Vacation Kansas!

The summer looms ahead of you like a two lane highway cutting a rolling path across the Flint Hills. What to do? Where to go? Your bank account nixes any trips to far off locations. You look around waiting for a passing twister to lift you up and deposit you in Oz but the sky is a clear, deep Kansas blue without a cloud in sight.

How about vacationing in Kansas? You'd be amazed at what the Sunflower State has to offer in sights, sounds and friendly people. You can tour the state on prolonged journeys or take short day/weekend ventures. Chances are good you'll spend a lot less money and surprise yourself in discovering Kansas up close.

So put down those "impossible dream" brochures and thumb through the possibilities listed below. Kansas spreads out before you, a patchwork quilt of festivals, lakes, rodeos, museums, galleries, racing, music and good times.

KANSAS TRAVEL & TOURISM
http://www.travelks.com/
Official site of the Kansas Travel and Tourism Division, Kansas Department of Commerce. The Division's Tourism site promotes all aspects of Kansas as a place to visit and enjoy providing information on lodging, dining, directions and suggestions on what to pack Some areas of interest:

--Free Publications
http://www.travelks.com/s/VisitorGuideE.cfm
(Supply contact information, fill out the online form indicating your specific interests and receive maps and guides on places and activities in Kansas)

--Trip Planner
http://www.travelks.com/s/index.cfm?trip
(Select a time period, your interests and an optional location and this planning tool will assist you in planning your excursion)

--Yellow Brick Road Trips
http://yellowbrickroadtrip.com/
(A wonderful way to plan a trip or just see what the different regions of Kansas have to offer. Use the map or the menu on the left to select a journey and then print off an itinerary of places to visit. Offers coupons and suggestions on what to pack and mapping your trip)

--Kansas Adventure e-newsletter
http://www.travelks.com/s/EnewsSubscribeE.cfm
("Kansas Adventures is the official Kansas Tourism e-newsletter. Subscribers receive periodic e-mail updates on the latest Kansas travel news, events, festivals, attractions, vacation packages, and special offers")

--Kansas! magazine
http://www.kansasmag.com/
(Quarterly magazine with stunning photography and interesting stories of places and people in Kansas)

OTHER WEBSITES

Kansas Scenic Byways
http://www.ksbyways.org/
("Kansas has nine scenic byways, two of which are National Scenic Byways. In addition to being beautiful drives, the byways each have a fascinating history and an abundance of activities to enjoy")

8 Wonders of Kansas
http://www.kansassampler.org/8wonders/
("The purpose of the 8 Wonders series is to help the world get to know Kansas and to encourage the public to explore Kansas")

Historic Tours of Kansas
Kansas State Historical Society
http://www.kshs.org/tourists/index.htm
("Plan your trip into Kansas history by choosing a region, theme, highway, or site name. Learn about accomodations for group tours")

Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/
Hunting, fishing, boating, lakes, parks, etc. Be sure to check out the video on the Flint Hills on the main page as well as other Kansas wildlife and Parks videos on YouTube)

Some National Parks Service sites in Kansas
http://www.nps.gov/state/ks/index.htm
(A short list with links provided by the National Parks Service. A more complete list of national historic landmarks is available from the Kansas State Historical Society)

GeoKansas... Places to Visit
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Extension/KSplaces/visitindex.html
(Photos and descriptions of sites of geologic and other interest in Kansas. Provided by the Kansas Geological Survey. The website also includes a Field Trips page with guidebooks) http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Extension/fieldtrips.html

Natural Kansas
http://www.naturalkansas.org/welcome.htm
(Your portal to the many Wildlife Watching opportunities found here in the heart of
the Great Plains of North America)

Kansas Flint Hills
http://kansasflinthills.travel/
(Discover one of the most underrated natural attractions in the United States)

Kansas Chambers of Commerce
http://www.kansaschamber.org/mx/hm.asp?id=KcceDirectory
(Check out individual communities in Kansas. A directory of some of the chambers in Kansas. Includes a website when available. Provided by the State Chamber of Commerce)

Article by: Bill Sowers
Please use the "Comments" link below for questions and comments.

