Cramer family reunion, Allen County, Kansas
Date: Between 1880 and 1920
A photograph showing the Cramer family reunion in Allen County, Kansas. The family is gathered on the porch with a side building slightly visible in the background.

Pioneer settlers of Rossville, Kansas
Date: 1899
These are the pioneer settlers of Rossville, Kansas, ages 20 and older. Pictured left to right are: Dr. Robert S. Gabbey, C.W. Higginbotham, Tom Cox, Richard Binns, Bennett Swearingen, Josh Harding, Paul Patell, Greg Navarre, Clark McPherson, Harlow Kline, Len Hollenbeck, Richard Mason, Perry Wyatt, Venice Doud, Dave Hartzell, Dr. Henry H. Miller, Will Startup, Mel McElvain, Bill Marney, John Fritz, Mr. Montgomery, Oscar Young, M.T. Tatman, Mark Cless, Bill Rankin, and Ike Laurence. Picture taken July 13, 1899. This photograph is provided through a pilot project to host unique cultural heritage materials from local libraries on Kansas Memory and was accomplished by mutual agreement between the Northeast Kansas Library System, the Rossville Community Library, and the Kansas Historical Society.

Halloween postcard
Creator: S. Bergman
Date: 1913
Embossed Hallowe'en postcard depicting a girl and boy bobbing for apples, inside a decorative border of alternating jack-o'-lanterns and black cats. Printed Hallowe'en greeting on front, and handwritten message on back addressed to Philip Hambleton of Topeka, Kansas, from Aunt Lela. Elaborate color postcards were popular during the early 20th century. This example was manufactured by S. Bergman of New York.

Halloween postcard
Date: 1914
Embossed Hallowe'en postcard depicting a kneeling child cowering below a windowsill on which a black cat is perched. Printed Hallowe'en greeting on front, and handwritten message on back addressed to Philip Hambleton of Topeka, Kansas, from Mary Maxwell. Elaborate color postcards were popular during the early 20th century. This manufacturer of this example is unknown.

Halloween postcard
Creator: Wolfe Publishing
Date: 1916
Embossed Hallowe'en postcard depicting a pumpkin creature with jack-o'-lantern head and corn body in front of a large smiling moon resembling a squash. Printed Hallowe'en greeting on front, and handwritten message on back addressed to Philip Hambleton of Topeka, Kansas. Elaborate color postcards were popular during the early 20th century.

Halloween postcard
Creator: Whitney
Date: between 1920 and 1939
Embossed Hallowe'en postcard depicting children walking in front of a large jack-o'-lantern. Elaborate color postcards were popular during the early 20th century. This example was produced by Whitney of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Halloween postcard
Date: 1910
Embossed Hallowe'en postcard depicting a trio of pumpkin figures with jack-o'-lantern heads, gourd bodies, and husk arms and legs, seated atop a large oblong squash. A girl rings a bell and blows a party horn to the side. Elaborate color postcards were popular during the early 20th century. This manufacturer of this example is unknown. Delaware, Oklahoma postal cancellation on reverse, with handwritten message to Miss Iva Capps of Buffalo, Kansas, from her Aunt Anna.

Halloween postcard
Creator: International Art Publishing Company
Date: 1908
Rectangular embossed color postcard depicting black cats and jack-o'-lanterns and the holiday greeting "Happy Hallowe'en." Elaborate color postcards were popular during the early 20th century. The International Art Publishing Company produced this example in 1908.

Samuel Reader lanternslide
Creator: Reader, Samuel J.
Date: between 1866 and 1913
Hand painted lanternslide depicting Santa Claus, inside a handmade wood frame. The image is created by two slides sandwiched together in the frame; one containing the image of Santa in a fireplace, the other containing a black spot which masks out the inner part of the fireplace (and Santa). As the slide is moved, Santa appears to emerge from the fireplace. This slide is part of a collection made by Samuel Reader between 1866 and 1913. Reader was a Kansas farmer who was active in the early Topeka community. He built two homes, served in the Civil War, and wrote in a diary nearly every day for 64 years. Reader began painting slides in 1866 and continued throughout much of his life, holding magic lantern shows for the local community in his house and at church.

