A flock of chickens
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1912
This photograph shows a flock of chickens, a man, chicken coops, farm buildings, and a windmill on an unidentified farm, presumed to be in Haskell County, Kansas. Poultry was a very important food source before refrigeration was commonplace in rural households on the prairie. Chickens and turkeys also provided a much-needed source of income through the sale of live birds and eggs.

Agricultural scene, Finney County, Kansas
Date: 1916
The photograph shows farm wagons and a grain elevator on an unidentified farm in Finney County, Kansas. The photograph was taken in 1916.

A handbook of useful information for immigrants and settlers
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1880-1889
Published by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, this pamphlet encouraged agricultural settlement on railroad lands in Kansas by glorifying the state's natural resources including water, soil, mineral deposits and plant life. Printed by the Kansas Farmer in Topeka, Kansas.

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.

Albert G. Boone to Thomas Nesbit Stinson
Creator: Boone, Albert G.
Date: January 16, 1860
Albert G. Boone, writing from Westport, Missouri, to Thomas N. Stinson, described his unsuccessful efforts to sell a printing press for Stinson. Boone suggested that Stinson contact "Free Statemen" with whom he was on good terms to see if they could help him sell it. Boone added a postscript to the letter asking about the prospects of a treaty with the Pottawatomie.

A man feeding chickens
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1912
This man is feeding chickens on an unidentified farm, presumed to be in Haskell County, Kansas. Also visible in the photograph are a farmhouse and several farm buildings.

A trip with the camera man
Date: 1940
This silent film by an unknown photographer features various businesses and industries in Lawrence, Kansas. The film begins with children playing on a playground followed by an airplane landing at an airport. The photographer visits an airplane factory, the Wister Chevrolet Co. car dealer and repair shop, a roller skating rink, the L. T. Harris Co. Oil-O-Matic appliance dealer, a shooting range, a machine shop, an ice plant, the Hall Brothers truck lines, the Cadwell chick hatchery, and a restaurant. The film ends with a plane taking off from the airport.

Chickens and a poultry house in Chase County, Kansas
Creator: Chase County Extension Office
Date: 1935
A photograph showing an unidentified girl standing by a poultry house with a flock of chickens in Chase County, Kansas. The photograph was copied from the Chase County Extension office annual report.

Chickens at Rogler Ranch
Date: Between 1900s and 1930s
This black and white photograph shows a piano box made into an incubator to hatch chickens on the Rogler Ranch. The homestead is located on 160 acres of land along the South Fork of the Cottonwood River basin, in the Bazaar Township of Chase County, Kansas, and was owned and operated by the Rogler family from 1859 to 2006.

Children's wagon pulled by turkeys
Date: Between 1905 and 1915
Two small children with a wagon full of gourds pulled by turkeys in Nortonville, Kansas.

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.

Cow, sow and hen special demonstration train
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company
Date: 1924
This demonstration train was operated by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad and the New Mexico A. & M. College in 1924. The schedule included meetings in 51 New Mexico locations over two weeks in February. The towns for the meetings and the speakers and demonstrators are listed on the flyer. The Santa Fe is providing the train and New Mexico A. & M. is providing the speakers and a livestock exhibit. Santa Fe representatives are J. D. Tinsley, Fred Hale, J. F. Jarrell, and A. M. Hove. New Mexico A. & M. professors involved with the train are O. C. Cunningham, M. C. Snell, A. L. Walker, and Fabian Garcia. College President H. L. Kent was going to be with the train part of the time.

Cow, sow and hen train
Date: 1922
Demonstration trains like this represented an alliance between railroad companies, agricultural scientists and, manufacturers to promote settlement, improve farm management, and market commercial farm products. A typical train had room for lectures, display modern farm machinery, contain livestock, and also had space to accommodate sleeping quarters and a dining area. These trains were advertised through posters and newspaper articles. Many people would gather at the local train station waiting for the train to stop. The public was invited to board and then stay for the next half hour or so for demonstrations. Speakers included T.J Talbert, L.E. Call, J.B. Fitch, C.W. McCampbell, W.A. Lippincott, N.L. Harris, F.P. Cruice, and J.F. Jarrell.