Kansas Halls of Fame

“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.”
~Zig Ziglar~

Success is often the goal that drives the American dream. However one wishes to define the word many of us strive to have a lasting effect in some small way on the world around us or perhaps just within ourselves believing that this country of ours offers that possibility.

Americans love to celebrate successes. We recognize the deeds of others in many fields of interest touting these triumphs in museums, schools and notably "halls of fame."

The list below covers many of the halls of fame in Kansas. Within our state we have places that honor individuals and groups who have stood out within a profession, area of interest or activity at the state or national level. We also have halls of fame which promote animals and plantlife!

We've shied away from local and individual school halls of fame in this list knowing that that list is much longer than the space we've set out for these blogs. If we've missed a hall of fame in Kansas that you're aware of contact us and let us know via the comment box at the bottom of this blog. Don't forget to include an address and possible website! We'll determine what to include and add more halls of fame to the list.

NATIONAL HALLS OF FAME

Agricultural Hall of Fame
Bonner Springs
http://www.aghalloffame.com/
(Educates society on the historical and present value of American agriculture and honors leadership in Agri-Business and Academia by providing education, information, experience and recognition)

Greyhound Hall of Fame
Abilene
http://www.kansastravel.org/greyhoundhalloffame.htm
(Devoted to greyhound breeding, racing, and the history of the sport)

Highbanks Hall of Fame
http://highbanks-museum.org/
(Celebrates national midget auto racing and auto racing drivers)

Teachers Hall of Fame
Emporia
http://www.nthf.org/
(Recognizes and honors exceptional career teachers, encourages excellence in teaching, and preserves the rich heritage of the teaching profession in the United States)

They Also Ran Gallery
Norton
http://www.theyalsoran.com/
(Honors presidential candidates who were defeated but not forgotten)

STATE

Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame
Wichita
http://www.kansasaviationmuseum.org/hall.php
(Created to preserve the memory of outstanding aviation contributions by citizens of the State of Kansas)

Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame
Wichita
http://www.wichitahof.com/Baseball_Main.htm
(Honors baseball greats from Kansas)

Kansas Broadcasting Hall of Fame
http://www.kab.net/KABAdditionalInformation/AwardsDL1/Downloads_GetFile.aspx?id=34694
(Honors those who have worked in the broadcasting business recognizing substantial contributions to broadcasting in the state/nation. Individual broadcasters may be Kansas natives and have made contributions in other states or at the national level. Individuals who are not Kansas natives who have worked in Kansas broadcasting are also recognized)

Kansas Business Hall of Fame
Emporia
http://www.emporia.edu/business/kbhfhome.php
(recognizes business leaders, who through their high standards of ethics, have added to the prestige and growth of Kansas. By identifying outstanding examples of business leadership, the Hall of Fame shares with high school and college students and adults these stories of success and innovation through representative displays. The Hall of Fame creates an awareness of appreciation of Kansas' rich heritage of business leadership)

Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame
Dodge City
http://boothill.org/cowboy-hof/
(Preserves and honors the life of the Kansas cowboy. The five inductees each year are honored for their outstanding contribution to the western heritage lifestyle, past and present, and to the preservation of the cowboy culture. The five categories are Rancher/Cattleman, Cowboy Entertainer, Cowboy Historian, Working cowboy, and Rodeo Cowboy)

Kansas Golf Hall of Fame
http://www.kansasgolf.org/foundation/hall-of-fame/
(Honors Kansas men and women, amateurs and professionals, who have made outstanding contributions to the game of golf)


Kansas Music Hall of Fame
http://www.ksmusichalloffame.org/
(Recognizes and honors performers and others who have made significant contributions to the musical history of the state of Kansas and the greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The Hall of Fame endeavors to promote public interest in the musicians of the past and encourage those of the present and future)

Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame
http://www.kansasguardmuseum.org/hof.php
(Commemorates and recognizes individuals who have served in the Kansas National Guard or it's predecessor, Kansas State Militia, who have made a significant contribution to the National Guard achievements, tradition, or history)

Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame
http://www.kspress.com/img/hof05.pdf
(An honor roll of journalists who have made outstanding contributions to the profession and to Kansas)

Kansas Oil Gallery
El Dorado (Museum)
http://www.kansasoilmuseum.org/inductees.cfm?bio=criteria
(Honors those men and women who have made contributions to Kansas’ oil heritage)

Kansas Poker Hall of Fame
http://www.kansaspokerhalloffame.com/
(Meet the legends of Kansas poker history)

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
Wichita
http://www.kshof.org/
(Honors Kansans who have excelled in athletics)

Kansas State High School Activities Assn Hall of Fame
Topeka
http://www.kshsaa.org/HOF/HOF-front.html
(Recognizes individuals who have contributed their time and talent to their school, community and/or state through secondary school activities)

Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame
Dodge City
http://www.visitdodgecity.org/index.aspx?NID=86
(Dedicated to the early and present day teachers who have devoted their lives to the profession of teaching)

Kansas Wheat Hall of Fame
http://www.k-state.org/wgrc/Germplasm/kansastop10.html
(The Kansas Wheat Hall of Fame is composed of the State's most popular wheat varieties. These varieties have demonstrated good staying power, having been grown on more than 1 % of the State's acreage at least 20 years. They also have contributed greatly to the Kansas economy and to the farm communities where they were grown)

Article by: Bill Sowers
(My thanks to Rhonda Machlan for suggesting this topic and supplying the links!)
Please use the "Comments" link below for questions and comments.

The Rock Band, Kansas

This week we will rise above the noise and confusion, just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion... And for those of you who are sitting there wondering just what the heck I'm writing about, carry on my wayward son (or daughter) and keep reading!

Do an Internet search for the word, "Kansas," and you'll find hits for the state of Kansas and Kansas City along with many sites about the rock band, Kansas. The band and its name have a history going back 40 years. A band formed with the name, Kansas, by Topekans, Dave Hope, Phil Ehart and Kerry Livgren in 1970 folded, reformed and merged with different names and members before a newly formed band was brought together in 1973 with the name, Kansas, affixed permanently. Kansas band members by then were Phil Ehart, Dave Hope, Kerry Livgren, Robbie Steinhardt, Steve Walsh and Rich Williams.

With the release of their first major album, "Kansas," in 1974 Kansas moved into the national music spotlight as a progressive rock band, offering music which combined rock interwoven with classic symphonic tones and complex arrangements. Years later Kansas is still entertaining crowds of new and old fans with its distinctive, musical style and rich, reflective lyrics.

Enthusiastic followers known as "wheatheads" travel great distances to attend Kansas concerts such as the sold out January, 2008, performance at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. The band rocked the house that night with an assist from the Topeka Symphony Orchestra. Reviewer Bill Blankenship from the Topeka Capital-Journal commented after the concert, "More often than not, Kansas performs opuses, not songs. They are rich and textured and far too long for radio. They have movements, tempo changes, counterpoint and other symphonic forms that go well beyond the verse-chorus 'Roll Over Beethoven' roots of rock."

So let's sit back, pop in a CD and listen to some great music while perusing information on a band that named itself after a state.

Kansas, the Official Website
http://www.kansasband.com/
Includes information on:

Current Band Members

History

Multimedia

News and Reviews

Some Current* & Former Band Members' Websites

Phil Ehart* (Wikipedia)

John Elefante

Billy Greer*

David Hope (Wikipedia)

Kerry Livgren

Steve Morse

David Ragsdale*

Robby Steinhardt (Wikipedia)

Steve Walsh*

Richard Williams*

Discographies

Official website

MusicMoz

Wikipedia

Billboard Charts and Awards

Fan Clubs

People of the South Wind (POTSW)

KansasFans.com

Other Resources

Kerry Livgren Interview (2006)

Rich Williams Interview (2008)

Billy Greer Interview (2001)

Phil Ehart Interview

Song Lyrics (Rock Lyrics)

1kansasfan has a large array of Kansas videos on YouTube

Miscellaneous

Kansas Platinum Record (Kansas State Historical Society)

A Review of the Kansas concert with the Washburn Symphony Orchestra held February 10, 2009 in Topeka. The concert was later released on DVD titled "There's Know Place Like Home," and shown on KTWU Public Television.

