Alibates Flakes from 14KW401
Date: Unknown
These six flakes of Alibates chert were recovered from a hill top camp site, 14KW401, in Kiowa County. The debitage, waste flakes from tool making, were made of Alibates chert, a silicified or agatized dolomite from the Canadian River in the Texas panhandle. The dark piece has been burned in a fire.

Benjamin O. Weaver to Governor Andrew Schoeppel
Date: September 01, 1943
In this letter to Governor Schoeppel, Kansas House of Representatives member Benjamin O. Weaver explains that many of his constituents in Kiowa County, Kansas, are opposed to the use of Japanese Americans as laborers in the state. Included with the letter is a petition signed by numerous Kiowa County residents which states that they are against releasing the Japanese Americans because they "think it dangerous to the war effort." A searchable, full-text version of this letter is available by clicking "Text Version" below.

Cattle round-up on the Medicine River, Kiowa County, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: 1897
View of the round-up of about 2,000 head of cattle, owned by C. P. Fullington of Belvidere, Kansas, near the Medicine River, Kiowa County, Kansas. People seated in a horse-drawn carriage are visible in the foreground.

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad depot, Greensburg, Kansas
Date: 1971
This photograph shows the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad depot in Greensburg, Kansas. The one-story wooden structure is no longer standing.

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad depot, Mullinville, Kansas
Date: 1972
This photograph shows the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad depot in Mullinville, Kansas. The one-story wooden structure with clapboard siding no longer stands.

Corner of Main and Florida Avenue, Greensburg, Kansas
Date: Between 1915 and 1925
This is a postcard photo showing businesses at the corner of Main and Florida Avenue in Greensburg, Ks, including D. S. Spars Drugs, and Jett's Mercantile.

Council of National Defense Woman's Committee correspondence
Date: 1918
This collection consists of correspondence between individuals and committee members to the state chair of the Woman's Committee of the Kansas Council of National Defense. The Council of National Defense was established at the federal level in 1916 as an emergency agency under the Army Appropriation Act and abolished in 1921. It was created in reaction to World War I to coordinate resources and industries for national defense and improve civilian morale. The Woman's Committee of the Kansas Council of National Defense performed the same functions at the state and local levels, coordinating women's activities for national defense. The materials are organized alphabetically by county. The digitization of this collection was paid for through the Margot R. Swovelan Endowment Fund.

County Affairs, Kiowa County
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1885-1889 : Martin)
Date: 1885-1889
These letters, spanning 1885 to 1886, are from the residents and offices of Kiowa County, Kansas regarding its organization to Kansas Governor John Martin. Many of the letters are signed petitions confirming the population requirements are met for the county's organization. A Governor's Proclamation appoints an official to verify that the county meets requirements. Other letters request the appointment of the county seat and county officials like the register of deeds, commissioners, clerk, and census taker. Kiowa County was founded on March 23, 1886 and named for the Kiowa Indians.

E.F. Reser
Date: Between 1899 and 1900
This is a portrait of E.F. Reser of Greensburg, Kansas. He was a Republican state representative of the 97th Dist., Kiowa County.

Eighth biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, 1891-1892
Creator: Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1893
This biennial report from the Kansas State Board of Agriculture contains two parts and the page numbering starts over at the beginning of Part II. The volume contains a section on each county, providing summary information about the history of the county, a description of the landscape, crops, livestock, schools, and churches. A large number of tables with statistics about Kansas residents and crop yields, broken down by county, are also included. Other chapters are devoted to interesting subjects such as apiculture, artificial forests, loco weeds, and chinch bugs.

Eleventh biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, 1897-98
Creator: Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1899
This biennial report from the Kansas State Board of Agriculture includes information on beef and pork production, farm poultry, Kansas mineral products, livestock, and other agricultural topics. Also covered are county statistics for population, acreages, productions, livestock, assessed valuation of property, and a listing of churches for each county. Proceedings and other activities of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture are included.

Fifteenth biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, 1905-1906
Creator: Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1907
This biennial report from the Kansas State Board of Agriculture includes information on the selection, cultivation, and harvesting of Indian corn, ideas for improving the conditions of farm life, and information on commercial fertilizers. There are various kinds of statistics for each county that include population, acreages, livestock, and assessed valuation of property. There are also a number of tables listing statistics for all counties. The proceedings and activities of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture are included beginning on page 977. Please see the table of contents on image 8 to determine appropriate page numbers. Page numbering starts over after page 1264. This section contains compiled statistics from the 1905 Kansas decennial census but individuals are not listed. A general index starts on page 61 of the Decennial Census section at the back of the volume.

