice, named after a 19th century Oglala Lakota chief who, with Sitting Bull, defeated Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn, has been under construction since 1948. Eventually, the builders say, it will be the largest sculpture in the world. There’s no lodging at Crazy Horse, but Deadwood has accommodations one hour north on Route 385 (the Black Hills Parkway). Born from a gulch of dead trees and a creek full of gold, this former mining camp emerged as a notorious l874 town sporting gunslingers and gamblers. Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Potato Creek Johnny are among Deadwood’s legendary residents now buried at Mount Moriah cemetery. Rootin’-tootin Deadwood LEFT is a national historic landmark and filled with Old Style numerous attractions dedicated to its bawdy Saloon No. 10 past. in Deadwood While there are many more exciting South Dakota adventures, this journey closes with Photograph from Shutterstock breakfast in Cheyenne Crossing, just west of Deadwood. This historic stagecoach stop TOP is as famous now as it was in 1878. The cafe Bridal Veil Falls in and general store sit at the gateway to the final Spearfish Canyon drive that’s another jewel in the northwestern in South Dakota Photograph from Black Hills—Spearfish Canyon. Birch, Shutterstock spruce and aspen comprise this sylvan forest that dominates the 22-mile scenic byway. Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Hutch talks
Terry
Bruce Kansas Senator Terry Bruce, District 34
S
enator Terry Bruce could be considered the young gun, recently elected as the Majority Leader of the Kansas Senate. At only 37 years old, Bruce has served the Senate for eight years. Despite a busy legislative session, Bruce was available for a few questions. On your background in Hutchinson I grew up in Reno County and still reside there with my family. I worked at the District Attorney’s Office for almost four years and have been in private practice for eight years. On the Legislature Being a part of an institution that has existed since statehood and will continue to exist long after I’m gone is a source of great pride. But the most enjoyable part of my experience in the Senate is the people I serve with. Working with my peers to enact legislation that benefits the people of this state is why I continue to serve, and it gives me faith in our future. It’s ability to come together and rally behind a common goal. Hutchinson is truly envied by other cities for its ability to get things done. On Hutchinson To grow in population, create high-quality jobs and better the educational outcomes of our young people. On law and politics I always had an affinity for history and, to a lesser degree, politics, but not so much for law. As my interest in politics grew while in college, the connection between politics, good government and the law began to form. On your mentor Although I have certainly looked up to numerous role model figures and tried to emulate the specific qualities of those figures I admire, I’ve never had a mentor in the traditional sense. On your legacy I don’t necessarily worry about my “legacy.” Other people will determine my legacy after I’m gone. I worry about doing the best I can today with what I have at the moment and treating people along the way as well as I can. If I do that, my “legacy” will take care of itself. The bucket list No bucket list for this guy! Nor am I interested in making one. I do, however, have a fairly lengthy honey-do list. I nte rvi e w co n d u cte d an d e d ite d by k at y ib s en • Ph otog r aph by B r ian Lin g le
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Spring 2013
Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2013
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Hutch talks
linda
Schmitt executive director, Reno County Historical Society
L
inda Schmitt is a thirdgeneration Hutchinson native. She took her Kansas roots to school at the University of Kansas, then, after a few years in Denver, moved back to Hutchinson to raise three children. In the summer of 1965, Schmitt remembers her mother driving her to Lincoln School where she volunteered for Head Start—this would in turn ignite a spirit of giving back for Schmitt as well. In the ’80s Linda served with CASA as the executive director of Visions of Hope Inc., then worked with alcohol and drug prevention and crisis intervention in schools as a specialist at ESSDACK. Along the way she served as chairperson of the local United Way campaign, which exceeded its annual goal. In 2006 she was inspired by the opportunity to serve as the executive director of the Reno County Historical Society where she was thrilled to be able to open the Underground Salt Museum. Schmitt reflects on her journey.
