Hutchinson Magazine Fall 2015 by Sunflower Publishing

fall 2015

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tombstone

tales

POWs

at the Fairgrounds

Meet Salty,

Stratacaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Underground Tour Guide

Hutchinson Volume 08 / Issue 02

Magazine

dear readers Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Director Dave Gilchrist Marketing Solutions Manager Anita Stuckey For Advertising Rates and Information

(620) 694-5700 ext. 222 sales Executives

Tammy Colladay Jade Piros de Carvalho Kyle Flax Rachel Hixson Tony Mascorro Lacie Nash Kevin Rogg Tom Sullivan ad designers

DeRay Gamble Kim Hoskinson Jessica Price Patrick Sweeley Nate Weaver Photographers

Kristen Garlow Piper Deborah Walker illustrators

Brady Scott

Contributing Writers

As I reached out to the Hutchinson residents featured in our story, “Remember the POW Camp of 1945,” I got to relive the thrill that made me pursue journalism as a career. After vividly sharing their memories of the German prisoners of war who worked on their families’ farms for just a few months, they would end the conversation with something like, “I’ve shared this story with my friends … and they had no idea this even happened here!” It’s these small pieces of our history that I love bringing to light. In the brief time the POWs lived in Hutchinson, they shared kindness, languages and personal histories with the farming families; they developed mutual trust, and in one case described in our feature, formed lifelong friendships that would never falter despite distance and time. Not everyone was around to share the experience, but we can all sit down with a cup of coffee 70 years later and share the story. Or take a trip to the Encampment Building during the Kansas State Fair this fall and reminisce about when the fairgrounds hosted a very different crowd. We also had the pleasure of hitting the trails with moms (and babies) who have a sense of adventure and an appreciation for the great outdoors. We knew it would provide for some pretty precious photographic moments (see cover), but did that keep us from “ooh-ing” and “aww-ing” over each baby strapped to mommy’s back? Not a chance.

Amy Bickel Amy Conkling Kathy Hanks Cecilia Harris Edie Ross Richard Shank Patsy Terrell

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Hutchinson Magazine

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

Send your comments and suggestions to hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com

Fall 2015

contents Features 40

Remember the POW Camp of 1945

hike it baby

For just a few months, the Encampment Building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds became home to 100 German prisoners of war—and in that brief time, lifelong memories and unexpected friendships were formed.

Hutchinson moms weigh in on raising hikers through local branch of national organization Hike It Baby.

departments Lifestyle

08 18 REASONS TO CONQUER COTTONWOOD HILLS Cottonwood Hills is fast becoming a destination for golfers from Wichita and other neighboring cities.

Right up their Alley

After four years without a bowling center, Hutchinson welcomes a new family entertainment facility with more than a few lanes.

Profiles

In Every Issue: 2 dear readers

the end quote

best bets

A Mascot is Born

Every Stone has a Story …

Homeschoolers Unite

hutch illustrated

From the Archives

Deep in the salt deposits of the Strataca, find new underground tour guide Salty the dinosaur. Taking cemetery walks with local photographer Gale Wall. Parents who teach their kids themselves form a support group to share resources, classes and curricula. Come to the Fair! Buckskin Bill’s Wild West and Halloween in Hutchinson.

Travel

Pomp and Pageantry

A taste of history await visitors to the 25th Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Reenactment.

Hutch Talks

Alex Mathias

Guitarist in AEM Metal

61 Kath Helfrich Owner of Fashionista

Hutchinson Magazine

departments

8..................................... Lifestyle 20.................................. Profiles 52.....................................travel 58............................hutch talks

Hutchinson Magazine

Lifestyle

REASONS TO CONQUER COTTONWOOD HILLS

This championship course is fast becoming a destination for golfers from Wichita and other neighboring cities. Story by Richard Shank

Photography courtesy Percolate Creative

A century ago, an area east of the Buhler Haven Road was truly home on the range for the deer and antelope to play. In 2006, a group of investors spotted the 600-acre tract of pastureland east of Hutchinson, not far from the world famous Prairie Dunes Country Club, and envisioned a set of links that could be a perfect fit for those dusty sand hills. Soon, celebrated English golfer and architect Nick Faldo would visit and approve the site, and his challenging course design helped Cottonwood Hills gain prominence in national golf publications. Unfortunately, as the nation dealt with the effects of a recession, the course was closed in 2010. Four years later, 10 to 12 Wichita-area businessmen made financial investments to revive the course. The course celebrated its second grand opening in May 2015. Each Faldo venue is considered challenging, and Hutchinson’s is no exception. “If these stunning surroundings aren’t enough to inspire golfers of all levels to produce their very best, then I hope that our design will compel them to dig deep and fully engage with our strategically challenging layout,” says Faldo on his portfolio website about the Hutchinson facility.

Hutchinson Magazine

Fall 2015

Lifestyle “The more you play it, the more it grows on you. It is a difficult course and is very demanding.” –Matt Seitz

Hutchinson Magazine

Cottonwood Hills is fast becoming a destination for golfers from Wichita and other neighboring cities. We compiled 18 reasons (one for each hole) to try your hand at conquering the course. Reconnect with nature

1. Playing a round of golf at Cottonwood Hills is a nature walk, says course superintendent Nathan Ratzlaff, because you will have a built-in audience of every form of wildlife species common to south central Kansas. Award-winning design

2. Approximately 50 other golf courses worldwide bear Nick Faldo’s design name. Cottonwood Hills has been featured in many golf publications including Golf Digest, Golf Inc. and Travel + Leisure Golf. Anything but easy

3. Mastering the course is a challenge for even the best golfers. Cottonwood Hills is said to challenge even scratch golfers. Local plumber Craig Barkley, who has been an area golfer for 30 years, says, “It is a tough course with lots of hidden shots, which means you can’t always see what you are shooting for.” Joy rides

4. Six miles of winding paths to cruise in that golf cart. Yes, please. Natural terrain

5. Nick Faldo and his design team envisioned a golf course that incorporated existing topography. Few bulldozers moved any dirt, instead spending the majority of the time clearing brush. Make it your own

6. Golfers can tee off on any of five tee boxes that are designed with various difficulty levels. So, depending on how confident you feel on any given day, golfers have multiple options to adjust their skill level. Tranquility

7. The course is spread out to give golfers a feeling of seclusion. Golfers may feel like they are alone on the Kansas prairies with scant visible evidence of the next hole. Tackle blind shots

8. Four holes are labeled blind shots, which means the golfers can’t see the hole they are aiming for when teeing off.

Fall 2015

Lifestyle

Cottonwood Hills is an 18-hole championship golf course designed by celebrated English golfer and architect Nick Faldo with similarities to courses in England, Scotland and Ireland. With natural terrain, rolling sand hills and hidden shots, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proven to be a spot where the best golfers are in for a challenge.

Hutchinson Magazine

Amazing upkeep

9. Staff members are in constant movement to maintain the course that Mother Nature would love to reclaim as rolling grasslands that were once undisturbed by mankind. Superior surfaces

10. Zoysia grass is the cover crop of choice for Cottonwood Hills, which provides an excellent playing surface for golfers, and requires less irrigation than other varieties. Relax and reenergize

11. Sheriff Randy Henderson finds solace in hitting the links in his free time. “You don’t see anybody else when you are playing the course. On the other hand, if you are afraid of losing golf balls, you won’t like the course,” Henderson says, laughing.

Attention to detail

Soothing creek sounds

12. A staff of 10 is available to assist golfers with even the smallest details. Longtime Hutchinson golfer Luke Herren says, “I always noticed that staff is on site working non-stop to cover all the bases.”

15. There’s plenty of water at Cottonwood Hills, thanks to an ample number of creeks and ponds.

Never gets old

13. “The first time you play the course you may not appreciate Cottonwood Hills,” says club manager and golf pro Matt Seitz. “But the more you play it, the more it grows on you. It is a difficult course and is very demanding.”

Worldly influences

16. The course invites comparison to golf courses in Scotland and Australia, according to designer Nick Faldo. Ever-changing landscape

17. No two greens are identical in size or design. Some are rolling, and others appear to twist in several directions. Hone your skills

Seasonal surprises

14. Each season the course is reinvented as it alternates between yucca plants, Sandhill plums, wild flowers and the changing colors of leaves from every tree known to Reno County.

