Issue #100

September 2013

The Kansas Explorers Club is created to inspire, educate, and encourage the exploration and appreciation of Kansas...and to have fun doing it!

Explorers are urged to look for the rural culture elements in each town — architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history, and people.

Kansas Sampler Foundation, 978 Arapaho Rd., Inman, KS 67546 620.585.2374 kansassampler.org marci@kansassampler.org / wendee@kansassampler.org

THE EXPLORER

100 ISSUES!

THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRST NEWSLETTER

The first newsletter of the Kansas Explorers Club came out on March 15, 1995, two months after the club was formed at a Retreat for Rural Leaders at The Barn Bed and Breakfast near Valley Falls. The retreat was organized by the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

WHY WAS THE CLUB STARTED? At poolside, it was decided that there was a need to grow an audience for Kansas communities of every size. The “explorer” tourism concept was formalized.

DESIGNED TO BE CLUBBY — and FUN We went round and round about club decisions. Membership fee - We finally settled on $18.61 for the membership fee, recognizing the year Kansas became a state. Club handshake - We tried out all sorts of ideas for a secret handshake and settled on a greeting ritual to be shared only with club members. We knew we had the right one when KE #108 Jay Yoder gave the approval nod. Number and card - Every-one would be assigned a number and receive an annual membership card.

WHO WAS EXPLORER #1? Tad Pierson, the guy who gave tours in a wheat truck in the early 1990s, was poolside and gave a compelling argument as to why he should be #1. We all agreed. Today, Tad is driving tourists around Memphis in his 1955 Cadillac — but he hasn’t renewed his Explorer membership!

Continued on p. 5

100 EARLY SUPPORTERS

Thank you for your longtime support! If your name is below, you’ve renewed 18 times and seen our evolution from a cut-and-paste newsletter to one with pictures and a nicer paper.

#2 Marci Penner

#4 Michael & Ivona Pickering, Lincoln

#5 Lynda Fort, Ulysses

#6 B.J. & Jim Smart, Washington

#9 Mil & VLee Penner, Inman

#12 Linda Kohls, Ellsworth,

#13 Rick Eberhard, Kechi

#15 Jim Gray, Ellsworth/Geneseo

#20 Chris & John Hershberger, Inman

#22 Martha Slater Farrell, Andover

#26 Jean-Ellen Kegler, Prescott, AZ

#27 Susie Haver, Concordia

#28 Patrycia Ann Herndon, Dighton

#31 Brenda & Bill Leslie, Hutchinson

#33 Walter & Esther Stockebrand, Lawrence

#37 Dennis Garver, Abilene

Continued on p. 4

WHAT IS EXPLORING?

Explorer definition: To wander through an area

for the purpose of discovery. Exploring con-cept: Expectations can get in the way of appreciating a place for what it is. Enjoy the journey! Goal: It remains a goal to have 5,000 current members. More than 6,200 have signed up but current membership remains around 1,500. Gotta get to 5,000 for positive and steady statewide impact!

Page 2

Featuring the rural culture elements of architecture, commerce,

cuisine, customs, geography, history, and people.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW

SOUTHWEST KANSAS?

CHECK the places you’ve gone. Each of these was a

winner or finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas contests

(see 8wonders.org).

___ Mary Queen of Peace Church, Ulysses

___ Dust Bowl Days exhibit, Historic Adobe Museum,

Ulysses

___ Mighty Samson of the Cimarron, Seward County

___ Big Basin Preserve, Clark County

___ Lake Scott, Scott County

___ Cimarron National Grassland, Morton County

___ Widest Main Street in the U.S., Plains

___ Winter Livestock, Dodge City

___ Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City

___ Mid-America Air Museum, Liberal

___ Land of Oz, Dorothy’s House, Liberal

___ Pho Hoa, Garden City

___ Big Pool, Garden City

___ Windsor Hotel, Garden City

___ Soda fountains in Cimarron, Garden City, Johnson

Each region has its own unique set of characteristics.

