Cities Service Petroleum Corporation, El Dorado, Kansas
Date: Between 1914 and 1916
This black and white photograph shows a team of horses and mules inside the pipe yard of the Cities Service Petroleum Corporation at El Dorado, Kansas. These horse drawn wagons were responsible for transporting the heavy equipment to the oil fields.

Farmer with a team of mules and horses
Date: Between 1935 and 1939
A postcard showing a farmer and his dog with a team of four mules and horses pulling a piece of equipment. The location is unknown.

Rules and regulations of Frosts train
Creator: Frost, Elijah
Date: June 20, 1857
The rules and regulations for Frosts wagon train. The by-laws state the position of each member and their corresponding duties.

Main Street, Culver, Kansas
Date: Between 1895 and 1905
This photograph shows Main Street looking south in Culver, Kansas. The business on the far right of the picture has an obscured store name, with part of the sign advertising drugs and general merchandise. A bank is visible on the left side of the picture, and several adults and children, along with several horses, carriages, and wagons are visible in the photograph.

The poor donkey has too many drivers
Creator: Judge Magazine
Date: Between 1890 and 1899
In this political cartoon from the satirical magazine Judge, Populist senators William Peffer and "Sockless" Jerry Simpson push a boulder (symbolizing the Farmer's Alliance) under the wheel of a wagon that represents the United States. In the driver's seat are five congressmen, each with their own agenda labeled on their sash. The wagon is being pulled by a donkey signifying "democracy." Judge magazine, created by artists who had allied with the Republican Party, began in 1881 and its sales eventually surpassed those of its rival, Puck.

Oliver C. Hickok to William Alonzo Hickok
Creator: Hickok, Oliver C.
Date: March 05, 1852
A letter written by Oliver C. Hickok, Placerville, California, to his father William Alonzo Hickok, Troy Grove, Illinois. Oliver talks about sending money home to the family and how hard he is working. He is upset with people who accuse him of not supporting the family. Oliver left home in 1851 and went to California in the wake of the gold rush. He became a teamster on the rough trails around Placerville and Folson. He lost an arm after falling from a wagon, but he continued to work as a teamster.

Dodge City, Kansas
Creator: Knight, J. Lee
Date: 1872
This photograph of a street scene in Dodge City, in Ford County, depicts three of the town's buildings. The building on the left was the first dance hall in Dodge City, owned by a man named Jones. The second building was a grocery and general store owned by George O. Smith and J. B. Edwards, and the third building, also a general store, was owned by a man named Wolf. Also visible are a crowd of men standing in the street, and two horse-drawn wagons loaded with buffalo hides. Dodge City is located on the Santa Fe Trail in western Kansas.

Good Roads Help Farmers
Date: 1919
Promotional brochure designed as a talk to encourage road construction to enhance agricultural productivity and rural community development.

Comparative Cost of Travel
Date: 1919
Promotional brochure exhorting the virtues of automobiles and trucks over team drive carriages in the hauling of agricultural products over good roads.

John Brown to Mary Brown & Children every one
Creator: Brown, John, 1800-1859
Date: July 17, 1857
In a very brief letter to his "wife & children," John Brown wrote from Iowa, en route to Kansas, that travel was slow because of the freight they were hauling and that little news of interest was coming from Kansas." He closed: "I would give anything to know that I should be permitted to see you all again in this life. But Gods will be done. To his infinite grace I commend you all."

J. G. Rudy to Governor Joshua Bailey
Creator: Rudy, J. G.
Date: June 8, 1903
The County Clerk of Johnson County, J. G. Rudy of Olathe, writes Governor Joshua Bailey, of Topeka, regarding the Johnson County Commission's efforts to aid victims of the Kansas River flood. The letter describes the townships most affected by the flood and initial rescue efforts by boat. Mr. Rudy discusses efforts to distribute provisions, including actions taken by the County Commission and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company.

Covered wagons on the streets of Caldwell, Kansas
Date: April 1889
Photo of covered wagons on the streets of Caldwell, Kansas during the gathering of the Oklahoma Boomers.

Indian freighter guiding covered freight wagons pulled by horses
Date: Unknown
Photo of a sketch of Indian freighter guiding covered freight wagons pulled by horses. The source is not identified but it appears to be a magazine.

History of the 19th Kansas Cavalry--Indian War of 1868-69
Creator: Jenness, George B.
Date: 1869
This history of the 19th Kansas, written by the commander of Company F, George B. Jenness, is mainly composed of extracts from his diary. It includes details about where each company was raised, the names of the officers, organization and implementation of orders, the rigors of army life, and troop movements. Jenness' history also includes information about Samuel J. Crawford, the governor of Kansas, who resigned his position to assume command of the regiment on November 5, 1868. The document contains a copy of a letter from General Philip H. Sheridan to Governor Crawford about the need for calling up troops. Information on Native Americans, including interactions between troops and Native Americans, is also contained within this item.

Memorandum of trip from Topeka, Kansas, to the Indian Country
Creator: Johnson, Gustaf, 1826-1886
Date: 1868
These excerpts from Gus Johnson's journal record his experiences as a member of the 19th Kansas Cavalry, Company G. The entries are dated from November 12, 1868 to November 26, 1868. Johnson records the movements and activities of his company in addition to the local wildlife (particularly bison), the weather, and the landscape. Johnson's company also had some skirmishes with Indians.

Westmoreland depot, Westmoreland, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1915
This black and white photograph shows two men standing beside the Power Transfer & Dray wagon in front of the Westmoreland Depot in Westmoreland, Kansas.

L. W. Halbe collection
Creator: Halbe, L. W. (Leslie Winfield), 1893-1981
Date: 1908-1912
The L. W. (Leslie Winfield) Halbe photo collection consists of 1500 glass plate negatives produced by Halbe during his teenage years. Halbe lived in Dorrance, Russell County, Kansas, and began taking photographs of the region with an inexpensive Sears and Roebuck camera when he was fifteen years old.

Freight wagons, Liberal, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1901
This black and white photograph shows a team of pack mules hitched to freight wagons on the streets of Liberal, Kansas. In the background, a group of men can be seen standing in front of C. Summers' business.

Wichita, Kansas
Creator: Frenzeny & Tavernier
Date: May 02, 1874
This engraving copied from Harper's Weekly magazine is looking north on main street where it crosses Douglas Avenue in Wichita, Kansas.