18. Golfers are provided a practice area among the largest of any course in the region, Ratzlaff says, including a putting green, pitching green, chipping green and a practice sand trap.

Fall 2015

Chanel Barrett and her daughter Ellie enjoy a family night of bowling at The Alley, along with husband Craig and son Ethan (pictured right).

Hutchinson Magazine

Right up their

alley After four years without a bowling center, Hutchinson welcomes a new family entertainment facility with more than a few lanes. Story by Amy Bickel

Photography by Kristen Garlow Piper

With a look of competitive determination, Cole Unruh held the green bowling ball with both hands against his chest before letting it fly with all the oompf the 7-year-old could muster. Straight into the gutter. Mike Unruh gave his son an encouraging smile, coaxing him back up on the floor for a second shot as his little sister, Hartlyn, 2 years old, munched on a plate of nachos. Mike, a military man now stationed in Missouri, says he tries to return to his hometown of Hutchinson every few months with his daughter and wife, Tamera, to see Cole, who lives with his mom, Mike’s first wife. Sometimes Mike takes his son swimming. Often—at least for the past three years—they venture out of town to find family friendly entertainment. Not anymore, however. As the summer sun scorched down outside, the Unruhs pulled on pairs of those funny, multicolored shoes in the air-conditioned insides of Hutchinson’s newest attraction—The Alley. “Before, we had to go to Wichita,” Mike says. “It’s great to have the opportunity to spend money here rather than driving somewhere else.”

The Alley

Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Fall 2015

Lifestyle

The Alley has a variety of arcade games and activities to entertain the whole family.

Hutchinson Magazine

“People waited all morning to come Newest attraction This isn’t your grandparents’ dark and in,” Tracy says of opening day. “I understood the interest—at least I smoky run-of-the-mill bowling alley. The Alley houses 20 lanes, a laser tag thought I knew the interest of bowlers,” arena, arcade center, Spin Zone bumper Dillon says, adding he was pleasantly cars, concessions stands, along with a surprised that it “was much more than sports grill and restaurant that has 18 I ever thought before we started this.” televisions. There’s also a boutique-style bowling area that has six private lanes Family fun with projection television screens and The Alley’s popularity is evident leather lounging sofas. throughout the facility, particularly from “It’s perfect for parties,” says Tracy the squeals of Ellie and Shelby Alexander, Tanley, manager of The Alley. in the arcade game room. For a while, it seemed like bowling in The two, ages 8 and 6 respectively, Hutchinson was a thing of the past. When were riding on a virtual airplane longtime Countryside Lanes closed in simulator while their dad, Eddie, and 2011, selling its building to a church, the brother, Mason, 14, played another game. closest place for avid bowlers was at least “I love all the games,” Ellie says. 30 minutes away. For Mason, it Hutch i nson is the variety he attor ney a nd loves, as he doesn’t Reno Cou nt y always like doing com m issioner the same things as Brad D i l lon his sisters. “I think teamed up with it is pretty cool local builder Jim all the stuff they Strawn, however, have,” he says. to bring a new It was their bowling alley to second trip to The town. Alley, Eddie says, “I used to who took the day —Tracy Tanley, on opening day off from his job bowl in a league at Countryside in Hutchinson to with a team of spend it with his lawyers,” Dillon kids. The first was says. “I realized from that how important for Shelby’s sixth birthday party a week a bowling alley is to a town. When I read after the center opened. Countryside was going to be sold, we “It’s more than a normal bowling knew we had to do something …, and alley,” Eddie says. “It’s cleaner, nicer. I we knew we had to partner with someone love it.” who knew the business.” With a Monday off work from his job Strawn and Dillon found 10 local at McPherson’s Hospira, Hutchinson investors, as well as Frank and Cathy resident Craig Barrett took his two DeSocio, whose Wichita JOMA Bowling children, Emma, 10, and Ethan, 8, for company operates bowling centers a day of fun with dad. They met mom, in three states. They began plans for Chanel, for lunch at The Alley’s sports something bigger than a bowling alley; bar, A.J.’s, then began round two of they wanted to build a state-of-the-art bowling, bumper cars and laser tag. entertainment center that would attract Ethan was beating Emma on this a variety of people of all ages. set of bowling. Dad, however, ended up After securing a site and finalizing beating them all. “Let’s do another game,” plans for The Alley, crews broke ground shouted Emma, adding, “This time I’m in August 2014. They were able to attract first.” Tanley, a Hutchinson native whose father For a family bonding experience, operated the former Countryside alley for it’s perfect, Craig says. It’s become a several years. bimonthly tradition. The long-anticipated complex opened “It’s a long time coming,” he says. in May. “Hutch really needed this.”

“People waited all morning to come in.”

Bowler for life

Some kids want to be teachers, veterinarians or doctors. Tracy Tanley wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps to run a bowling alley. “When I was a child, my dad worked for Countryside Lanes in Hutchinson,” The Alley manager says, adding she started working for a bowling alley when she was 14. “When I was in high school, going off to college, I told him I wanted to manage my own bowling center.” He tried to encourage her to do something else, Tanley says with a laugh. She was on the bowling team at the University of Kansas, but eventually she came back to Hutchinson, started a family and put her dream on the back burner. Now, after 20 years of working as a senior team leader at Target, her dream is coming true. Tanley sent her resume to JOMA Bowling, the Wichita-based company that operates The Alley. They offered her the job as the complex’s general manager last fall. It’s been exciting to see the kids enjoying The Alley, Tanley says, who still coaches Buhler High School’s bowling team. Moreover, it’s been amazing seeing her dream come true. Her dad, who now works for an eastcoast company that has 11 bowling centers, is excited for her. “It’s been really fun for me at this age,” she says. “I have kids who have just graduated from college and one in college, and to see me do my dream, I hope it encourages them to not give up and pursue what they really want to do.”

Fall 2015

Lifestyle

Hutchinson Magazine

the details Bowling—The Alley features 20 traditional bowling lanes, as well as six boutique lanes for private parties. The private area features projection televisions and leather lounge seating. The lanes include bumpers that automatically go up for youth and down for experienced adults. There is also an automated scoring system. Leagues—Investor Brad Dillon started a league for business professionals this summer. Tanley says league bowling will begin this fall. Laser tag—There are plenty of places to duck and dive in this two-story laser tag arena. It features cool artwork that sets the scene for game play. It’s big enough for 24 people. Games/activities—There also are bumper cars, as well as an arcade with high-end games where users can win points for prizes. A.J.’s—The sports grill is perfect for family dinners, Tanley says. It has a mixture of bars, booths and tables, along with patio seating. One feature on the menu is a pizza 29 inches in diameter. Televisions—If you don’t want to miss a big sporting event—no worries. There are plenty of screens at The Alley. A.J.’s itself has 18, which include an arena-style scoreboard with four flat screens, giving customers at any table a view of their favorite games. “Hutchinson has never had a bar like this with that number of televisions,” Dillon says, adding it makes it a unique environment to watch sporting events. Antique décor—While The Alley is brand new, vintage details accent the decor. “It’s one of my favorite parts,” says Tanley, pointing to a wall above the concessions stand that has a black and white photo of a Hutchinson hamburger street vendor—back when hamburgers were just 5 cents apiece. Other photos of Hutchinson’s past decorate the walls like paintings, including antique photos of bowlers and children at play, and one of Hutchinson’s downtown alleys hangs in the entryway.

Fall 2015

profile

A Mascot IS

BORN Deep in the salt deposits of the Strataca, find new underground tour guide Salty the dinosaur Story by Patsy Terrell Photography by Deborah Walker

Kait Dewey doodled her way to creating Stratacaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest member of the family, Salty. This cartoon dinosaur appears in activity books to remind youngsters of their visit to the museum.