Tug of War match, Bourbon County, Kansas
Date: September 02, 1913
This black and white photograph shows a group of people participating in a tug of war match at a picnic in Bourbon County, Kansas

Karl Menninger, M.D., 90th birthday
Creator: Richardson, Earl
Date: July 22, 1983
Seven photographs from Dr. Karl's 90th birthday party on Menninger West Campus, Topeka, Kansas. Dr. Karl, his father Dr. C.F., and his brother, Dr. Will, formed a group psychiatry practice in 1919. The Menninger Clinic as a sanitarium was established in 1925 with the purchase of a farm house and admittance of 12 patients. Their philosophy was that mental illness could be treated with an integrated medical, psychodynamic, and developmental approach for the total health of patients. Dr. Karl is known in many circles as the founding father of psychiatry; he produced 15 books that influenced psychiatry over the years. Menninger was a key training hospital from the early days and became the largest training center in the country after World War II. It grew into a recognized center for the treatment of mental illness, teaching about mental health, and research in the field. It was located in Topeka, Kansas, from 1925 to 2003 and is now in Houston, Texas

Kansas children in Colonial era costumes
Creator: Lawrence Studio
Date: Between 1900s and 1930s
This photograph from a glass plate negative shows a group of children dressed in colonial costumes gathered around a 1776 American flag.

Halloween postcard
Creator: Raphael Tuck & Sons Co. Ltd.
Date: 1911
Embossed Halloween postcard copyrighted by Raphael Tuck & Sons of England. Lithographed scene depicts girl and cat seated on a flying broom and poses the question, "Don't I look like a regular witch?" One-cent postage stamp on reverse, plus a handwritten message indicating the postcard was sent to the donor, Edith DeMoss, by her sister, Margaret May. It references two different Halloween parties in the Iola, Kansas, area.

Halloween invitation
Date: 1909
Small handwritten invitation to a 1909 Halloween party. All marks are handmade in black ink on rectangular white cardstock. Five jack-o'-lanterns are sketched across top and down left margin. The invitation was among the belongings of the Mack family, who were farmers in rural Morris County. The address "1027 Houston" may refer to the residence of Mrs. Mary Van Zile in Manhattan, Kansas.

Whizzo the Clown birthday club card
Date: between 1970 and 1986
Paper membership card for the Birthday Club sponsored by Whizzo the Clown. Whizzo was a character created by Frank Wiziarde, a children's entertainer in Kansas City, Kansas. He was best known for his children's television show that aired on local stations in Kansas City and Topeka from 1954 to 1987. Wiziarde was born in Westmoreland, Kansas in 1916 and soon joined his family's traveling circus act. In the late 1940s Wiziarde transitioned to broadcasting, but merged the two professions to entertain children.

Christmas party for children from the Menninger Child Care Center in Topeka, Kansas
Date: December 1993
A child care facility was built on the Menninger west campus in Topeka, Kansas, for children of employees. These five photographs show a group of the children and their parents enjoying a Christmas Party at Thornlea Dining Room with Santa Claus.

Christmas card from the Menninger School of Psychiatric Nursing in Topeka, Kansas
Date: 1941
This Christmas card is a formal portrait of the Menninger School of Psychiatric Nursing staff and students in Topeka, Kansas, in 1941.

Christmas scene
Date: 1959
This black and white photograph shows a Christmas tree adorned with lights and decorations. In the foreground a woman is kneeling before the tree.

Christmas scene
Date: 1959
This black and white photograph shows a Christmas tree adorned with lights and decorations.

Myron Waterman and a group of people in Kansas City, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1905
A photograph of Myron Waterman (standing at the front of the line in one photo and leaning against the wall in the other) with a group of people possibly members of the Sheldon and Waterman families. The photograph might have been taken in Kansas City, Kansas.

Henry B. and Amalia (Mollie) Rein Milberger's 50th wedding anniversary
Date: January 1958
A photograph showing Henry B. and Millie Rein Milberger and family at their 50th wedding anniversary celebration in the fellowship hall at the Trinity Methodist Church in Russell, Kansas. They were married on January 23, 1908 at the Ebenezer German Methodist Church in Russell County. People in the photograph are front row: (left to right) Barbara Michaelis, Carolyn Olson, Patricia Michaelis (behind Carolyn), Linda Michaelis and John Olson; middle row: Henry Rein (Mollie's brother), Henry B. Milberger, Mollie Milberger holding Wesley Dean Milberger, Emma Eichman (Henry B's sister), and Katie Rein (Henry Rein's wife); back row Wesley B. Milberger, son of Henry B. and Millie) holding his daughter Mary Louise, his wife Verda Moore Milberger, Eva Michaelis (daughter of Henry B and Mollie) and Martha Milberger (daughter of Henry B. and Mollie).

A joyful Easter
Date: Between 1900 and 1914
This German printed postcard wishes "A Joyful Easter" as a young boy dressed in a sailor's uniform sits on a wooden cage holding a baby chick. Brightly colored eggs and chickens are visible in the foreground.

Greetings for Easter
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
This colored postcard wishes the best "Greetings for Easter" with two white rabbits surrounded in a gold leaf border.

Young Uncle Sam
Creator: Lawrence Studio
Date: Between 1900 and 1920
This photograph from a glass plate negative shows an informal portrait of a young boy dressed up as Uncle Sam.

Christmas scene
Date: Between 1930s and 1940s
Photograph of children gathered around a Christmas tree with their toys.