Cow, sow and hen train
Creator: Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad
Date: 1923
This is a draft for a flyer advertising a "Cow, Sow, and Hen Train" to be operated by the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway in cooperation with the Texas State Agricultural College. It lists the places for the meeting and the people representing the college and the railroad. The flyer specifically invites women as speakers. The presentation will have something for women as well as boys and girls clubs, for a program of interest has been prepared by members of the college Extension Service.

Cow, sow and hen train
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company
Date: May 13, 1922
This circular, distributed by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, announces the arrival of the "Cow, Sow & Hen" demonstration train at Osage City. The flyer identifies the speakers and topics and especially invites women to attend. Demonstration trains such as this one represented an alliance between railroad companies, agricultural scientists, and manufacturers to promote settlement, improve farm management, and market commercial farm products. The railroad's Agricultural Development and Publicity Office managed the trains.

Crawford County Fair, Girard, Kansas
Creator: Crawford County Agricultural Society
Date: October 4-7, 1887
A poster advertising livestock, horse racing, and entertainment events for the fourteenth annual exhibition of the Crawford County Fair Agricultural Society in Girard, Kansas. The same artwork is used for the Cowley County Fair poster in Winfield, Kansas, for 1886 (item 210470).

Dust storm so severe Kansans were lost in yard of own farm home
Creator: Topeka Journal
Date: March 23, 1935
This article recounts the harrowing experience of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Blender of Monument, Logan County, who were caught unprepared during a dust storm in 1935. The couple was trying to round up their chickens to put them in the hen house when the storm hit, and they quickly became disoriented by the dense, blowing dirt. Luckily they safely found their way to the house.

Early outdoor scenes from the Security Benefit Association home and hospital farm in Topeka, Kansas
Date: 1920
These twelve photographs show the hospital built by the Security Benefit Association for its members who paid a nickel a month for hospital care, an orphanage for their children if the member died, and an old folks home all centered around a model farm in Topeka, Kansas.

Edna Heim to Clarice Snoddy
Creator: Heim, Edna
Date: May 11, 1936
This letter from Edna and Bill Heim was sent to Clarice Snoddy, a resident of Topeka. The Heims were caring for Snoddy's farm in Smith County and frequently updated her on the status of her farm. According to Edna Heim, Smith County had experienced rain on and off for the last few days, which had prevented her husband Bill from planting any corn on Snoddy's farm. Heim also mentions her chickens and her vegetable garden.

Elmo Hamm's turkey farm, Logan County, Kansas
Date: Between 1915 and 1920
This photograph shows a flock of turkeys at Elmo hamm's turkey farm in Logan County, Kansas.

Emma Clark with her first chicks, Logan County, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1929
This photograph shows Emma Clark of Logan County, Kansas in front of her farm's hen house.

Feeding Chickens
Date: 1908
This black and white photograph shows a young girl feeding chickens. In the background an advertisement for Quakers Oats is visible.

F. E. (Gene) Murphy and L. W. Murphy in Haskell County, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1912
This is a view of Francis Eugene (Gene) Murphy (seated) and L. W. Murphy (behind barrel) at an unidentified house in Haskell County, Kansas. This was F. E. Murphy's home before he built a new home east of Santa Fe, Kansas. Also visible in the photograph are five chickens.

Fifth annual fair of the Cowley County Fair and Driving Park Association
Date: September 5 - 9, 1887
This poster advertises a county fair to be held at Winfield, Kansas. Some highlights include horse, mule, bicycle, and sack races; and an exposition of the industries and products of the county and state. Various illustrations show a fair scene, horse racing, stock, poultry, and bicycle racing. Fair officers are S. P. Strong, president; W. J. Wilson, secretary; and A. H. Doane, treasurer.

Fifth annual state fair of Kansas, Topeka
Creator: Kansas State Fair Board
Date: September 19 - 24, 1887
This poster advertises the fifth annual Kansas State Fair at Topeka, Kansas. Highlights include exhibitions of livestock and crops, horse racing, leading bands, and fruit and flower displays.