Hutchinson Magazine

When Kait Dewey was asked to create signs for a Murder in the Mine mystery dinner at Strataca, she had no idea she would create what would become the museum’s mascot. Dewey had just started working at Strataca and would doodle cartoons during slow times while manning the Salt Cellar Gift Shop. After sharing them with her colleagues, management recognized her talent, and Dewey was asked to create the signage for the interactive dinner theater event. That was when Salty the dinosaur came to life, complete with a hardhat and rescuer, just like visitors to the mine are required to wear. “I’ve drawn a dinosaur similar to Salty for several years now,” Dewey says. “When I was told that there actually is a Saltasaurus dinosaur, I did some research on that and the Brachiosaurus that I’d already been drawing essentially gained spikes and bony scales to become a Saltasaurus.”

“We thought that he was a cute, iconic character.” —Linda Schmitt, executive director of Strataca

The Saltasaurus lived in the salt marshes of South America during the Cretaceous period. The Strataca salt deposits are from the Permian period, many millions of years before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Staff members sometimes have to explain to little kids there is no dinosaur underground, but that doesn’t detract from the charm of Salty. Sending Salty underground Dewey and a coworker, Jay Brown, had an idea to create an activity book that would remind young visitors of their museum visit. They thought the activity book would also be good for children under 4 years of age, who can’t go underground due to federal regulations. Salty could show them what is underground. Ironically, Brown is known around the mine as “Salty” because he used to wear a dinosaur suit for some promotional videos, long before cartoon Salty came along.

Fall 2015

profile

3 fast facts about the real Saltasaurus • The Saltasaurus isn’t named for the mineral found deep in the mines of Strataca, but for Argentinian city Salta, where its fossil remains were first found. • While it was about 39 feet long and weighed 8 tons, the Saltasaurus is comparatively small for a Sauropod dinosaur. • Because of bony plates in its hide, the Saltasaurus is the first long-necked dinosaur to fend off predators with its armor, and not with its long neck and massive size.

Hutchinson Magazine

Everyone fell in love with Salty. Strataca decided to buy the rights to him so he could be used on various products. The first was a coloring/activity book. “We thought that he was a cute, iconic character,” says Linda Schmitt, executive director of Strataca. They asked Dewey to work up a number of pages for the book, which showed Salty at various places in the mine and included information about Strataca. Before printing it, they wanted to gauge its appeal to elementary school kids. “We asked the teacher of Union Valley’s afterschool program if we could introduce the coloring book to grade school students and get their reactions to Salty and to the activities in the book,” Schmitt says. “The kids not only eagerly did the activities in the book, they gave us feedback and ideas for pages such as a dot-to-dot page that was added.” So far Salty is only in the coloring book and on a magnet, and while Dewey no longer works for Strataca, the museum will continue to use the image and hopes to release dino backpacks and T-shirts for kids in the future. Becoming an illustrator Dewey was pleased to hear of Strataca’s interest in purchasing Salty’s image. “I wasn’t really sure what to think at first, honestly,” Dewey says. “I was speechless. Then, when it had finally sunk in, it was just very exciting.” It also achieved a personal mission for Dewey. “I’ve always wanted to write and illustrate a children’s book,” she says. “It kind of felt like I’d fulfilled a major goal.” Dewey also designs fliers for a local music promoter. However, she says, her artwork is really just for her. “I mostly just use art to relax,” Dewey says. “I’ll start with a doodle, and sometimes my doodles become much more complex. Sometimes, when my projects are complete, I’ll share my artwork with my friends online.” Those do include cartoons from time to time. “I have made some other characters, but none have come to life as Salty has,” she says. Salty has proven popular with visitors, especially the younger children. “I’ve even had a few young visitors ask for Salty’s autograph in their coloring books,” Dewey says. “I have always had a very active imagination and I am a visual thinker. So, since I was young, I have used drawing as a way to express and communicate my thoughts.” She wanted to pursue art from a very young age, since meeting an author and illustrator in first grade. “After that, I decided I wanted to do the same,” Dewey says. “I was very adamant about it, too. I made so many picture books and storybooks growing up. I even tried to apply to an Art Institute when I was 10.” Fortunately for Strataca, she chose a different path that led to Salty’s creation. “Salty will remain our official mascot and we will continue to find creative ways to use him,” Schmitt says.

Fall 2015

profile

Gale Wallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite personal project was documenting the oldest cemetery in Hutchinson, Eastside Cemetery. She thinks cemetery walks offer an afternoon of discovery with the history, beauty, art, carvings, symbolism, epitaphs and landscapes. Photo by Deborah Walker

Hutchinson Magazine

Photo courtesy Gale Wall

Every Stone has a

STORY ...

Taking cemetery walks with local photographer Gale Wall Story by Kathy Hanks

Photography by Deborah Walker and Gale Wall

Gale Wall took her first cemetery photo back in 1977. She was a sixth grader visiting Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Wall had no clue at the time that she would grow into an adult with an affinity for documenting fascinating tombstones. Whether on planned trips to Hutchinson’s Eastside Cemetery or driving along a rural road and spotting a fence around some leaning headstones, Wall can easily lose herself on cemetery walks. If her husband, Barry is at the wheel of the car, he has learned to stop and let her explore. “He’s very patient and considerate and knows it’s my passion,” Wall says. Combining a fascination for cemeteries, genealogy and photography, Wall began photographing cemeteries earnestly in 1999 while working on her family history. Her roots are deep in the panhandle of Florida, southern Georgia and Alabama. These roots can also be found in her voice as she speaks

passionately with a southern accent, explaining how she traced her family back 10 generations. “Along the way I began to notice the landscapes, beautifully carved headstones and epitaphs on many of the stones,” Wall says. She began snapping photos of every fascinating tombstone she saw whether relative or not. She would find what she was looking for and then meander to enjoy all of the other interesting tombstones. She discovered early on that cemeteries were sacred places—there was nothing haunting about them. “They are for the living to pay their respects and visit their loved ones,” Wall says. At the same time cemeteries are places for her to get acquainted with total strangers as she reads tombstone inscriptions, which often tell a story. By 2004, she and Barry were living in Olathe, and she discovered a small cemetery from the late 1880s that was about to be swallowed up by development.

Wall’s top three cemeteries

Cionsult orendacta, se catus, cononsi mponsus ex manterei sentere nem recienatam possentiam re crit? Catam norum di portanum

1. Linwood Cemetery, Columbus, Georgia: Wall’s hometown cemetery dating back to the 1800s is filled with wonderful art and carvings. 2. Bonaventure, Savannah, Georgia: It was featured in the book and movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. 3. Bellefontaine Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri: This is where she found a monument of two babies carved in stone, lying together in a crib.

Fall 2015

GRAVEYARD

101 In Eastside Cemetery, Gale Wall has found headstones with a broken column, which symbolizes a life cut short. Symbols for fraternal organizations are also common, such as Free Masons, Odd Fellows and Order of the Eastern Star. “An interesting find in cemeteries I’ve visited on the East Coast and in southern states are headstones with death or winged heads and soul effigies. A symbol for death, danger or the dead, as well as piracy, a death head usually consists of a skull with or without two long crossed bones. The winged heads are not as sinister looking and are symbolic of the soul freed and taken into the afterlife,” Wall says. Photos courtesy Gale Wall

Mail-order tombstones 26

Hutchinson Magazine

Monument companies were not always the only place to purchase a headstone, says Gale Wall. For many decades you could order one from a Sears or Montgomery Ward catalog. Grave guards and arches first appeared in the 1897 Sears Fall catalog, and Sears issued a special tombstone catalog annually from 1902 until 1949. Montgomery Ward began issuing its own in 1920.

Knowing the remains could be moved and the cemetery plowed under in the process, Wall made a conscious decision to record and preserve the 50 headstones. “Should something happen, I had documented it,” Wall says. Since then she has been on a mission and has photographed 364 cemeteries across 13 states. Most photos were taken in Kansas; 55 of them in Reno County. Wall plans to donate these photos to genealogy sites in the future. When she stops at a new cemetery, she generally heads to the oldest section. “Those are the ones most lost to time and the elements,” she says. That’s how she found Bill Austin, a pioneer and a one-time Sylvia constable who died in 1923. His tombstone, when Wall first photographed it, included a glass-encased black and white portrait of Austin, handsome with a big brush of a mustache. When she returned three years later, Austin’s photograph was gone—confirming for her the importance of documenting tombstones. It had simply faded away behind the glass.