Pick any region and use the 8 Wonders winners and

finalists as destinations. In southwest Kansas, enjoy the

High Plains, Red Hills, and Arkansas River Lowlands as

you venture from one place to the next. There are many

additional things to see between all of these places, too.

EXPLORER VALUE IS HIGH!

ULYSSES1

Mary Queen of Peace, 804 N. Colorado.

You’ll be

looking at

one of the

only triple-

lattice

hyperbolic

churches

in the world! Step inside to see the beautiful stained

glass windows that provide surround-color. The 1963

architectural design features an unobstructed view of

the altar.

More about Ulysses at kansassampler.org/ERV blog

Dust Bowl Days exhibit at the Historic

Adobe Museum, 300 E. Oklahoma

Pictures and quilts graphically illustrate the worst

ecological and human disaster of those times. Open

Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 1-5 p.m.

JOHNSON2

Soda fountain at the Old Store, 112 S. Main

Order a treat at the 1950s fountain with 1920 oak back

bar. Open Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat.10 a.m.-4 p.m.

MORTON COUNTY3

Cimarron National Grassland,

2 miles north of Elkhart on K-27.

The grassland was created to counter the Dirty Thirties.

Stand on the Point of Rocks to see what Native Ameri-

cans and Santa Fe Trail travelers saw!

SEWARD COUNTY4

Dorothy’s House and Land of Oz, 567 E. Cedar,

Liberal dorothyshouse.com.

Oz fans, the Land of Oz offers a retro-tourism experi-

ence down the Yellow Brick Road and Dorothy’s

House is a replica of the movie-set house!

Mid-America Air Museum, 2000 W. 2nd, Liberal

Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-

5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m.

The names and color of the World War II airplanes is

reason enough to tour this premier aviation museum.

Mighty Samson of the Cimarron

13 miles northeast of Liberal on U.S. 54

(between Liberal and Kismet)

The bridge was built to save trains and lives. Four

huge, art deco-style concrete pillars support the 1,268

feet long bridge, 113 feet above the river bed.

PLAINS5

Widest Main Street, downtown, Plains

Before you leave home, measure your main street.

Laid out in 1902, Grand Avenue is 155’ and 5” wide!

CLARK COUNTY6

Big Basin Prairie Preserve

15 miles south of Minneola on U.S. 283.

Take a look here knowing St. Jacob’s Well and Big

Basin were once landmarks and watering sites for the

Northern Cheyenne and trail drives from Texas.

DODGE CITY7

Winter Livestock, 1414 E. Trail, Dodge City

Wednesday is auction day; cafe open 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

The less acquainted you are with ranching and cattle,

the more fascinating it will be to sit in the arena of one

of the oldest independent cattle auction companies in

America.

Continued on p. 5

Page 3

One of the 85 towns that have put information on the “Rural Kansas: Come & Get It” site is Goodland. To get more information than is stated here, go to getruralkansas.org. Find Goodland on the drop down list. Roxie Yonkey, you did a great job compiling the information!

In 1887, secret meetings were held to start a new town in Sherman County. One of the names suggested was Fairyland. In the end, they chose Goodland.

Go ahead, get off I-70. Come see GOODLAND8 with new eyes!

ARCHITECTURE: Coffee Mill Row Find the houses between 1400-1600 Caldwell Street In Goodland’s early days carpenters built simple four-room, 24-by-24-foot square houses with a chimney rising from the center of the roof, for railroad workers and families. People thought the houses resembled the coffee grinders of the time, so the houses were named "Coffee Mill Houses" and Caldwell Street where they were built became Coffee Mill Row.

ART: Creative art from used parts. 6780 K-27. Lloyd Harden needed a winter hobby, something to keep him occu-pied when field work slowed. He began taking apart worn-out machin-ery and creating

field art. The giant grasshopper was one of his first creations. You can see it about 100 feet away from K-27.

COMMERCE: Buy local art A good reason to go inside the 1913 Carnegie Library is to buy local art at what is now the Carnegie Art Center, 120 W. 12th.

