Kansas Historical Society

10/22/2026

In recognition of , we continue our tour of the State Archives by highlighting the hard work our collections staff are doing for our most recent large-scale collecting effort. The Kansas Historical Society is cooperating with the Kansas Music Hall of Fame and its board, members, and inductees to preserve and promote the musical legacy of Kansas. Check out a recent Zephyr article about this effort below. For more information, or to view online collections, check out www.kansasmemory.gov.

https://issuu.com/kansashistoricalsociety/docs/zephyr_volume_3_issue_1_issuu/19

10/21/2026

Stories from the gallery: Ellen "Nell" Quinlan Donnelly Reed was a fashion designer and businesswoman. Born in Parsons, Labette County, in 1889, she began selling her creations to a local department store on consignment. That same year, she started Donnelly Garment Company in Kansas City, Missouri. By the 1920s, the Nelly Don brand had taken off and the company became one of the largest manufacturers of women’s clothing in the United States, Canada and Europe. See a dress designed by Donnelly in the Kansas Museum of History’s main gallery. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday -Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday (closed state holidays).

10/20/2026

Then and Now: Cheyenne County was established in 1873 with the county seat being in Bird City. In 1889, the county seat moved to St. Francis and the first courthouse was built the same year. Construction on the second and current courthouse began in 1924 and was completed in 1925. The courthouse is listed in the Register of Historic Kansas Places and the National Register of Historic Places. Learn more about Cheyenne County at www.kansashistory.gov/15268

10/19/2026

Clifford Lynn Dickey is a former NFL quarterback. He was born in Paola, Miami County, and raised in Osawatomie. Dickey played football at Kansas State University then after graduation, he was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1971. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1976 where he spent the remainder of his professional career. Dickey retired from football in 1986 and was inducted into the KSHOF Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Read more about his athletic accomplishments at www.kshof.org

10/18/2026

Here's what's coming up this week. Learn more at www.kansashistory.gov/events

10/17/2026

This October 1919 photo shows a sand pump on the Arkansas River in Garden City, Finney County. Sand pumps are used to extract and transport sediments such as sand or gravel from rivers and lakes for maintenance and to help prevent flooding. View this photo at www.kansasmemory.gov/item/215027

10/16/2026

Did you know a Topekan was the first woman golfer to work on a men's golf broadcast? Marilynn Smith was a professional golfer and one of the 13 women who founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1950. A native Topekan, she started playing golf when she was 12. Smith turned pro in 1949 and won her first tournament in 1952. During her career, she won 21 tournaments, including two major championships. Smith served as the president of the LPGA from 1958 to 1960. In 1973, she became the first woman to work on a men’s golf television broadcast.

10/15/2026

Did you know that there are many different types of archeology? Each type of archeology has a different specialty or focus; some examples are provided below.
Historical Archeology-focuses on people documented in recent history.
Great Plains Archeology- focuses on human occupation in the Great Plains region, the flatlands that cover most of central North America.
Underwater Archeology- recovers information from artifacts and sites underwater.
Geoarcheology- focuses on studying geological and soil formations and their relationships with the archeological record.
Zooarcheology- focuses on studying animal remains found at archeological sites to learn about human and animal interactions.
Archaeobotany- focuses on recovering, identifying, and studying plant remains to learn more about how humans interacted with plants.

10/14/2026

Today is the Society of American Archivists’ . As part of our month-long celebration of archives month, we thought we’d answer just a handful of our frequently asked questions. Have a question you want to ask? Reach out to our State Archivist, Megan Burton at [email protected] for an answer!

10/14/2026

The Kansas Historical Society is seeking a Review and Compliance Architectural Historian. This position is responsible for timely reviews of projects in accordance with state and federal laws for the protection of historic properties; educates public and government officials about protective laws; reviews projects submitted by property owners, federal and state agencies and local governments through the Kansas Review & Compliance system and analyzes their potential to affect the state’s historic properties; reviews and evaluates proposals for conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The employee must be able to read, understand, and explain architectural drawings and specifications. The employee must possess skills necessary to provide excellent customer service. To apply, click on the link below.

Kansas Historical Society