Wall lives with a “magnetic pull,” says professional photographer Dave McKane, a friend of Wall’s who divides his time between Dublin, Ireland, and Hutchinson. He says every photographer he has ever known has an inherent desire to capture a particular thing. “There is no proper explanation for this except to say that an artist must first be true to themselves; they must answer the call no matter whether it lies in a graveyard, or a glorious sunset, or the smile on a young child’s face,” McKane says. “When we find what we love to shoot, we never need an alarm to force us out of our bed; we never balk at the distances we must travel. When we find what we love to shoot we will essentially shoot forever.” Meanwhile that magnetic pull has led Wall to blog about cemeteries, genealogy and photography. In 2012 she launched her photography business. Now, after a two-year search, she has bought a building on Hutchinson’s Main Street and opened Gale Wall Photography, a gallery and studio. In Wall’s free time, cemeteries still offer an afternoon of discovery. Because she has learned, “Every stone has a story. And they are waiting to be told.”

Fall 2015

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Stephanie Miller, co-founder of the Reno County Homeschool Connection, teaches all six of her children out of her home.

Hutchinson Magazine

Homeschoolers

UNITE

Parents who teach their kids themselves form a support group to share resources, classes and curricula. Story by Edie Ross

Photography by Kristen Garlow Piper

Inside the sunlit front room of Stephanie and Steve Miller’s colonial home, their two youngest daughters sit cross-legged on the carpet, creating shapes and designs using magnets. A large breezeway opens up to the wood-floored dining room where the Millers’ four other children—all kids ages 3 to 11— sit around the dining room table doing a science experiment using a circuit-maker. Stephanie walks back and forth between the two rooms, asking the children questions about their projects, giving suggestions and then leaving them to discover and learn. It is a normal morning for the Millers, one family in Hutchinson’s growing population of homeschoolers.

Across the county, Bergin and Luc Staedtler’s three children make their way up the stairs in their two-story farmhouse to the “school” room. Brightly painted walls and book-lined shelves greet them. The kids sit at an oversized desk that Bergin fashioned for teaching purposes. During lessons, she sits at the head of the desk to instruct. These two families take different approaches to homeschooling, but each has seen advantages of educating their children outside of public classrooms. They both have takeaways from their respective experiences that could help each other and many other families who have in-home classrooms.

Fall 2015

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The Staedtlers are one of 140 families who take advantage of resources offered in the Reno County Homeschool Connection, including shared activities in lessons that may be too technical or messy to work on at home.

Hutchinson Magazine

Most importantly, together they can acknowledge some common areas where they found their methods lacking and use shared resources to reinforce their lessons. Meeting needs Identifying some of the weak areas in homeschooling gave rise to the Reno County Homeschool Connection, which Stephanie Miller and Monica Hoy founded in May 2014. The organization—made up of area parents—helps identify needs unique to homeschool families and works to provide resources to meet those needs. They help facilitate social activities for the kids, offer support for parents/guardians, and help with classes in subjects that are challenging (or too messy) to teach at home. RCHC began as an outlet for homeschool families to connect to one another via “a la carte style” club activities focusing on art, literature, science and other subjects once a week for elementary school-aged children. Parents could sign their students up for activities as frequently as they’d like. These clubs meet at various businesses around Hutchinson: art club meets at Hatch Studios; sewing club at Cottonwood Quilts; literature club at Bluebird Books; knitting club at Yarn; science club at Dillon Nature Center; and music club at Johnson’s Music. They serve as workshops for both the parent and the child. “For clubs, moms join in and do the activity with the children, and then you take what you learn and go do it together at home,” Hoy says. Children have more peer interaction and dabble in subjects that might be too time consuming or too technical to do in the living room at home. Moms benefit from connecting with one another and, within those connections, finding local support and resources. Moving forward With more and more families choosing to homeschool and

looking for local connections and support, RCHC formalized into a non-profit organization with plans to offer more learning opportunities to a wider range of ages in the fall 2015. “Every single week, we got more and more members,” Hoy says. “All of these people were out there in our community homeschooling alone. We didn’t know how many there were.” Today, RCHC includes about 140 families; no one pays membership fees. The organization—guided by Christian principles—is run completely on donations and club payments (each class is generally $4). Now starting its second year, RCHC is expanding its offerings to students 7th grade through 12th grade, by facilitating a “coop” or collaborative class system that will span the school year. In this model, parents will drop their students off at classes facilitated by organization moms. Classes will include biology with a lab element, chess, writing, and government. “For these classes we are trying to pinpoint subjects that are tougher for moms to teach at home,” Miller says. RCHC is also adding a physical education component this fall with a sports academy, which will focus on building fundamental athletic skills at first, with the hopes of evolving into competitive sports teams over time. Membership continues to rise as news spreads of RCHC’s existence. Families are even trying homeschooling for the first time because they see the advantages of this collaborative community. “When we started going out into the community for our clubs, people saw us and saw that there was support for homeschooling and made the decision to try,” Hoy says. “Homeschooling is scary, especially if you are pulling out of traditional school to try it,” Bergin Staedtler adds. “Just having someone to ask ‘what do I do?’ makes a big difference.”

Fall 2015

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Mythbusters: Homeschool Edition Stephanie Miller, who homeschools her six children, is thankful for the work the RCHC has done so far and is excited to see what the future holds. But it is a future that would not be possible, she says, without the tireless efforts of homeschool families and organizations that came before. “Homeschooling has changed so much, even in the last five years,” Miller says. “People who came before us set the standard and faced obstacles, and now we’re not considered to be so ‘weird.’ We are accepted for the most part.” Miller and a few other families helped us clear up a few myths about the homeschooling community. Misconception: Homeschooling your child means never leaving your house. Reality: Because a peer group isn’t built-in the way it is in traditional school, many homeschool families find opportunities for their children to socialize with other kids their age whether it’s in a class, a sports team or just a traditional play date. “From my observations, homeschooled kids actually learn to talk well with kids older than them, younger than them and with adults, as this is a natural part of their day, instead of just pursuing conversation with their own age group,” Miller says.

Misconception: All homeschool families are alike (most commonly thought of as being from rural areas). Reality: Research from the U.S. Department of Education indicates that homeschooled children come from both one and two-parent households; they exist in big cities, medium-sized towns and rural areas; they come from different socio-economic situations and from different races. Parents also choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons including a desire to provide religious instruction, dissatisfaction with academic instruction or environment at other schools, as well as providing a curriculum fit for children with special needs. Misconception: Kids who are homeschooled will never get into college. Reality: Most colleges and universities have policies in place for accepting homeschooled students, according to the Coalition for Responsible Home Education. According to the coalition, “Some admissions officers are very favorable to homeschooled graduates, even giving them preference, arguing that homeschooled graduates are especially well motivated and have stronger academics than other students.”

Fall 2015

Hutch Illustrated

www.bradyscott.weebly.com

Hutchinson Magazine

Poetry by Carol Murray | Illustration by Brady Scott

Snack Stand Candy apples, tart and crunchy, P-nuts salted in the shell, Kettle Corn thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light and munchy, rolled in balls or boxed, as well. French-fried Twinkies, Licorice Whips Cones and scones and funnel cakes, Chili hotdogs, Nacho chips, Sloppy Joes and gummy snakes. Root Beer fizzed in frosty mugs, Bottled swigs of H2O, Soda pop in icy jugs, To sip and savor as you go. Pick your favorite State Fair treat. What we hope you do is EAT.

Night Riders After the show, the Steel Wheel morphs into a blur of twinkle lights. We climb aboard and inch to the top, content to sit in silence, As Fair City magic washes the sky. Steel Wheel shivers, beginning its night time spin, then chugs and clatters to a stop, mining our memories, tugging at hearts. (Our grandma loved to ride the wheel at night.) We weave down the shaky steps, and turn our thoughts to home. **Excerpted from Carol Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Come to the Fair (the book illustrated by Jo Crow) Carol Murray writes picture books and poetry for kids. Her newest picture book, Cricket in the Thicket, published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, will be out in 2016.