CUISINE: Butterfly Cafe 602 Renner Field Road, at the airport.

Open Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Mountain Time.

Airplanes, helicopters and people fuel up here. You can, too! Choose from homemade breakfasts or made-from-scratch specialties like chicken fried steak and strawberry rhubarb pie.

Page 3

CUSTOMS: Brick streets Goodland streets were dirt paths until 1921 when Native American Jim Brown was hired to lay bricks. After the base was laid, six men were needed to keep Brown supplied with bricks as he laid 125 to 150 bricks per minute. He could lay 36,000 bricks in a day. Church ladies sold donuts to bystanders. When you stand on the street, think about this scene!

GEOGRAPHY: Highest county seat in the state. No other Kansas county seat town stands higher than Goodland, at 3,965 feet above sea level. The highest marker was installed between the railroad and 19th Street, aligned with the alley between Sherman and Center Streets.

HISTORY: The Kidder Massacre To reach the site from I-70, take Exit 27 at Edson and go west one mile on Old Highway 24 to County Road 28. Turn right (north) and drive about 12 miles. State marker is on east side of gravel road. Go east a mile to the site.

In 1867 it came to be that Lt. Col. George Custer and the 7th Cavalry had been out of touch with Fort Sedg-wick (1 mile from present-day Julesburg, CO) for quite awhile. Second Lt. Lyman Kidder and ten troops were sent to find him. After a series of events, it was Custer that found Kidder and his men—dead. Kidder’s group had run into Native Americans, angry about being pushed off their lands by settlers and soldiers.

PEOPLE: The Flying Doctor 602 Renner Field Road, at the airport

When Marion J. Renner of Goodland made house calls, he took his doctor’s bag and his pilot’s license. From the 1930s through the 1960s, "The Flying Doctor” served the remote areas of northwest Kansas, some-times flying 50 miles each day to check on a heart pa-tient or up to 300 miles for an emergency at an isolated ranch. See displays at the airport!

SAVE THE DATE

The Kansas Sampler Festival will celebrate it’s 25th Anniversary when it moves to Wamego in 2014. It will be held at Wamego9 City Park in beautiful down-town Wamego on May 3 & 4, 2014 and again on May 2 & 3, 2015.

Save the dates and plan to attend!

Page 4

WHILE ERVING, WE FIND THE UNEXPECTED

ERV = Explorer Research Voyage We share updates as we travel on Facebook/ervoyage Read more stories and pictures on the ERV blog: kansassampler.org/erv

When exploring, be an Explorer detective and find as many related things as you can about one topic.

CATTLEMEN’S PICNIC IN KINGMAN10 In the early 1900s, horse and surrey races took place at what is now Riverside Park (south Main).

RIVERSIDE PARK, south Main: If you get lucky, you’ll run into Gregg, the city man who takes care of the park. He’ll show you the 1/4 mile track (now paved for cars) and where to look for the remaining footings of the wooden stands. You’ll also see a bandstand built in 1929, the present-day river walk, and the 1934 WPA-built fishing pond.

SECTION ART: At the post office, 425 N. Main, see Jessie Wilbur’s 1942 mural named, “In the Days of the Cattlemen’s Picnic.”

MUSEUM: See a big panoramic mural of the cattle-men’s picnic, rodeo and races inside the Kingman County Museum, 400 N. Main. Open Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or call 620.532.5274.

CLYDE CESSNA Born in Rago

Kingman County native, Clyde Cessna was an aviation pioneer, designer, and founder of Cessna Aircraft Corporation. He built and flew a single wing plane, a revolutionary idea at the time, in December 1911.

MURAL: On the north side of the Kingman County museum outside wall is a Stan Herd mural showing Cessna flying the single wing.

MUSEUM: A modest display shows and tells more about Cessna. It includes his derby hat! See address above.

