$190,235,814 For Dairy Products
Date: 1917
Promotional brochure designed as a talk to encourage the construction of good roads in the state of Kansas highlighted by comparable rural roads in Wisconsin that promote farm crop and diary production.

Adolph Maas' threshing crew, Alma, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1910
A photograph of a crew threshing wheat at the Adolph Maas farm in Alma, Kansas. The crew uses a large steam engine fueled with wood that is carried in a short wagon behind the tractor.

A field of wheat, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This photograph shows a field of wheat and a binder pulled by several horses in Kearny County, Kansas.

Agricultural exhibit, fair, Finney County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This photograph shows an agricultural exhibit at a fair in Finney County, Kansas. The exhibit includes a variety of farm crops, produce, and various articles made from wheat or grass.

Agricultural fair exhibit, Finney County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
The photograph shows an agricultural exhibit at a fair in Finney County, Kansas. The exhibit includes decorative wheat, wheat sculptures, fruits and vegetables.

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 Kansas Wheatfield
Creator: Herschel C. Logan
Date: 1923
This artwork is a black ink on rice paper woodcut showing a field of haycocks at dusk or dawn. A Kansas Wheatfield was drawn by Herschel C. Logan, who was born April 19, 1901 in Magnolia, Missouri. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Winfield, Kansas. He attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts for one year. Logan was a commercial and advertising artist in Salina, Kansas, until his retirement in 1968. He was a member of the Prairie Print Makers. After retirement, Logan moved to Santa Ana, California.

A local history of Jerome Township, Gove County, Kansas
Creator: Baker, Fred
Date: 1918
This is a local history of Jerome Township, Gove County, Kansas, as recollected by Fred Baker, Gove City, Kansas. Baker wrote this sketch and submitted it in March 1918 to the Golden Belt Educational Association at Hays, Kansas, and was awarded a prize. Also included is a letter from Judge J.C. Ruppenthal, Russell, Kansas, to William Connelly, Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas, who received the sketch from Baker and wished for it to be donated into the Society's holdings.

Anderson County fair
Creator: Richmond Lithograph Company
Date: September 04, 1894-September 07, 1894
Baskets of crops and produce surround three children in this poster for the Anderson County, Kansas, fair. At the bottom, it lists R.T. Stokes, President, and M.L. White, Secretary, of the fair.

Arch Parrott's wheat harvest crew, Thomas County, Kansas
Date: 1926
Arch Parrott's wheat harvest crew pose with their equipment in a field in Thomas County, Kansas.

Arizona interests via the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1882
This brochure encourages travel and immigration to Arizona via the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad. Arizona's history, its various mines, crops, cities, livestock and lumber are detailed. There is a large map of Arizona as well as one of the United States and Mexico showing the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad routes.

Arkansas Valley Guide, Southwest Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1878
This circular would be free to any address. Its purpose was to promote the development of the Arkansas River Valley in southwest Kansas. It tells of the agricultural progress of the nine counties in the Valley from 1872 to 1878. These counties are Harvey, McPherson, Sedgwick, Reno, Rice, Barton, Pawnee, Edwards, and Rush. Statistics shown for grain crops are for wheat, corn, rye, oats and barley. For livestock, statistics are for horses, mules, milk cows, other cattle, sheep and swine. Other subjects covered are timber, fruit trees, and hedges; water power; climate, and fruit growing. Examples of purchase prices and terms of sale are presented.

A. W. Johnson and Isabella Johnson to Robert S. Wickizer
Creator: Johnson, A. W.
Date: March 24, 1875
In this letter to his cousin, A. W. Johnson relates news from his homestead near Osage Mission, Neosho County. Johnson describes the grasshopper plague in vivid terms, and also mentions how the recent hard times in Kansas should not discourage emigration into the state. In fact, he goes so far as to state that now is the time to come, since land is cheap and the spring weather is "deliteful[sic]." Johnson also states, however, that the price of corn is high, and that high prices on goods make it difficult for him to support his family.