Fall 2015

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from the

Archives Text by Ashley Maready Images courtesy Reno County Historical Society and Reno County Museum

(Left) In 1902, E.J. Ambler & Co. Grocery was located at the southwest corner of 5th and Main streets. Owner John Ambler is the bearded gentleman standing at the center of this group of well-dressed men, and his son Harry sits to his right. The store windows have large posters advertising Buckskin Bill’s Wild West, a traveling exhibition show. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, these shows were a popular way for ordinary Americans to experience the adventure and danger of the settling of the West. (Above) The second photo shows guests at a Halloween party held at Winans Grade School in Hutchinson, year unknown, but likely mid-20th century. Winans housed a few generations of Hutchinson schoolchildren and closed its doors in 2001 because of a decline in enrollment. It is difficult to tell what many of these children are costumed as, especially since they have taken off their Halloween masks for the photo. Let’s hope that this photo break was brief because these children look as if they’re ready to get back to the party and indulge in some candy.

Fall 2015

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features

40.............. REMEMBER THE POW camp of 1945 46.................................................. HIKE IT BABY

Fall 2015

Hutchinson Magazine

Remember the POW camp of 1945 For just a few months, the Encampment Building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds became home to 100 German prisoners of warâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and in that brief time, lifelong memories and unexpected friendships were formed.

Story by Kathy Hanks | Photography by Deborah Walker

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Right: Bud Bridgman’s school photo in 1945, the year 10 prisoners of war helped harvest wheat on his family’s farm.

Bud Bridgman was only 9 years “We had a thrill,” he says, still old when he drove a hay wagon full astonished by the horses’ excitement of German prisoners of war to his from 70 years ago. family’s farmhouse for lunch during From March through November of the wheat harvest. 1945, a group of German POWs were On the wagon were 10 prisoners housed in the Encampment Building who served as extra at the Kansas State help on his family’s Fairgrounds. During farm and were housed the fair, 4-H’ers would “We thought at the Kansas State stay in this building, it was Fairgrounds. “I was but because of war driving a team of two time labor shortages, fascinating. horses,” Bud says. “We it became a temporary We had came through a tree row home for about 100 never heard and the horses went out prisoners who spent a foreign of control.” their days working language around Reno County, His pa ssenger s before.” scattered along the field. says Lowell May, But, they didn’t escape. co-author of Prisoners Instead, they helped him of War in Kansas gain control of the horses. 1943–1946. While just a brief snapshot in the For Bud’s parents, Howard and huge picture of World War II, the Alice, the extra hands were welcomed episode is a memory Bud has never at the farm six miles south of Burrton. forgotten. “My dad and our neighbor Frank Rife would share going to get them at the fairgrounds and taking them

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home at night,” Bud says. They picked them up in a Chevy grain truck, and the 20 men sat on the floor of the truck bed. With about 300 acres of wheat, the Bridgmans needed the prisoners’ help with the harvest, which was much more labor intensive back then. First the wheat was shocked into bunches, tossed on the hay wagon and then hauled to the threshing machine where the kernels of wheat were separated from the straw. “What they did we didn’t have to do,” Bud says. “We treated them well and they treated us well.” The prisoners were both city and country boys, but all were willing workers. The highlight for the men appeared to be Alice’s delicious fried chicken dinners. “We kept chickens and butchered them every morning,” Bud says. “She fried 10 to 12 chickens every day.” With the nine Bridgmans, two hired hands, and 10 prisoners, feeding everyone was much like operating a small café. In addition to the chicken fried in fresh lard, Alice prepared mashed potatoes, corn or green beans. There was always a choice of several freshly baked fruit pies that were always cooling on the porch when the workers came in from the field. After riding from the field to the house for lunch, they all went to a table under a tree where a wash pan and bar of soap allowed the family, hired hands and prisoners to clean up before the meal. “They would take off their shirts and wash, and then comb their hair,” Bud recalls. “I would keep pouring water into the pan.” Bud and his siblings listened as the men spoke German to each other. One man in the group could speak English and interpreted for the others. “We thought it was fascinating,” he says. “We had never heard a foreign language before.” The POWs were on the farm only about a month, but the experience left an impression on both the Americans and the Germans. Ten years after the war, one of the prisoners knocked on the Bridgman farmhouse door. He and his wife were touring America, and he wanted to show her where he had worked. “He wanted to thank us for feeding them so well and being good to them,” Bud says.

Lasting Impressions

From Top: Loel Balzer revisited her family’s barn (now owned by an Amish dairy farmer) where she and her late husband Carl met Franz Paier, the Austrian POW with whom they bonded and formed a lifelong friendship. Lowell May, author of Prisoners of War in Kansas 1943-1946, spoke to many POWs who claimed their lives were improved when they came to the U.S.

While Bud doesn’t recall the names of their and Franz wanted to improve his English, they workers, Hutchinson resident Loel Balzer and bonded immediately. her husband, Carl, formed a lifelong bond with Franz was a farm boy from Austria. The the POW on her father Nelson Smith’s farm Paier family had been farming near the during the summer of 1945. Austrian-Czech Republic border for more Loel was newly married to Carl, who was in than 300 years. the U.S. Army serving in the medical corps in According to Loel, Franz fought for the Europe. When Carl was home on Nazis because that was the leave, the young couple went out only way he could survive. to Loel’s father’s farm three miles “He wasn’t a Nazi at “He wasn’t south of the Whiteside Elevator. heart,” she says. “He was a Nazi at Franz Paier, a POW from such a kind gentleman.” heart. He Austria, was fueling the tractor A fter he retur ned with gas when he first saw Carl to Austria they kept in was such in his Army uniform. In fear, touch through letters and a kind Franz went behind the tractor Christmas cards. Franz gentleman.” married Helene, who had to hide. But Carl walked over and extended his hand. been awaiting his return. In “It was like love at first sight,” 1972, Carl and Loel traveled Loel says. “It was a sweet moment. It’s one to that Alpine village for what was the first of of those moments, if you only remembered 15 visits. The last time they saw Franz was in a dozen in your lifetime, that would be one 2003 when they had to go up to his bedroom of them.” to see him. He died in 2004, and Carl died The two men might have faced each other two years later. in combat had Franz not been captured in Loel remains in touch with the Paier North Africa while a member of the Afrika children and grandchildren and hopes to visit Korps. But because Carl could speak German them this Christmas.

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Camp Conditions Reno County was hit by a great labor shortage because so many young men were away fighting in the war. By 1945, Kansas’s farm labor was at a seasonal low of 42 percent while farm wages were at a high of $77.75 monthly, says Lowell May, co-author of Prisoners of War in Kansas 1943–1946, along with Mark Schock. On January 20, local businessmen and farmers met with the state supervisor for Emergency Farm Labor to discuss how to acquire and maintain a POW camp for Reno County. The prisoners would be housed at the Kansas State Fair 4-H Encampment Building. The rules were that they were to be picked up at 7:30 a.m. and returned by 6:30 p.m., according to the Geneva Conventions. If prisoners worked outside the camp they had to be paid. They were to be paid 35 cents per hour, but farmers were credited one cent per mile for each prisoner transported to and from camp. They were also credited 25 cents per soldier for the noontime meal. Captain Glenn Wickcliff told farmers using prison labor that these men were only human; they were not to be treated as criminals. At the same time, there was not to be fraternizing. They were to perform eight hours of work and not to be over-worked, Wickcliff informed them. Most of these men were intelligent and had volunteered for farm work. In addition to working on farms, POWs mowed grass and picked up trash at the fairgrounds, cleaned the streets of Downtown Hutchinson and worked at the Ark Valley Alfalfa Mills.

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Like one of the family

Like One of the Family Ray Bontrager remembers the one German POW at his family farm. First and foremost, he was a gentleman who helped with the farming and the dairy. “My dad spoke Low German and the POW could speak High German, and they were able to communicate on that the level,” Bontrager says. “He did field work and drove a tractor. Dad picked him up in the morning and brought him home at night.” Bontrager remembers his family sitting at the table and the POW being very respectful when the family said grace. He bowed his head in prayer. “He was just part of the family,” Bontrager says. “He was respectful and caring and laughed and joked as best he could in speaking another language.” By this time the prisoners knew the war was over, and they weren’t going to run away, says historian Lowell May. However there was a story that one prisoner walked away from the Walter

“He was respectful and caring and laughed and joked as best he could in speaking another language.”