On Head Start I had the chance to work with kids that didn’t have the opportunities I had, so it was an eye-opening experience for a girl of 15. On Hutchinson I found that when you leave Hutchinson and return, you have a new appreciation of the city. Hutchinson has terrific people who are naturally positive and are willing to help and support good causes. The Underground Salt Museum Nobody in the world has a job like mine, and it’s incredible to be able to do this in the hometown that I love. I love this job and am passionate about both the Reno County Museum and Kansas Underground Salt Museum. Every day brings new experiences. The Memorial Hall Time Capsule project last year was particularly meaningful. On a Legacy If I had to name my legacy, it would be to help ensure the financial sustainability of both the Kansas Underground Salt Museum and the Reno County Museum. To me, this is the greatest job in the world. The bucket list Travel to China, Russia and Australia, but most important is spending quality time with five growing grandchildren. I nte rvi e w co n d u cte d an d e d ite d by k at y ib s en • Ph otog r aph by B r ian Lin g le
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Hutchinson Magazine: Spring 2013
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best bets
17
Handel’s Messiah
7:30 p.m. Stringer Fine Arts Center Hutchinson Community College Chorale along with the Reno Choral Society present their annual rendition of Handel’s Messiah.
march
21
Coffee at the Cosmo: World War II Remembered: Leaders, Battles, and Heroes
March 30
May 5
Press Run 5K
Annual Sand Plum Bicycle Classic
8:30 a.m. Rice Park shelter house, Jim P. Martinez Sunflower Trail The second-annual 5K Press Run raises money for The Hutchinson News Journalism Mentorship/Scholarship program. Each year, a student who plans to major in journalism receives a $1,000 scholarship. Entry fee is $20 in advance and $25 the day of the race. www.hutchshops.com/The-Press-Run-5k-Registration
April 7
March
9 a.m. Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center Enjoy a presentation on “World War II Remembered: Leaders, Battles, and Heroes,” with special guest speaker William Snyder, curator, Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. Artifacts from the collection could be on display for this entertaining and educational event. www.cosmo.org.
Kansas Antique Bottle & Postcard Show 9 a.m. Kansas State Fairgrounds, Sunflower South Building Annual Kansas Antique Bottle and Postcard Show will take place at the Sunflower South Building on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Bring in old bottles, postcards and tokens for free appraisals. Admission is free.
April 21 Hutchinson Symphony Presents Dancin’ The Night Away 7:30 p.m. Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre Hutchinson Symphony Presents Dancin’ The Night Away, to include: “Invitation to the Dance,” by Carl Maria Von Weber; “Tarantella from Symphony No. 4, ‘The Italian,’” by Felix Mendelssohn; and “Hoe Down and Buckaroo Holiday” from Rodeo by Aaron Copland. Tickets are available at the Fox Box Office: (620) 663-1981 or (877) FOX-SHOW, www.hutchsymphony.org.
april
27-28 2013 Vettes & Harleys at the Hutchinson Zoo
April 16 Dillon Lecture Series, Elizabeth Smart
10:30 a.m. Hutchinson Sports Arena The Dillon Lecture Series welcomes Elizabeth Smart who, at the age of 14, was snatched from her home in Utah and held prisoner and subjected to abuse for nine months. The Dillon Lecture Series offers four lecturers each year. Tickets are $10 at the door. For more information, (620) 665-3505.
Shine up your ’Vettes and Harleys for this spectacular two-day event. All show proceeds will benefit the construction of a new otter exhibit at the Hutchinson Zoo. Zoo admission on show days is a $5 suggested donation, and kids will enjoy free train rides all day with a paid adult. Registration cost is $20 per vehicle/bike. www.hutchgov.com/zoo
Please submit event information to: hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com (Dates and times subject to change)
Hutchinson Magazine |
Spring 2013
8 a.m., House of Capper, Kansas State Fairgrounds Register now for the Annual Sand Plum Bicycle Classic. This year, choose from a 50-mile, 25-mile, 12-mile or family route. Registration is just $25 and includes T-shirts and rest stops along the route. Proceeds from this event support the Friends of the Trail Fund. For more information call: (620) 662-3391
may
17-18 Abbyville Frontier Days Rodeo & BBQ
Abbyville Frontier Days Rodeo & BBQ is quality family entertainment at an affordable price. Rodeo is 8 p.m. daily. Saturday events begin with the morning parade followed by lunch, games and entertainment The BBQ is served prior to the Saturday night performance.
May 18 Reno County Farmer’s Market
As another year at the market kicks off, enjoy music while shopping for homemade jams and jellies, salsa and baked goods, browse for crafts and gifts, pick up some honey produced by local bees and purchase locally grown, healthy produce, eggs and meats. (620) 669-0033. 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Washington Street in Historic Downtown Hutchinson.