GRAVE: Find Cessna’s stone in the Greenwood Cemetery near the ghost town of Belmont. Go seven miles south of Kingman on K-14 to SE 70th. Turn east one mile to SE 70 Avenue then 1 mile north to SE 60th

Street. Cross the cattle guard into the cemetery and look for the line of Cessna graves. The main Cessna marker simply says Aviation Pioneer. Clyde’s flat stone states his years 1879-1954. Look for the nearby sun dial!

If there is one thing we take for granted, it’s cement! Roads and streets, sidewalks, buildings. What would we do without it? The place to learn more and appre-ciate this topic is in Allen County.

ALLEN COUNTY11:

The cement capital of Kansas!

The county was also prolific in producing impressive amounts of natural gas and zinc.

1901 - Iola Portland Cement Company plant begins production in Bassett and becomes the largest cement plant in the United States. 1907 - Monarch Cement Company starts at Humboldt. 1909 - Cement plant at Mildred begins production. 1909-1913 - Carlyle builds a cement plant and a brick plant. 1913 - Monarch Cement Company goes into receivership. H.F.G. Wulf takes over the reorganization and becomes President. 1914 - First concrete road in Kansas is laid in Bassett.

GO DEEPER... Allen County Historical Museum, 20 S. Washington, Iola, is open Tuesday-Saturday 1-4 p.m. with more information.

BASSETT - Where is this incorporated town? There is no city limit sign! Leave Iola on South State Street and look for the State Street/Bassett Street intersec-tion once you cross the Neosho River. Pass Bassola Lake (a quarry) and take either Portland (as in cement) or Cement Street to find remnants of a once thriving cement industry. City maintenance equip-ment and companies that build industrial pallets and burial vaults now occupy the buildings.

MILDRED - Charlie Brown’s grocery has been in Mildred for more than 60 years—and now is the only business. Open Tuesday-Saturday 9:30-6 p.m., it’s the place to buy some groceries, get a healthy-sized deli sandwich, and ask about history and directions to a few remnants of the old Portland Cement plant (just 1/2 mile north on U.S. 59.

Downtown IolaDowntown Iola

Page 5

Continued from page 1

IN THE BEGINNING In the first newsletter, the eight rural culture elements were introduced as a way to see Kansas with new eyes. The Adventures of Susie & the LuWondas were shared. Members were encouraged to attend the Bartlett Arboretum to help keep it open. Roxbury, the Red Post Tours in Ottawa County, C&J’s Cafe in Osborne, and the Sunbarger Ranch B&B in Cassoday were promoted.

100 issues later Now, 100 issues later, more than 6,200 membership numbers have been assigned to individuals or families. Many people have adopted exploring as a valued activity. Thousands of places have been promoted and felt the positive impact of the difference-making Kansas Explorer Club members.

Continued from p. 2

GO WEST and SOUTH! Boot Hill, 500 Front Street, Dodge City. Boothill.org

As a tourist attraction, Boot Hill beginnings can be

traced back to the 1920s. Along with Front Street,

the museum has significant collections about Native

Americans, the Santa Fe Trail, the railroad, buffalo

hunters, cowboys, guns, and the TV show Gunsmoke!

CIMARRON12

Clark Pharmacy, 101 S. Main (620.855.2242)

Find your place at the counter of one of the best pre-

served soda fountains in the state. Clarkpharmacy.com.

GARDEN CITY13

The Big Pool, 403 S. 4th

Even if the water is drained, imagine your little body

in this bigger-than-a-football-field swimming pool built

by mule and people power in 1922.

Traditions, the soda fountain, 121 Grant.

It’s a 7-stool counter with reminders of 1950s prices.

It’s one of about 38 fountains left in the state! Open

Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Pho Hoa Vietnamese

Restaurant,

713 E. Fulton

Open Monday-Saturday

(closed Wednesday), 10

a.m.-2:30 p.m.; and 4:30-

8:30 p.m.; Sunday 10

a.m.-3 p.m.

Tell Dat or Khahn that

WenDee sent you. She

always orders #38 and

the spring rolls!

Ingredients are fresh.