Resources found in the ATLAS online catalog (Includes State Library of Kansas holdings)

Article contact: Bill Sowers
(My thanks to Cindy Roupe for suggesting this topic)

Orphan Train Children

From the mid 1850s to 1929 between 150,000 to 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children made their way west from the U.S. East Coast to be adopted into new homes and families in the Midwest, West and Canada. Because they moved primarily via trains they were commonly known as orphan train children.

Kansas played a role in this movement as a final destination for many children and continues to remember them, their families of origin, adoptive families and their life changing experiences with a museum and research center in Concordia.

The links below connect you to the tragic and triumphant stories of the children and adults who were involved in this great social experiment. We've emphasized information resources for Kansas but have included other related sources as well.

National Orphan Train Complex
http://www.orphantraindepot.com/index.html
(Located in Concordia, Kansas, the Complex has a museum and research center. The website includes a history of the orphan trains and personal stories by adoptees)
---Museum Virtual Tour
---Orphan Train History
---Orphan Train Rider Stories
---Website Archives
---Links to Primary Resource Facilities

Orphan Trains of Kansas
http://www.kancoll.org/articles/orphans/
(History, stories, newspaper accounts, graphics and references provided on the Kansas Collection website)

Bibliography of Printed Material on Orphan Train Children
http://sites.google.com/site/ks150slk/orpantrains
(prepared by the Kansas Collection and State Library of Kansas)

Library Holdings at the State Library of Kansas, Kansas State Historical Society and Washburn University (ATLAS online catalog)
ORPHAN TRAINS

The Orphan Trains
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/orphan/index.html
(website for a PBS special TV program)

The Orphan Trains/Children's Aid Society
http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/about/history/orphantrain

Orphan Trains of Nebraska
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/trains//Orphan.htm

Orphan Trains
http://www.nebraskahistory.org/sites/mnh/orphans/index.htm
(Nebraska State Historical Society)

Orphan Train
http://iagenweb.org/iaorphans/
(Iowa GenWeb Project)

Some Orphan Trains Genealogy Links
http://www.genealinks.com/orphantrain.htm

Orphan Trains (Cyndi's Genealogy List)
http://www.cyndislist.com/orphans.htm#Orphans

Orphan Train (song) written by Utah Phillips
---The Song Lyrics
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Orphan_Train.htm
---The Song on YouTube (performed by Dry Branch Fire Squad)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-og-66Bzwzw

Article contact: Bill Sowers

Carry A. Nation (a.k.a. Carrie A. Nation)

(November 25, 1846 - June 9, 1911)

Born Carrie Amelia Moore in Garrard County, Kentucky, Nation came to describe herself as “a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn’t like.” Her first marriage was to a doctor named Charles Gloyd in 1867. This marriage was brief and he died a drunkard shortly after the divorce. Nation attributed her hatred of liquor to her failed first marriage. Her second husband, David A. Nation, was a newspaper editor, minister and lawyer. A few years after their marriage in 1877 the couple moved to Medicine Lodge, Kansas. It is here that Nation began her temperance work and crusade against alcoholic intake. While living in Medicine Lodge she began jail evangelism and helped create the local chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Movement (WCTM) which spoke out against drink and tobacco, to name just a few.

In 1881, Kansas outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. However, enforcement of such laws was largely ignored. Becoming one of the most famous figures of the Temperance Movement, she adopted the name “Carry A. Nation” and used it as a slogan, even going so far as to have it registered as a trademark in the state of Kansas. Hatchetations, as they became known, took place in saloons and bars around the state of Kansas. The first such incident occurred around Kiowa, KS. This smashing occurred without a hatchet, for which she would later be known. A roadside marker describes the ordeal. Nation referred to her supporters as “Home Defenders” and together they were successful in shutting down a number of “joints.” Jailed a number of occasions for the destruction of liquor establishments, Nation sold souvenir pin hatchets in order to cover the cost of fines.