Pierce farm, but he was recaptured in either El Dorado or Emporia. Those still liv ing who participated in that brief moment in Hutchinson history are amazed by how well it worked out when they approached each other as human beings instead of as enemies. There were no guards supervising the POWs on the farms; if a POW caused trouble or walked off, the farmer, or supervisor, was to notify the guards at the Encampment Building. If the Encampment Building had a fence, it would have been only three or four strands of barbed wire, May says. “It was a mere token fence.” For the Balzer family, meeting Franz broadened their worldview. “To think that friendship survived years and distance, different politics and a language barrier,” Loel says, still marveling today at the thought.

The 4-H Encampment Building There were about 360,000 German POWs held in 666 camps in 47 of the 48 states, including 16 in Kansas, according to Lowell May. When the camp opened in Hutchinson, prisoners held at the Council Grove branch camp—there was a POW camp in Fort Riley—were moved to Hutchinson. The first contingent to arrive had 60 men, but another 40 were shipped out later. Four days before the Kansas State Fair on September 16, 1945, the POWs were trucked back to Fort Riley. They returned after the fair and remained in Hutchinson until November. Prisoners arrived in the country by ship and were put on trains on the

East Coast. They were surprised to be put in Pullman train cars with bars on the windows; in Germany they had traveled in boxcars. “Once they got here, one POW said, ‘We were treated like human beings, not caged animals,’” May says, of a POW at Camp Concordia whom he interviewed during research for his book. “Every POW I interviewed said that, ‘Being captured and sent to the United States was the best thing that ever happened to me,’ or words to that effect.” The first floor of the Encampment Building had sleeping quarters, an auditorium, dining room, kitchen,

medical supply room and a room for food storage. The second floor held more sleeping quarters, a classroom and barbershop. The auditorium served as church. Both a Catholic priest and Mennonite minister would come in on Sunday, May says. The Hutchinson News toured the camp in April 1945 and reported that it was very clean, with no frills, but the prisoners did have photos of wives, sweethearts and pin-ups. The paper reported the striking impression was the prisoners themselves—they smiled and kindly answered questions, May says.

Fall 2015

Story by Amy Conkling | Photography by Deborah Walker

H utchin s on m oms weigh in o n ra ising h i k e r s thr oug h local b ra nc h o f nat io na l or gan iz ation Hike It Ba by 46 46

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Fall 2015

“I hope my son grows up with a love of the outdoors and a sense of adventure.” —Cammie Rumback

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You can visit the Hike It Baby Hutchinson page and ask to join the group. Notifications will then be sent out to members about weekly and monthly group hikes, as well as tips and advice on enjoying the great outdoors with little ones. The group meets a few times each week, weather permitting, for 30- to 45-minute hikes. Morning hikes are approximately one mile, and evening hikes are anywhere from one to two miles. A weekly and monthly schedule can be found on the group’s Facebook page and at www.hikeitbaby.com.

Valerie Duncan took this advice to heart last September, after she came to the realization that her family hadn’t been getting outdoors much since they moved from the Chicago area to Hutchinson in 2012. Duncan had heard about the national Hike It Baby group through a friend and decided to jump on board and bring it to Hutchinson. All it took was contacting the national coordinator, completing a phone interview and setting up Hutchinson’s private Facebook page so she could start scheduling hikes and communicating with future members, Duncan says. It didn’t take off right away. The first few meetings were relatively small, she says. “It was only myself and one other mom for those first few hikes,” Duncan says. But through word of mouth, the group slowly grew and attendance continues to climb each month, with 10 families currently involved, and three to five families at hikes held throughout the week. Kids range in age from one month to 10 years old. “It seemed like not only a great way for my family to get out more, but to help encourage other families to as well and to form a community in the process,” Duncan says. Hike It Baby may have the word “baby” in the name, but this free, laid back hiking program is perfect for little ones of all ages—and brings out the kid at heart in moms and dads, too.

S oc i al hour for th e you n g wor k i n g mom Local Hike It Baby regular Cammie Rumback loves seeing the different families that attend hikes throughout the week. Because of her full-time job as a care coordinator for Horizons Mental Health Center, the young mom opts for Monday evening outings or weekend get-togethers, when she can bring her six-month-old son and even convince her husband to tag along sometimes, too. Rumback talks excitedly about the group to other moms and dads she encounters along the trails during organization hikes and other excursions she does on her own throughout the week. “It’s an excellent way to get some physical activity, but it’s also a great way to meet other families,” Rumback says. “We get such a kick out of hearing the little ones ask if their buddies will be at the hike.” Rumback carries her son in a carrier, which she admits is pretty simple. “Hiking with him right now just requires water and a good attitude.” She tends to stay at the group pace, slowing down for the toddling little ones and wandering preschoolers, who enjoy taking in the great outdoors. “I want the kids in our group to enjoy and appreciate the wild,” Rumback says. “I hope my son grows up with a love of the outdoors and a sense of adventure.”

h i k i n g w i th mult i pl e ch i l d r e n Amber King enjoys connecting with new moms, so stopping by for a group hike was a no-brainer when she saw the Hike It Baby group pop up on her Facebook feed. “The idea of walking rather than just sitting and talking with each other?” King says. “Genius.” King, who is a mom to four children, ages 7 and younger, has joined the group for an excursion at Dillon Nature Center and plans to attend more soon. To help with the balancing act of keeping four children happy while hiking, she foregoes the stroller and encourages her three oldest children to walk. She then puts her 7-month-old in a ring sling, which she can use to carry the ever-important dipe-and-wipe necessities, and keep her hands completely free to use her phone to take snapshots of the hiking experience. “I love capturing pictures of them and taking notes of the things they say along the hike,” King says. “It’s great just getting out of the house, and Dillon Nature Center is a joy on its own, complete with a picnic lunch waiting in the van for the reward at the end of the hike.”

Fall 2015

Ta k e a hike, H utch ! Hike It Baby moms share their favorite trails so you can step out into the great outdoors and join them. D i llo n Natur e C e n t e r Valerie Duncan says Dillon Nature Center is a hit with all of the group’s families. Kids enjoy the little creek along one of the trails, and the grand finale includes a stop at the nature center’s playscape area. 3002 E 30th Avenue S a n d H i lls S tat e Par k “Every time we have been out there it has felt peaceful, and it’s close enough to our house that we can go on a whim without needing to do much other than get out the door,” Duncan says. Located north of Hutchinson, about one mile east of K-61 on either 56th Street or 69th Street Ta k e i t a f e w st e ps farth e r … Cammie Rumback enjoys not only Sand Hills State Park but state and national park systems in general. “My husband and I go backpacking each year through the Ozark National Forest,” Rumback says. “We can’t wait to take our son there, but in the meantime, we enjoy the everyday hikes and variety at Sand Hills State Park.”

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w i th ol d e r ch i l d r e n Debora h M i n n e r ’s family lives in Downtown Hutchinson, so she enjoys getting her kids “off of the concrete and into an outdoor setting”—especially since she grew up with lots of access to hiking trails and wooded areas. Despite having older children—Minner’s children

range in age from 6 to 12 years old—she appreciates having the evening hike options as she juggles their busy school and activity schedules. “I love giving my children the chance to learn about nature and making the sensory experiences of the outdoors part of their childhood memories,” Minner says. Minner’s family has been to one or two Hike it Baby

group sessions, but they frequently hike at regional favorites including Dyck Arboretum of the Plains in Hesston and the Konza Prairie in Manhattan. “The most important reminder for all of us is that it’s a hike,” Minner says. “A chance to explore, not a race to get to the end or a destination. It’s a great opportunity to slow down and notice the little things.”

Think throu g h th e w e ath e r . Always pack the sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses in the warmer months, and warmer clothes if the weather is cool.

C o n s i d e r th e d i sta n c e . “Stop if they get too tired, or bring a stroller or carrier along in case the smaller children need to rest,” Valerie Duncan says.

B e fl e x i bl e . “Be prepared to stop often and let them play in the water or check out the bugs and flowers,” Valerie Duncan says.

Ta k e a bac k pac k to carry water bottles, snacks, and wipes to clean up afterward, plus an extra grocery sack to collect any waste you may accumulate during the course of your trip.