Windsor Hotel,

Main and Pine

An Explorer will want to see why this building was

nominated. Despite the slow speed of the restoration,

you’ll see the value when you enter. Contact Don at

620.275.4340; donharness@sbcglobal.net for a tour.

SCOTT COUNTY14

Lake Scott, 14 miles north of Scott City on U.S. 83,

then 3 miles northwest on K-95.

Is it more incredible to see water in this arid High

Plains area or the unexpected relief in the steep

bluffs of the Ogallala Formation?

El Cuartelejo Pueblo Ruins, Lake Scott

Pueblo Indians lived here in the 1600s! The trace

of ruins is just the start of a bigger story.

100 ISSUES, 100 MEMBERS

#38 Susan Puls, Hutchinson #41 Menno & Doris Schmidt, Hutchinson #43 Kathleen & Larry Whitmer, Zenda #46 Shingo & Kathy Kajinami, McPherson #47 Dolores Landry, Ames #52 Barb Robins, Pittsburg #54 Gene & Barb Merry, Burlington #55 Carl & Shirley Ade, McPherson #45 Ken Lundgren, Marion #58 Luann Miller, Concordia #60 Bruce & Janice Woods, North Newton #65 Ken & Mary Asher, Louisburg #71 Joyce Thierer & Ann Birney, Admire #79 Leilani & Chuck Thomas, Colby #81 Connie Dougherty, Lucas #82 Jane & John Rhoads, Wichita #83 Paul & Dianne Heinen, Valley Falls #86 Sara Fair Sleeper, Alden #92 William Krug, Medicine Lodge #93 Murray and Nadine Reimer Penner, Wichita #94 Alyssa Penner & Ragnar Thorisson, Seattle, WA #99 Karen Sturm, Caldwell #100 Tom, Liz, Sofi & Pauli King, Atherton, CA

Early Explorers who have received a final secret greeting ritual: #39 Lester Lawrence, Clifton/Clyde #85 Frances & Marvin Kloefkorn, Caldwell

Explorers in a Marion County pasture.

Explorers in a Marion County pasture.

Explorers in a Marion County pasture.

Page 6

THANKS RENEWERS!

Each one of you is important to us. (This is a list of those who have renewed between the last newsletter and Sept. 15)

#6 B.J. & Jim Smart, Washington #22 Martha Farrell, Wichita #37 Dennis Garver, Abilene #58 Luann Miller, Concordia #60 Bruce and Janice Woods, North Newton #163 Kathleen & Steve Fawcett, Lawrence #168 Connie & Tom Essington, Council Grove #234 Dorman Lehman, Greeley, CO #258 Tom Leising, Topeka #263 Judi Selzer, Sharon Springs #271 Dick & Rose Gradig, Downs #402 Roberta Plattner, Sabetha #526 Gweneth Reeder West, Wichita #580 Lois Bartley, Wamego #623 Luella & Jim Robben, Oakley #629 Steven & Cheri Graham, Manhattan #720 Myra Coker, Ness City #722 Glen & Freeda Steyer, Salina #743 Bud & Myrna Fair, Wichita #811 Miles & Jeanie Tade, Wichita #981 Melaney Vogel, Dodge City #997 Roberta Lowrey, Concordia #1077 Rex Buchanan & Mindy James, Lawrence #1129 Kris & John Doswell, Hutchinson #1193 Norm & Mary Frances Wilks, El Dorado #1201 John Diehl, Lawrence #1251 Scott Wilson, Silver Lake #1318 Jo Ann Duvall, Pomona #1320 J. W. Welch, Salina #1463 Lu & Keith Zimmer, Tecumseh #1466 Janice Rich, Wichita #1503 Donna & Jerry Friesen, Newton #1514 Bobbie & Dave Kromm, Manhattan #1574 Ralph & Helen Vogel, Inman #1660 Marge Baker, Topeka #1758 Cora Schloetzer, Topeka #1977 Brian Snodderly, Topeka #2208 Beverly & Gail Roepke, Waterville #2553 Beverly Aiken, Havana #2621 Dr. Phillip Godwin, Lawrence #2945 Byron & Brenda Darlington, Basehor #3028 Shirley & Ken McClintock, Council Grove #3049 Patrick & Theresa Trapp, Hays #3087 Gwen Warner, Anthony #3094 David, Kim, Anna, John, Cara & Leah Criswell, Wilson #3144 Merrill & Wendy Cunningham, Chanute #3299 Bob Grant, Newton #3301 Carol McDowell & John Bottenberg, Topeka #3308 Rachel Lyle, Lawrence #3366 Roger & Leasa Hrabe, Plainville #3438 Carolyn Thompson, McCracken #3451 Dorothy Filson, Wichita