Bernhard Warkentin
Date: Between 1900 and 1908
Portrait of Bernhard Warkentin, pioneer Mennonite and miller of Red Turkey wheat in Halstead and Newton, Kansas. Warkentin's greatest contribution was the introduction of hard Turkey wheat into Kansas. Also, he helped establish several large Mennonite settlements in Kansas.

Better wheat and more of it per acre
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1925
This flyer describes a series of programs intended to improve safety among wheat farmers. The following entities planned and presented the programs: Oklahoma A. &. M. College, Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture, Southwestern Wheat Improvement Association, and the Agricultural Development Department of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. J. F. Jarrell and C. W. Lane represented the Santa Fe Railway. President Bradford Knapp and several professors were the speakers from Oklahoma A. & M. J. A. Whitehurst and E. H. Linzee participated from the Oklahoma Board of Agriculture, as did H. M. Bainer for the Southwestern Wheat Improvement Association. The programs were held in various locations across Oklahoma from June1 through 5, 1925.

Binding & Shocking wheat
Date: Between 1880s and 1890s
These two photographs show a group of men binding and shocking wheat in an unidentified field in Kansas.

Binding wheat, Greeley County, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1930
A man binds cut wheat using a horse-drawn Deering binder, Greeley County, Kansas.

Binding wheat, Thomas County, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1909
Binding wheat at harvest time in Thomas County, Kansas.

Binding wheat west of Maple Hill, Kansas
Creator: Kansas. Dept. of Economic Development
Date: Between 1960 and 1965
A photograph showing a farmer binding wheat in a field west of Maple Hill, Kansas.

Bismarck fair, Lawrence, Kansas
Date: September 7 - 12, 1885
This poster announces the Bismarck Fair to be held in Lawrence, Kansas.

Black Friday meets its master
Creator: Garden City Daily Telegram
Date: April 10, 1935
Several articles about life in the Dust Bowl can be found on the front page of this newspaper from Garden City. Articles of particular interest include two articles on "raging dusters," one on the winter wheat crop, and a brief article discussing the postponement of community meetings to distribute aid under the soil erosion program. The newspaper also includes articles about other newsworthy events occurring in Garden City and around the state of Kansas.

Bottle of turkey red wheat
Date: 1974
Glass bottle containing turkey red variety of wheat seed. Charles Goebbel, of Burlingame, Kansas, purchased this bottle in 1974. That year residents of Goessel, Kansas, sold these bottles to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the introduction of turkey red wheat in Kansas. According to legend, German Mennonites emigrating from Russia first planted hard winter wheat in Goessell in 1874. Turkey red proved highly adaptable to the Kansas climate and provided greater yields than any previous variety.

Boyd elevator, Barton County, Kansas
Creator: Colcher, Larry A
Date: June 1998
These photographs are part of the Kansas State Historical Society's online exhibit, "Wheat People: Celebrating Kansas Harvest." This exhibit focuses on the people who have built Kansas' agricultural reputation. In June 1998, the KSHS staff headed west into the heart of the wheat belt, following harvest from the Oklahoma border to far northwestern Kansas. They photographed and interviewed families from the top twenty wheat-producing counties in Kansas. The photographs featured here include some of hail damage near Boyd Elevator in Barton County.

Bretz harvest crew, Lane County, Kansas
Date: 1915
The Georg Bretz harvest crew pose with the Adam Groeff farm buildings in the background. George Bretz stands on the header; Lee Roy Bretz is standing at the far left with his hat on a pitchfork.

Cargill elevator, Cleveland, Kansas
Date: June 1998
These photographs are part of the Kansas State Historical Society's online exhibit, "Wheat People: Celebrating Kansas Harvest." This exhibit focuses on the people who have built Kansas' agricultural reputation. In June 1998, the KSHS staff followed harvesters from the Oklahoma border to far northwestern Kansas. They photographed and interviewed families from the top twenty wheat-producing counties in Kansas. The photographs featured here are of the Cargill Elevator in Cleveland, Kansas.