Two houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Houses as “Carry A. Nation House.” The Carrie Nation House in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, is also known as the Carry A. Nation Home and Museum. Her birthplace in Lancaster, Kentucky is the other Carry A. Nation House.

Nation is buried in Belton, Missouri; a historical marker is in Cass County, MO. The inscription on her gravestone reads- “Faithful to the cause of Prohibition- She hath done what she could.”

Biographical information

Biographical information
(Kansas State Historical Society)

Online Exhibit
(Includes a link to a Curriculum Guide)

Carry Amelia Nation Papers, 1870-1919

Rootsweb
(Contains image of Carry A. Nation House in Medicine Lodge, KS. Biographical information provided including references to a bridge named in her honor in Barber County.)

Medicine Lodge, Kansas - Historic Happenings

Kansas Heritage Group

Encyclopedia of Arkansas history and culture

Handbook of Texas Online

American Heritage

History on the Web

The Kansas State Historical Society has a variety of information on their website as well as within their digital historical repository- Kansas Memory.

People - Notable Kansans (Nation, Carry Amelia, 1846-1911)

Collections – Photographs (Nation, Carry Amelia)

Collections – Manuscripts (Nation, Carry Amelia)

Additional information

Read the full-text online of “The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation” by Carry A. Nation

There is a festival in her honor located in Holly, Michigan. The CarryNation Festival began in 1973 and marks “a historical moment in time when a very prominent woman visited Holly and made her mark on the community.

In Wichita, relocated from the Old Cowtown Museum and now located along a walk in Naftzger Park, stands a drinking fountain “erected to the memory of Carry A. Nation by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union of Kansas, 1918.”

Listen to the audio file- Carrie Nation in Kansas by Steve Porter (1901) which contains a satirical song about Nation and how "women wear the pants in Kansas."

The Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) has a tradecard series which includes a Carry A. Nation card. Also, Carry Nation’s Hammer, Carry Nation’s Purse, Carry Nation Lecture Poster, and a Carry Nation’s Portrait.

C-SPAN interview of author Fran Grace discussing her biography Carry A. Nation: Retelling the Life

Alcohol, Prohibition and the Temperance Movement
History of Alcoholic Beverages in Kansas
(Kansas Department of Revenue- Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC))

Prohibition
(Digital History: using new technologies to enhance teaching and research)

The Dry Years
(Selected images relating to Prohibition from the Collections of the Library of Congress- Prints & Photographs Room)

Kansas Women’s Christian Temperance Movement / Mary Evelyn Dobbs Collection
(Kansas State Historical Society)

Community Life – Clubs and Organizations - Reform/Advocacy
(Kansas State Historical Society- Kansas Memory)
Women’s Christian Temperance Union
Kansas State Temperance Union
National Temperance Society

Government and Politics – Reform and Protest
Prohibition and Temperance

Government and Politics - Political Parties
Prohibition

Article contact: Megan Schulz

Kansas and the Wizard of Oz

When I was growing up in California my family had an annual event in late February or early March: Wizard of Oz Night.

My Mom would make homemade pizza, soda pop would be allowed in the living room during the meal and a large bowl of popcorn was passed around. Then we'd sit back and watch the 1939 MGM movie, The Wizard of Oz.

Other than the NBC peacock my first memory of color television was the year we got a color TV and watched the cinematically dull, drab world of Dorothy Gale’s Kansas fade into the Technicolorful Land of Oz. We oooed and ahhhed as Dorothy and Toto stepped out of the tornado-borne house into the Munchkin village. We jumped as the Wicked Witch of the West appeared out of nowhere in a burst of flame searching for the murderer of her sister, and all the while I wondered why in the world Dorothy wanted to return to Kansas when she could stay in Oz!