WELCOME TO THE EXPLORER FAMILY!

This is a list of those who have joined since the last newsletter.

#6171 David, Kim, Randi & Liza Cooper, Salina #6176 Ben Champion, Manhattan #6177 Don and Debbie, Bennington #6178 Kristin & John Collier, Alta Vista #6181 Keen and Eileen Umbehr & family, Alma #6182 Dave Blasiar, Overland Park #6184 Stephen Richards, Newton #6185 Greg & Paula Payton, Hutchinson #6186 Laura Kemp, Salina #6189 Lois Applequist, Falun #6190 Brian Lingle and Linda Schmitt, Hutchinson #6191 Grace & John Yoder, Marion #6192 Jim Barrett, Hays #6193 Helen Norman Dobbs, Goodland #6194 Shannon Martin, Dexter #6195 Kermit & Kathleen Wedel, Minneapolis #6197 Everett & Rita Everson, Abilene #6198 Lois Herr & Jim West, Carbondale #6199 Lori & Larue Lennen & Tori Guldner, Coolidge #6200 Tina Wolff de Casquino, Natalie & Andreas Casquino Wolff, & Genevieve Wolff, Olathe #6201 Benjamin Jones, Kalamazoo, MI #6202 Rebecca, Keith, Evan & McKenzie Snell, Wichita #6204 Dorothy Thompson, Kechi #6205 Tony and Karen Dornbush, Wichita #6209 Phil & Sharleen Wurm, Oberlin #6210 Mr. & Mrs. Arlyn Kinsey, Lawrence #6211 Vernon Aufdemberge, Lincoln #6214 Shannon Keith, Ellsworth #6215 Bill Woolen, Martinez, CA

#3460 Shelia, Don & Alisha Lampe, Piqua #3502 Robert & Henriette Area, Mayetta #3505 Sue Parker, Salina #3518 Carl Purkapile, Alexandria, VA #3566 Bill & Marilyn Bunyan, Manhattan #3571 Eve Hill, Wichita #3580 Len & Linda Moeder, Beaver #3639 Frank & Linda White, Hesston #3699 Glenda Kelly, Lawrence #3710 George & Jennifer Coleman, Wichita #4047 Kathleen Bristol, Portis #4141 Barbara Anderson, Iola #4208 Mark Reddig, Independence #4218 Shari Wilson & Chris Steineger, Kansas City #4230 Rosemary & Ron Brogan, St. Paul #4247 Dean & Debra Lewis, Salina #4321 Marsha Watkins, Hutchinson #4386 Sam Wehunt & Jim Wehunt, Prairie Village #4392 Keith Stokes, Lenexa #4411 Patricia Couger, Wichita #4457 Jeanene French, Leoti #4492 Jerry Carden, Lenexa #4493 Gretchen Morgenstern, Salina #4530 Marlene Salsman, Winfield #4624 Rollie & Beth Marolf, Topeka #4651 Jim, Terry, Jamie & Jenny Swan, Haysville #4677 Carole Reaman, Kansas City #4738 Keyta, Michael & Rachel Kelly, Leavenworth #4775 Jeremy, Mandy, Gaby, Adrianne & Cole Moyer, Piqua #4778 Sally Fuller, Turpin, OK #4789 Jerry & Margaret Snyder, Scott City #4805 Betty Stevens, Manhattan #4808 Jan Stevens, Dodge City #4830 Julie Minks, Wichita #4866 Bill Wilson, Claflin #4885 Brenda, Rod, Sam, Isabel & Amelia Holcomb, Overland Park #4920 Janet Seibel, Hutchinson #4976 Dana Wilson, Lyons #5006 Nancy J. Cole, Moundridge #5078 Ed & Jan Eckroat, Piqua #5097 Carol Ann Carley, Kansas City #5115 Brenda Baker, Woodland Park, CO #5214 Anne Hassler, McPherson #5278 Verna Louise McBee, Cheney #5288 Penny Larsen, Concordia #5298 Gwyn Hinman, Whiting #5349 Jan Willey, Lawrence #5434 Caroline Coleman, Fredericksburg, VA #5465 Don Rixon, Lawrence #5469 Sharon Schwartz, Topeka #5471 Ruth Cathcart-Rake, Salina #5497 David & Judy DeArmond, Merriam #5542 Ruben Schuckman, Hays #5545 Denny & Gayla Swisher, Marquette #5548 Norma & Wayne McCallister, Norcatur #5564 Darlene Doherty, Fort Scott

