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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

Five exaggerated postcards
Creator: Martin, William H., 1865-1940
Date: 1911
Here are five exaggerated postcards showing fish, sweet potatoes, chickens, strawberries, corn, and cabbage. The postcards are titled "I caught these by myself," "We raise tons of sweet potatoes," "A load of fancy poultry," "Crateing immense strawberries," and "Bringing in the sheaves."

Flock of chickens at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas
Date: 1926
This is a photograph showing a man with a flock of chickens at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas. The school kept a flock of chickens to supply student kitchens with meat and eggs. The building in the background is a large chicken house.

Girl feeding chickens
Date: Around 1912
A photograph showing Marion Ritchie feeding chickens on the Ritchie farm located at 29th and Burlingame Road in Shawnee County, Kansas.

John Hamon family members and farm, Jefferson County, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1920
Eighteen glass plate negatives showing scenes on John Hamon's farm located north of Valley Falls in the Coal Creek community and unidentified groups in Jefferson County, Kansas.

John Schwarting farm, Eskridge, Kansas
Date: 1910-1920
Three photographs showing people feeding chickens and threshing on John Schwarting's farm in Eskridge, Kansas.

John Summer residence northeast of Dunlap, Kansas
Date: Between 1880 and 1885
This black and white photograph shows John Summer and his family standing in front of their home located two miles northeast of Dunlap, Morris County, Kansas. The home was built in the 1880s.

John Wesley McManigal photographs
Creator: McManigal, John Wesley
Date: Between 1934 and 1949
This is a collection of agricultural photographs taken in northeast Kansas by photographer John Wesley McManigal.

Kansas. A complete and comprehensive description of the agricultural, horticultural, stock raising and mineral resources of Kansas
Creator: Union Pacific Railway Company
Date: 1903
This Union Pacific Railroad pamphlet promotes Kansas as an abundant and ideal place to settlement.