Years later, imbued with these stereotypical views of Kansas I went off to college at the University of Kansas and realized upon my arrival in Lawrence that Kansas was not only very colorful but greener than California in August…. the first of many Wizard of Oz myths about Kansas dispelled.

Like it or not though, L. Frank Baum’s book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the 1939 motion picture rendition of the tale of Dorothy's journey through Oz have shaped how the world sees Kansas and Kansans. I have been asked many times about Toto's well being and where my ruby-red cowboy boots are. Below are some links to resources on L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Kansas and Oz, Dorothy and yes, her little dog too.

The Book That Started It All...

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1900)
Online text version
Online audio version
Another Online Audio Version

The 1939 Motion Picture...

The Wizard of Oz (MGM 1939)
1949 Reissue Trailer
1998 trailer/promo of digitally restored film
2009 Blu Ray digitized version trailer/promo

Interpretation And Symbolism...
Secrets of the Wizard of Oz, by Rumeana Jahangir
Oz and Populism, by David B. Parker

Kansas and The Wizard of Oz
Oztoberfest in Wamego
2010 Information
Official Site (2009 information)

Dorothy's House and Land of Oz in Liberal
Tribute site
Official site

Ah Kansas!
During the 1980's the Kansas Department of Economic Development created a series of publications and commercials promoting Kansas with a play on words from L. Frank Baum's books using "Kansas, Land of Ahs."
Listen to a short promo from KNAB Radio dated 1984
Listen to a couple "Ah Kansas" radio commercials from KFH Radio

The Wizard of Oz
(A short introduction on the Kansas State Historical Society’s website)

Kansas Articles and Commentary
The Wiz Lives On In The Land Of Oz
Marketing Kansas
Kansas Is Oz's Home
Film and History in Kansas and the Great Plains

Search the ATLAS Catalog
(State Library, State Historical Society, Washburn University)
Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank), 1856-1919
Wizard of Oz

Kansas -- Civilization

The Wizard Of Oz
Other Motion Pictures and Stage Productions
The Wizard of Oz (1902 Musical Play)
The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays (1908)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910 motion picture)
The Wizard of Oz (1925 motion picture)
The Wizard of Oz (1933 animated short film)
Catalog of the Oz Movies - 1908 to 1938

FOR THE FANATIC/DEVOTEE

Memorable quotes
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Wikiquote
Quotes from the book

L. Frank Baum and the Land of Oz
(Library of Congress)

Oz on Stage and Film

(Library of Congress)

The International Wizard of Oz Club

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Website

The Wizard of Oz Wiki
(Updated by viewers)

Wizard of Oz Events Calendar
(Calendar of events around the world for book, motion picture and staged productions fans)

Other Oz Books and Movies By L. Frank Baum
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (1908)
Audio -- Text
The Emerald City of Oz (1910)
Audio -- Text
Glinda of Oz (1920, posthumously published)
Audio -- Text
His Majesty the Scarecrow of Oz (1914)
motion picture
Little Wizard Stories of Oz (1913)
Audio --Text
The Lost Princess of Oz (1917)
Audio -- Text
The Magic of Oz (1919, posthumously published)
Audio -- Text
The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914)
Motion Picture
The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
Audio -- Text
Ozma of Oz (1907)
Audio -- Text
The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913)
Text -- 1914 Motion Picture
Rinkitink in Oz (1916)
Audio 1 -- Audio 2 -- Text
The Road to Oz (1909)
Audio -- Text
The Scarecrow of Oz (1915)

Audio -- Text

Tik-Tok of Oz (1914)
Audio -- Text
The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918)
Audio -- Text

Article contact: Bill Sowers

Kansas State Governors

The Kansas State Constitution states that, "the supreme executive power of this state shall be vested in a governor, who shall be responsible for the enforcement of the laws of this state. "

Since Kansas became a state in 1861 there have been 45 governors serving as the chief executive of state. They have come from all corners of Kansas and covered a broad political spectrum. They have presided over our state during wars, drought, insurrection, scandals, floods, social upheaval and economic downturns. The Kansas political environment seen by outsiders might appear to be as serene as the rolling hills along I-70 but a closer look reveals a complicated "ecosystem" in which our governors have played a vital role through the years.