#5565 Nanette Krumsick, Frontenac #5773 Brenda & Dennis Yarnall, El Dorado #5776 James & Nancy Rumsey, Lawrence #5779 Allen & Jane Collins, Berryton #5941 Robert Ballard, Concordia #5942 Paula Haas, Matfield Green #5983 Dale Park, Mankato #5987 Wayne & Peggy Fager, Hays #5988 Robert Cuevas, Lincoln #6003 Fred Peterson, Marquette #6011 Maria & Bob Sweet, Manhattan #6016 Virginia Hammersmith, Lawrence #6021 Kathy Wilhelm, Topeka #6023 Martha Dixon, Topeka #6025 Jennifer Keller, Derby #6032 Dan Hall, Manhattan #6057 Kelli Gorman, El Dorado

Thank you so much for joining...

Kansas Explorers Club Membership and Renewal Form

Explorers Name _______________________________________ Names for family membership: ____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

First-timer _____; Renewal ____ ; Renewers, list your Explorer number (if you know it) ______.

Phone _________________________ E-mail ____________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________ City ________________________________ State ____ Zip ___________

Gift membership to: ___________________________________ Mailing address _________________________________________

This is a gift from: __________________________________________________ (Gift card will be enclosed).

Annual dues: Individual membership $18.61; family $30. (Family membership prior to #881 is grandfathered in at $18.61)

Check is enclosed _____ or Visa or Master Card #__________________________________ Exp. date ___________

Name on card ___________________________________________

I’d like to add a donation to support the ERV research trip _____________. My payment is for ___ years of membership.

Send to: Kansas Explorers Club, 978 Arapaho Rd., Inman, KS 67546 You can also renew or join online at explorekansas.org.

EXPLORER TRACKINGS

KE #679, Dee Reid, recommends the Haddam15

Cafe. Residents of this town of 160 came together to help remodel the inside and put up a new sign. Dee says the food is still like always though, home-cooked! Across the street is a collection of figures made of motor parts by J.D. Frye.

With a steam engine at the helm, KEs #3198 Rick and Jane Hitchcock, deluxe Explorers, were on the abbre-viated excursion train ride from Abilene16. The trip was cut short because of high water on the Smoky Hill River. They also enjoyed a breakfast sandwich at Amanda’s in Abilene and then went next door to Health Mart Pharmacy (formerly Bankes) for ice cream at the soda fountain!

James and Joyce Jordan, KE’s #3783, went to the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs17 and “enjoyed it so much, as always!” Attending this festi-val has become their annual tradition.

Continued from p. 4.

HUMBOLDT - South of town is the Monarch Cement Plant. You’ll see that it remains a thriving industry. The quarry is just south of the river. You’re invited to stop in (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.) at the offices (449 1200 Street) to see wall displays about the company’s his-tory. Cement from Monarch was used for the 1932 Neosho River Marsh double-arched bridge that can still be seen on the west end of Bridge Street.

