Constitution Hall, Lecompton, Kansas
Date: 1908
This building served as the seat of the Kansas Territorial government in 1857 and 1858. The second territorial legislature met here in 1857. The constitutional convention that drafted the Lecompton Constitution also met here. At the time this photo was taken, the building served as the meeting hall for the International Order of Odd Fellows. Lecompton Constitution Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and as a National Historic Landmark in 1974.

Convention Hall in Fort Scott, Kansas
Creator: Hahn, Nellie (Mrs. J. E.)
Date: 1900
This is a photograph of the convention hall in Fort Scott, Kansas.

Cyrus Kurtz Holliday to Mary Dillon Holliday
Creator: Holliday, Cyrus Kurtz, 1826-1900
Date: January 7, 1855
Cyrus K. Holliday wrote from Topeka, Kansas Territory to his wife, Mary Holliday, in Meadville, Pennsylvania. After a loving introduction, he described Kansas Territory's sunny, breezy climate. Holliday mentioned letters received from his brother and Mr. Thomas Willson, both named in previous letters, who also wanted to emigrate. He described the principle building in Topeka, which served as meeting hall, hotel, and church, and where he slept with Frye W. Giles, a free state supporter from Chicago. Holliday ended with concern for Lizzie, Mary Holliday's younger sister.

Elks Club, Salina, Kansas
Date: Between 1930s and 1950s
These two photographs show the Elks Club buildings in Salina, Kansas. Automobiles are parked in front of the facilities.

Exterior of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) building, Rexford, Thomas County, Kansas
Date: 1903
This is a photograph of the exterior of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) building in Rexford, Thomas County, Kansas.

Grocery store, with the Masonic Lodge meeting place on the second floor, Horace, Greeley County, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1910
A grocery store building in Horace, Greeley County, Kansas. On the second floor of this building was the meeting place for the local Masonic Lodge.

Gross mining camp, Crawford County, Kansas
Date: Between 1914 and 1949
Here are photographs of Gross, Crawford County, Kansas. Gross was platted in 1914 and is located 4 miles north and 3 miles east of Arma. Photographs include images of the local school, the town store, and a street scene.

Liberty Hall, Hedville, Kansas
Date: June 5, 1938
This photograph shows a group of people celebrating the fifty-second wedding anniversary of Mr. & Mrs. Ed Hughes at Liberty Hall in Hedville, Kansas.

Masonic bulding in Perry, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1929
This is a photograph of the Masonic building located at 207 Elm Street in Perry, Kansas.

Meeting hall decorated for Christmas, Marion, Marion County, Kansas
Creator: Wymer, J. P.
Date: Between 1890 and 1910
This photograph, by J. P. Wymer of Marion, Marion County, Kansas, shows a large, decorated meeting hall, probably at Christmas time.

Mineral mining camp, Cherokee County, Kansas
Date: Between 1941 and 1975
Several photographs of he Mineral mining camp. Mineral was a small camp of approximately 1000 people at its peak. Located six miles west of Scammon (another mining camp) in Cherokee County, the town is no longer in existence by this name. It is now known as West Mineral. The population of West Mineral in 2014 was 187 residents. While it is unknown when, or by whom, Mineral was founded, the closest mine was Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Co. #11. Photographs include images of the high school, churches, businesses, the union hall, and mining equipment.

Modern Woodmen of America Hall photograph
Date: 1903
This photograph is of an interior view of the Modern Woodmen of America hall, Camp 6635, Rexford, Thomas County, Kansas.

Ottawa Chautauqua Assembly, Forest Park, Ottawa, Kansas
Date: June 1896
Pamphlets and handbill for the 18th Chautauqua assembly at Forest Park in Ottawa, Kansas.

Radley, Kansas
Date: Between 1913-1949
Several photographs of the Radley mining camp. Radley is a small unincorporated community located in Crawford County located 5 miles north and 3 miles west of Pittsburg. The post office in Radley was established in 1913 and was closed in 1988. The town continues to exist. Photographs include images of a school, churches, street scenes, and the meeting hall.

Ringo, Crawford County, Kansas
Date: Between 1915 and 1939
Four photographs of Ringo mining camp. Ringo is currently a small grouping of houses one mile south and three miles west of Franklin in Crawford County. It had its own post office from 1915 until 1957. Photographs include images of a street scene with theater, school, meeting hall, and the washhouse of Mine No. 48.