Tips for toting “ l i tt l e s ” and “bigs” Hik e i t Baby group m embers su gge st the follow in g t ips when hik in g w i th k ids of all age s

Find ways to i n t e ract w i th n atur e . For older children, Deborah Minner encourages parents to allow their children to interact with things on the hike. “My kids like looking for little wonders to share with me, be it a flower, a really smooth rock in the creek, animals, or even a chunk of bison fur they found.”

T e ach map s k i lls . School-age children can read information posted along the hikes, Deborah Minner says. It’s also a great opportunity to teach them how to read a map. Bring a g u i d e boo k for plants and birds—older children tend to ask what they’re looking at.

Fall 2015

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Hutchinson Magazine

Pomp

and Pageantry A taste of history await visitors to the 25th Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Reenactment Story by Cecilia Harris Photography courtesy Medicine Lodge Indian Peace Treaty Association

Bellowing a loud whoop, the courageous young Cheyenne brave rides off on his spotted pony at full gallop, clutching the treaty snatched by his chief during the 1867 Great Peace Council. As this scene from the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant unfolds, uniformed cavalry soldiers pursue and apprehend the brave, returning him and the document to the site. The defiant Cheyenne chief, his headdress waving in the breeze, reluctantly touches the symbolic feather in agreement to the treatyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terms. The historic 1867 pact between the United States and the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche and Kiowa nations was signed not far from the 200-acre natural amphitheater where the Peace Treaty Pageant has been performed since 1927. Three hundred years of history unfurl during the two-hour, action-packed pageant featuring close to 1,000 actors in elaborate historical costumes, nearly 30 covered wagons, buggies and coaches, and several dozen horses, mules and cattle. During the three days the pageant is presented, related activities occur throughout Medicine Lodge, 85 miles southwest of Hutchinson. This spectacular celebration typically happens only every five years, and this year marks the 25th celebration, so plan on attending the last weekend in September (25â&#x20AC;&#x201C;27) for a taste of history. We have a suggested Saturday itinerary right here.

Catch the Peace Treaty Pageant in Medicine Lodge this September before you have to wait another five years to see it.

Fall 2015

Spend the Day Everyone loves a parade/10 a.m. Arrive early for a prime spot on Main Street to watch the parade featuring Native Americans in colorful regalia, costumed re-enactors, wagons and horses. Grab a bite and a stroll/11:30 a.m. Satisfy your hunger at the Pageant Pantry on Main and Kansas streets where vendors serve such items as hamburgers, barbecued meat, roasted corn ears and kettle corn. Listen to a concert on the downtown stage or stroll Main Street to historic Wisner Fountain and Watering Tank, the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Statue, and the Western Art Show inside Peoples Bank. Meet the past/12:30 p.m. Travel south to Highway 160, then east to Memorial Peace Park to discuss history and snap selfies with some of the Pageant’s re-enactors at the “Meet and Greet.” Bring binoculars to spot wildlife in the red Gypsum Hills as you wait for the Pageant to begin. Experience history/2 p.m. Saturday Watch tales of Coronado, Zebulon Pike, Native Americans, settlers and cowboys come to life right before your eyes. “The Peace Treaty Pageant is the story about the discovery, exploration and settlement of the Great Plains,” says Kaye Kuhn, the Pageant’s executive director. “It is about how the area transformed and it all goes back to the importance of our heritage—who was here before us.” Stockade Museum/4:30 p.m. Drive west on Highway 160 to the Stockade Museum and Carry A. Nation Home for demonstrations of pioneer life— such as butter churning, bread baking and rope making—and the cavalry encampment. Enjoy extended hours this weekend, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. *Regular hours 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day

Pow wows/1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Head back east on Highway 160 to City Park where Native Americans dance to the steady rhythm of beating drums and raise their voices in song. Kuhn suggests talking with living historians portraying life in the Indian village nearby and also at the muzzleloaders camp near the river.

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The Pageant commemorates the great Peace Council of 1867 between the U.S. government and the Plains Indians. Close to 1,000 actors in elaborate costumes put on a two-hour celebration in a beautiful amphitheater not far from where the historical treaty was signed.

For full weekend schedule of events:

www.peacetreaty.org

Where’s the beef?/dinnertime Grab Native American cuisine during the pow wow, or eat a burger at the Pageant Pantry or a local dining spot. After all, this is cattle country. Wild cow milking/7:30 p.m. Laugh as today’s cowboys attempt to milk a wild cow during the Championship Ranch Rodeo in the Roping Arena adjacent to the Pageant site. Ranch teams

also compete in daily chores like team penning, bronc riding, cattle doctoring and calf branding. “That’s another side of our heritage, our ranching heritage up through the Gypsum Hills,” Kuhn says. “The Indians and the pioneers brought stock here to graze.” Barber County actually ranks number one in Kansas for native grass pasture acres with 479,000 acres, she adds.

After dark/8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Head back to Main Street for the Medicine Lodge Historical Night Show. “They have a saloon scene, and Carry Nation pops in and breaks up the fun,” Kuhn says of the bar-smashing temperance leader who once lived in Medicine Lodge. “And then they re-enact the bank robbery that actually happened here in 1884.” A street dance starts at 9 p.m.

Fall 2015

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Can’t Make the Festival? Plan a visit to Medicine Lodge any time to enjoy these attractions and activities: • Have a smashing good time at the Carry A. Nation Home, a National Historic Landmark. Nation lived here when she began her crusade for the prohibition of alcohol. www.medicinelodgestockade.org • Take stock of pioneer life at the adjacent Stockade Museum featuring the 1877 Smith Log Cabin, Old Courthouse Jail and artifacts such as the 1867 treaty peace pipe and photographs from the failed bank robbery in 1884. www.medicinelodgestockade.org • Travel the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway through rugged buttes and stunning canyons in what some call the Red Hills. www.travelks.com/ksbyways • Really get back to nature, motoring the mostly unpaved roads of the Gyp Hill Scenic Drive while looking for birds, wild turkeys and deer among wildflowers and red cedars. www.kansassampler.org/8wonders • Bring your horse for an organized ride with Gypsum Hills Trail Rides or explore the Gant-Larson Ranch on your own. Don’t have a horse? Hiking and camping are offered. www.gypsumhillstrailrides.com • Admire Earl Kuhn’s detailed watercolor paintings of cowboys, livestock and landscape at his Sagebrush Gallery of Western Art. www.earlkuhn.com • Launch your boat and fish for largemouth bass, channel catfish, walleye and more at Barber State Fishing Lake, where you also can picnic and camp. www.ksoutdoors.com • Spend the night at The Bunkhouse Bed and Breakfast at Wildlife Ranch, a hilltop retreat with a view of the Gypsum Hills area and its wildlife. www.bunkhouseatwildfireranch.com

Hutchinson Magazine

Fall 2015

hutch talks When did you start playing music in Hutch? Eric and I first started playing together after we found a love for rock and metal music back in 2011. Our first performance was at the church where we performed our first instrumental metal medley.

That’s a pretty unlikely pairing of music style and venue. Anyone’s first performance is nerve-racking, but playing metal in a church seemed sketchy altogether. We honestly did not know for sure how people would react. Since our church in Partridge is so awesome, not only did everyone enjoy the music, they keep requesting us to come back with more metal. It seems ironic, but it goes along the lines of the misconceptions of metal. Our pastor views it as a different and louder form of praise, which is pretty neat.

What are these misconceptions? The genre seems to put off this vibe of violence, rebellion and evil. Though in some cases this may be true, not every metal group represents this. Eric and I feel it is purely about the energy and the excitement that it brings that a lot of different genres cannot match. We feel that taking vocals out of our playing really allows people to give our music a chance since the screams are usually what drive people away.

I write music when ... We have written five rock and metal medleys so far with more on the way—some running as long as 22 minutes. My mind is always playing music and creating riffs and transitions for songs. I never write anything down though; it always stays in my head until I play it on my guitar.