GAS - Once home to plentiful natural gas fields, the town is now home to the world’s largest Gas Kan (the red water tower has the words Gas Kan on it).

Cement Education is a great reason to go to Iola, Bassett, Mildred, and Humboldt but there are many other things to see along the way! It never hurts to get educated about the basics!

Page 7

AN INTOXICATING SCENE Ed Harold, “man of the mountain,” at Mount Sunflower in Wallace County20, found a six pack of Mirror Pond Pale Ale from the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR that had been left at the registration mail box. On the label it read, “for fellow explorers everywhere.”

QUEST UPDATE KE #6100 Elyssa Jackson’s quest is to visit every museum in the state. Her goal this year was to visit ten. She has visited Miners Hall Museum, Franklin18; Humboldt11 Historical Museums, the Safari Museum, Chanute19 and Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka.

Featuring the rural culture element of architecture, geography...

SPECTATING ON THE NEOSHO A new, cozy rock amphitheater has been placed facing the river in Humboldt. Cross the river on West Bridge Street to find the park.

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Non-profit organization U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 24

Inman, KS 67546

THE EXPLORER #100

c/o Kansas Sampler Foundation 978 Arapaho Road Inman, Kansas 67546

IF IT’S TIME TO RENEW THERE WILL BE A NOTICE ABOVE

YOUR NAME ON THE ADDRESS LABEL AND AN INSERT.

Page 8

Return Service Requested

Use a credit card to renew or join online at explorekansas.org.

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FIND EACH COUNTY HERE

Featuring the rural culture elements of geography, customs...

HIT THE TRAIL! Kansas’ wardrobe in the fall is runway worthy — at least, trail worthy. Walking, running, or bik-ing parts or all of the Prairie Spirit Trail would be a great way to see the state outfitted in her glorious autumn colors. The Prairie Spirit Trail is a 52-mile trail from Ottawa to Iola with many trail heads along the way. The new South-wind Trail continues the trail to Humboldt for another 6.5 miles. A Pratt double truss railroad

bridge is a feature on this segment. Bikeprairiespirit.com.

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HERE IS A SHORT LIST OF INTRIGUING, LITTLE SINGULAR THINGS

Add these up for an Explorer Adventure in Iola and Humboldt! IOLA11 Community Garden, 702 S. First: What do you do with a flood plain? Use it for a community garden! People rent plots and do naturally creative things in their spaces. It’s a great model. Come view all the special touches.

Bowlus Fine Art Center, 205 E. Madison. Appreciate the art deco value on the exterior of this 1964 building.

Around the Corner, 110 S. Jefferson. Start your day trip at this new coffee shop!

Bandstand: West of the courthouse is the bandstand. Summer concerts have been presented here since 1918.

WPA: Find many WPA structures at Riverside Park on South State ranging from the football stadium to the bath house. Another is the community center, originally located in the African American section of town, at 510 Park Ave.

Clock: The 1904 clock tower is now down on the courthouse grounds, still ticking. See the inner workings.

Meat market: From the bread to the meat, Bollings, 201 S. State, makes scrumptious deli sandwiches.

HUMBOLDT11 Sun dial: Can you find the sun dial? Go to the back of the Mount Hope Cemetery (between U.S. 169 and B&W Trailer Hitches on Road 224 on north side...look for the pillars) by the Wulf section.

Patrick Haire shop, 120 S. 8th. See if Pat’s home at his 19th-century woodworking shop. If he is, he’ll invite you in!

Civil War sites: Follow the 12 markers that tell about the 1861 raid and burning of Humboldt by Confederates.

Walter Johnson birth site: From 9th and Bridge street, travel 2.5 miles north, then 1 mile west to 900 St. and Iowa Road to see a plaque showing the birth site of baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson.

Johnson and Sweatt ballparks: Go to S. 6th and Pine and S. 12th and Wulf to see these memorial parks.

Bandstand: The renovated 1905 bandstand on the square has the shiniest floor and ceiling of any bandstand!

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