Scammon, Kansas
Date: 1908-1921
Here are multiple photographs and postcards regarding Scammon, Kansas. Scammon is a small community in Cherokee County that was laid out in 1884 by David Mackie and was named for the Scammon brothers, early mine owners. It is located on Highway K-7 approximately 4 miles south of the Crawford/Cherokee County line. The first post office was opened in 1879 as Scammonville, changing its name in 1890 to Scammon. The town continues to exist. Photographs include images of street scenes, a theater, churches, schools, and the union hall.

Semi-centennial celebration
Creator: Freemasons. Grand Lodge of Kansas
Date: February 22, 1906
This book commemorates the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Masons' Grand Lodge of Kansas, an event held in Topeka, Kansas. The invitation text, printed on page two below a gold-foil seal of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, states,"The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas will commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of its organization with public ceremonies at eight o'clock, in the evening of Thursday, February twenty-second nineteen hundred and six at the Auditorium Topeka." The book contains a record of the nights' events; transcripts of speeches; a history of the organization of the grand lodge and the first five lodges in Kansas; and letters of regret from those who could not attend. Many illustrations are included, such as portraits of the organization's leaders and views of its office and library building at 8th Avenue and Harrison Street in Topeka, Kansas, which was first occupied September 1, 1905.

S. H. Snyder Pharmacy, Neodesha, Kansas
Date: Between 1870 and 1930
This photograph shows an exterior view of the S. H. Snyder Pharmacy in Neodesha, Kansas. The store's sign below the balcony reads, "S. H. Snyder. Drugs, medicines, wall paper, paints, oils, and window glass." The sign at the top of the building's façade reads, "I. O. O. F. Hall." A crowd of people is visible standing outside the building, with several people holding umbrellas. There are several women visible on the balcony of the building, and the railing of the balcony is decorated with bunting and several unidentified flags.

Stockton Hall, Leavenworth, Kansas
Date: 1869
This photograph shows an exterior view of the rebuilt Stockton Hall at southwest corner of Fourth and Delaware Streets in Leavenworth, Kansas. The original two-story brick building, built in 1857 and named after Captain J. B. Stockton, served as a prominent gathering place in the town. In the summer of 1858, citizens of the Kansas Territory gathered in the meeting hall to organize the state's Democratic Party. The following year on December 3, 1859, Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous speech on "Popular Sovereignty" to a standing crowd. The structure burned on January 25, 1864 and plans were soon underway to rebuild. On September 10, 1864, Stockton Hall reopened with Sheridan Knowles' play "The Hunchback". The facility served as a public hall and theater for several years until 1940 when it became the First National Bank building. This structure no longer stands but was replaced with a modern building.

Town Hall in Nicodemus, Kansas
Date: August 21, 1960
This photograph depicts the Nicodemus Town Hall built in 1880. It later became the Masonic Lodge Hall in Nicodemus. Nicodemus, located in Graham County, was founded in 1877 by African Americans from the South. Today the town is a historic site administered by the National Parks Service.

Twenty-third Annual Communication of Columbine Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star
Creator: Dandridge, Deborah L., 1946-
Date: August 8-10, 1945
This photograph shows African American women and men assembled at the 23rd Annual Communication of the Columbine Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star in Colorado. The meeting was held at the Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1 F. & A. M. Masonic Temple, 1210 E. 28th Avenue, Denver, Colorado.

U.C.T. Convention Hall, Salina, Kansas
Creator: Kansas Post Card Company, Salina, Kansas
Date: Between 1906 and 1919
This colored postcard shows the U.C.T Convention Hall in Salina, Kansas. The building served many purposes over the years including housing the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America lodge for Sunflower Council No. 31, as well as the Women's Christian Temperance Union. The facility had the largest and best equipped stage in Kansas and 2,000 comfortable opera chairs. Another view of the building can be found at unit ID 314232.

Urbin I. Rudell photograph collection
Creator: Rudell, Urbin I., 1878-1966
Date: Between 1907 and 1912
Photographer Urbin I. Rudell, 1878-1966, was born in the Lenape community of Leavenworth County, Kansas. His family later moved to Loring, Wyandotte County, where he attended school. Rudell became interested in taking photographs at age 15 and taught himself the art of photography with a German-made camera he acquired. Rudell married Alice Mae Barry in 1903 and the couple moved to Bonner Springs in 1907. About this time, the city leaders were promoting Bonner Springs as a health resort. Rudell was hired to take photographs of Bonner Springs businesses, homes, and other points of interest, which were published in the booklet "Kansas Karlsbad." During the Depression, Rudell was hired to carry mail and parcel post between the post office and the Union Pacific depot, and he held that job for the next twenty years. He continued to operate his photography business and worked out of his home taking photographs when requested and whenever a major event occurred in town.