There have been 32 Republican governors, eleven Democrats and two Populists. Some have served for eight years. One served for twelve days. After serving as governor several served terms in Congress; one served as U.S. Secretary of War; another as a U.S. federal judge; one ran unsuccessfully for public office in Canada; another was the Archivist of the United States; one was a Republican candidate for President; and one is currently serving as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Below is some basic information on the office of Governor as well as the individuals who have held that office.

Powers and Duties of the Governor

State Constitution, Article 1
http://kslib.info/constitution/art1.html
(Outline of powers and duties of the governor set forth by the State Constitution)

Kansas Statutes 75-101 et seq
http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-statutes/index.do
(You can browse through the Statutes online starting at 75-101. The Statutes on this website are not up to date. Also bear in mind that specific duties and powers of the governor are found throughout the Kansas Statutes, not just in this section.

Legislative Procedure in Kansas
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/ksleg/KLRD/about/legproc.pdf
(Check out Chapter 15 for how the Governor acts on legislation passed by the Legislature)

The Governor's Budget, FY 2011, volume 1
http://budget.ks.gov/publications/FY2011/FY2011_GBR_Volume1--updated_2-10-2010.pdf
(The beginning section of Volume 1 contains an organizational chart of Kansas government and gives a good summary of the governor's duties as they relate to state finance)

The Government of Kansas / by James W. Drury with Marvin Stottlemire (2001)
(This book has gone through several editions and is a good read in understanding the workings of government in Kansas)

Mark Parkinson, Current Governor of Kansas
---Governor's website (http://governor.ks.gov/)
---Biography
---News Releases
---Capitol Blog

Governors' Speeches, Writings, Records, etc.

Kansas Governors' Messages
http://kslib.info/messages/index.html
(A collection of Governors' messages transcribed or digitzed by State Library of Kansas staff)

Governors' Papers and Records
All state and territorial governors left behind papers and records during their administations. These records give insight into the workings of government and many records are open to the public for research. The State Archives, located at the Kansas History Center in Topeka, has most of the governors' records. Spencer Library at the University of Kansas has two governors' records collections. Governor George Docking destroyed his records after his term of office was over.
---Kansas State Archives
http://www.kshs.org/people/governors.htm
(A list of Kansas territorial and state governors, terms of service, with online finding aids for their records. Provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)
---Spencer Library, University of Kansas
http://spencer.lib.ku.edu/collections/index.shtml
(Governors Robert Docking and Robert Bennett donated their gubernatorial records to the University of Kansas)

Other Resources on Kansas Governors

Kansas Governors
http://www.kshs.org/people/governors.htm
(The Online finding aids linked to in this list also include biographical information. Provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)

Governors of Kansas
http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.8fd3d12ab65b304f8a278110501010a0?submit=Submit&State=KS
(Short biographical entries on the 45 governors of Kansas. Provided by the National Governors Association)

Essay on Kansas Governors
http://www.kshs.org/research/topics/politics/essay_governors.htm
(Short piece on Kansas governors. Provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)

Kansas Memory
http://www.kansasmemory.org/category/713
(Primary source material on Kansas state governors provided online by the Kansas State Historical Society)

ATLAS Online Catalog
http://topekalibraries.info/
(Search for information about Kansas governors or for government publications issued by Kansas governors held by the State Library of Kansas, Kansas State Historical Society, Washburn University Libraries and the Kansas Supreme Court Law Library)

Internet Archive
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=kansas%20governor
(Hits in the Internet Archive using the terms, Kansas and governor. Not all of these titles pertain to Kansas governors but some do. Among them is an excerpt from a speech by Governor Alf Landon, Republican candidate for President, in 1936)

Kansas Governors / by Homer Socolofsky
Lawrence, Kan. : University of Kansas Press, 1990
(A 1990 book with a chapter on each of the governors. View the ATLAS Online Catalog record)

Article contact: Bill Sowers
(My thanks to Kim Harp for her help in putting together this information)