Best thing about playing with your brother? Playing music with my brother has been the coolest aspect of the whole band experience. We have become very close because of it and we see each other as more of best pals as well as bros. As far as playing goes, we know each other’s playing styles because we practiced together from the beginning stages of learning our instruments.

alex

Mathias guitarist in AEM Metal

In addition to the colorful art exhibitions that flood Downtown Hutchinson for Third Thursdays, listen for homegrown tunes pouring into the streets from local musicians of all styles. One of these regular acts is AEM Metal, a brother duo made up of guitarist Alex and drummer Eric Mathias. Alex says he is pleased to see the recent growth in live entertainment, with Hutchinson musicians frequently popping up at many community events. Now those events just need a more variety, he says, something these metal heads—whose biggest influences are Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, and Bullet For My Valentine—are working to do with their high-energy sets. “We try to offer the community a different musical genre for their enjoyment,” Alex says. “We believe musical growth is through originality.”

And dare we ask … the worst thing? The worst thing is probably the fact that we sometimes get on each other; we are brothers after all. We are not afraid to tell each other what we find wrong in different sections while practicing and, of course, that can cause some bickering, but sometimes with music, things can’t be sugarcoated. Getting honest opinions can be more of a blessing than a curse.

What are your biggest hurdles as an independent musician? Getting noticed. It is difficult for a small, two-man instrumental band that plays our kind of music to be taken seriously in this part of the country. Eric and I work very hard to put on a great show, and we are very grateful for the recognition that we receive. Becoming a successful musician is easier said than done.

Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker

Hutchinson Magazine

Fall 2015

Hutchinson Magazine

hutch talks What led you to open Fashionista? This idea came to me after seeing and falling in love with shops like Fashionista in my travels— small, fun boutiques filled with cute, “pre-loved” fashions at affordable prices. Shopping for great bargains is my favorite thing to do, so it was a natural fit. And Hutchinson did not have anything like it.

How would you describe your personal style? I just like to have fun with my clothes and be comfortable. I do seem to wear a lot of black and white, however. And I’m a total fan of polka dots.

What is one accessory you never leave the house without? I would have a panic attack if I forgot my earrings. And I don’t feel quite right without a bracelet. I’ve actually gone back into the house after leaving just to put one on.

My philosophy on clothing is … Be true to yourself. Have fun with your clothes. Don’t be afraid to be different. Dress the way you want to dress to make yourself happy and don’t worry about what other people think. And don’t be afraid to try something you’ve never tried before—you might just like it.

What is one must-have item this fall? I’m happy to see that browns, blacks and winter whites will still be going strong, along with fun winter florals. My personal must-have is a long, chunky sweater. Wear with tights or jeans, or even as a short dress with boots. Can’t go wrong with a long, chunky sweater.

Your favorite clothing item of all time? A good-fitting, comfortable pair of jeans. I think that would be almost everyone’s favorite clothing item of all time.

How many pairs of shoes do you have? If you ask me, I would say 50. If you ask my husband, he would say 500!

kath

Helfrich owner of Fashionista Along with the leaves changing color and pumpkin-spiced goodies comes nearly everyone’s favorite aspect of fall—fashion. Whether it’s the boots, knit sweaters or layer upon layer of various fabrics, communities come alive with their own take on the season. In this spirit, we decided to talk to Kath Helfrich, born-and-bred Hutchinson resident and owner of consignment boutique Fashionista. Helfrich dipped her toes in many careers—working in real estate, optical sales and for the school district—but has found her calling offering “guilt-free fashion” to her “fashionistas.” “I’ve always enjoyed working in sales,” Helfrich says. “I love the relationships I have with my customers. I’ve made many dear friends in my five years at Fashionista.” Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker

Where is your favorite place in Hutchinson to show off your outfit? I’m not a show off, but if there is one place that I go to that I actually give thought to what I am wearing, it’s the grocery store. When I go to the grocery store, I always see everyone I know.

Outside of your store, where can we find you? Anyone who knows me well knows that when I’m not at the shop I’m probably running. I’m a long-distance runner and like to spend my free time either running or cycling around town. I also love social time with friends and family, and enjoy spending time at our downtown establishments.

Your favorite quote? “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”

Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker

Fall 2015

the

end quote

Dear Editor, This past Wednesday, I had a very nice elderly lady come into the Reno County Museum with her copy of the current issue of the magazine ...as it turned out, she knew the two sisters in the swimming pool photo [“From the Archives,” Summer 2015] when she was young, and had actually been to a funeral for someone in their family that day, and was able to show their photo to everyone in attendance! She was ecstatic to see this photo in the magazine. Her kind words were the highlight of my week, and I’m so glad to know that this column is making people happy, and perhaps giving some the chance to remember long ago friends and family members. Thank you, Ashley Maready

“When we find what we love to shoot,

we never need an alarm to force us out of our bed;

we never balk at the distances we must travel.”

babies in slings were used in the making of this issue

— Dave McKane, photographer

Happy 25th Birthday

to the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant!

“I made so many picture books and storybooks growing up. I even tried to apply to an Art Institute when I was 10.” — Kait Dewey

Hutchinson Magazine

number of poems submitted to “Hutch Illustrated” by Carol Murray compiled in her book, Come to the Fair

“It was like love at first sight. It’s one of those moments, if you only remembered a dozen in your lifetime, that would be one of them.” — Loel Balzer, on meeting a POW

“Homeschooling has changed so much, even in the l ast five years. People who came before us set the standard and faced obstacles and now, we’re not considered to be so ‘weird.’” — Stephanie Miller

Fall 2015

best bets

Kansas State Fair

The state’s largest 10-day event showcasing Kansas agriculture, industry, and commerce, as well as numerous entertaining acts and exhibits. This year’s theme is “Year of the Ride” with Ye Old Mill celebrating its 100th birthday. Gates are open from 8 a.m.–11 p.m. at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. www.kansasstatefair.com

September

Kansas Maze 2015 Try your hand at conquering this 4½-acre corn maze, open day or night. On this fall outing, also enjoy concessions, a 24-foot bridge, the kids’ courtyard and a pumpkin patch. Open weekends through October 31; 6–9:30 p.m. Friday, 2–9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 13209 E 82nd, Buhler. www.kansasmaze.com

September

Annual Run for the Rocks Half Marathon Challenge your endurance over 13.1 miles through this benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson and the Hutchinson Recreation Commission. Enjoy a beautiful route on flat trails through Hutchinson neighborhoods and finish in Gowans Stadium. Begins at 8 a.m. at Carey Park. www.runfortherocks.com All dates and times are subject to change

2-4

Downtown Hutchinson Rod Run and Classic Car Show For this 84th annual event, enjoy food, drinks and, of course, polished and shiny antique and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles on Main Street from Third to Avenue B. www.downtownhutchrodrun.com

October 9

11-20

Haven Fall Festival Haven’s Fall Festival is filled with events for the entire family, as well as food, crafts, a petting zoo, parade, car and bike show, alumni reception, contests, BBQ cook-off, street dance, fireworks and much more! Join the fun in downtown Haven. www.havenchamber.com

October 11 Inaugural Tour de Salt This is your opportunity to head 650 feet underground in an active salt mine and navigate the route—on your bike. It’s not a race, but a unique exploration with a flashlight (and possibly some elbow and kneepads). Note: while the event is sold out, you can add your name to the waiting list at info@underkansas.org. www.underkansas.org

October 17

September

OCTOBER

National Wildlife Refuge Week Celebration Celebrate Quivira’s wildlife and western heritage with a variety of display and demos that involve animals, live music, crafts and science exploration. www.friendsofquivira.org

October 25

fall 2015

Downtown Hutchinson Chili & Soup Festival Enjoy the annual Downtown Hutchinson Chili & Soup Festival. For only $5 per person (kids 12 & under free), you can taste the chili and soup and cast a vote for your favorite. Also enjoy the shopping and entertainment. The festival will be downtown on Main Street between Avenue C and 7th Street. Begins at 11:30. (620) 694-2677

October

29 Vicki Lawrence and Mama

The Fox Theatre 2015–2016 Live Series presents Vicki Lawrence most famously from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family. Lawrence takes infamous character, Thelma Harper, or “Mama” on the road with her for this twowoman comedy special. Begins at 7:30. www.hutchinsonfox.com

November

2015 Christmas Parade The annual Downtown Christmas Parade marks the beginning of the holiday season. Begins at 10 a.m. (620) 665-5758