Greenleaf Ranch, Kiowa County, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This sepia colored photograph shows cattle being rounded up on the O.J. Greenleaf ranch in Kiowa County, Kansas. In the foreground, two cowboys have separated a cow from the herd.

Greensburg, Kansas
Creator: Worley, Barry John, 1949-
Date: September 2009
These nine images of Greensburg, Kansas, show reconstruction after an EF5 tornado struck the town on May 4, 2007. The tornado was part of a storm system which affected south central Kansas. About 95% of Greensburg was destroyed, thirteen people were killed, and at least sixty people were injured.

Greensburg street sign
Date: 2007
Homemade street sign constructed of a 2" by 4" piece of wood and two rectangular-shaped pieces of plywood. Street names (Main and Scott) are spray painted in green on plywood (both front and back). Rectangular pieces of white coreplast, with names printed in large, computer-generated black letters, are nailed over the spray painted names. This street sign was put up by the City of Greensburg, Kansas, after the town was struck by an EF5 tornado on May 4, 2007. The tornado was 1.7 miles wide and traveled over 20 miles. Ninety-five percent of Greensburg was destroyed. These signs were used temporarily until permanent signs could be put into place. Since the tornado, the citizens have focused on rebuilding the town to be more environmentally sustainable.

Harvesting on the Fabert farm near Greensburg, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1903
This harvest scene is on the Fabert farm near Greensburg, Kansas. It shows farmers and horse-drawn machinery in the field.

Heading wheat in Kiowa County, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1903
View of farmers heading wheat in Kiowa County, Kansas. Horse-drawn harvesting equipment, and a couple seated in a horse-drawn carriage, are also visible in the photograph.

Hereford bull "Columbus"
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1903
This is a photograph of "Columbus," Frank Rockefeller's famous Hereford bull, which cost $5,050.00 and weighed 2,200 pounds. Rockefeller, 1845-1917, raised purebreed stock on his 12,000 acre ranch near Belvidere in Kiowa County, Kansas.

High school in Greensburg, Kansas
Creator: Walraven Brothers, Inc.
Date: Between 1920 and 1930
This is a postcard showing the high school in Greensburg, Kansas.

History of Kansas newspapers
Creator: Kansas State Historical Society. Department of Archives
Date: 1916
The subtitle of this publication is "A History of the Newspapers and Magazines Published in Kansas From the Organization of Kansas Territory, 1854, to January 1, 1916." This history includes biographical sketches and some portraits of prominent editors. The bulk of the book contains listings of all of the newspapers published in the state, organized by county and then towns within that county. This listing begins on page 137. Newspapers that were being published in 1916 include the name of the editor/publisher, the frequency, how long it had been published, and notes about any predecessor papers. The information for each county also includes a list of all discontinued newspapers from that county. Each county listing begins with the date it was organized, the origin of the name, and some basic statistics. This volume is an excellent source on the early newspaper history of Kansas. A detailed index begins on page 323. The Kansas State Historical Society was founded by Kansas newspaper editors and its newspaper holdings represent an almost comprehensive collection of the newspapers published in all parts of Kansas, most of which are available on microfilm through interlibrary loan.

Interview on experiences in World War II
Creator: Fisher, Ray
Date: April 2, 2007
Fisher was inducted into the United States Army in 1942 and served until 1945 in the Corps of Engineers. Interviewed by Marian Poe on Apr 2, 2007, Fisher talked about military experiences in the Second World War. The 2005 Kansas Legislature passed a bill funding the WWII Veterans Oral History grant program. This transcript is from one of the community institutions receiving grants. The transcript of the interview is presented here; the original video copy of the interview is available through the Rice County Historical Society (Lyons) and through the Kansas State Historical Society.

Interview on experiences in World War II
Creator: Kilgore, Quentin
Date: May 2, 2006
Kilgore enlisted in the Navy in 1945 and served until 1946. Interviewed by Marian Poe on May 2, 2006, Kilgore talked about military experiences in the Second World War. The 2005 Kansas Legislature passed a bill funding the WWII Veterans Oral History grant program. This transcript is from one of the community institutions receiving grants. The transcript of the interview is presented here; the original video copy of the interview is available through the Rice County Historical Society (Lyons) and through the Kansas State Historical Society.

Interview on experiences in World War II
Creator: Harmon, Winferd Roy
Staff Sergeant Harmon was drafted into the Army (Infantry) in 1944 and served until 1946 in the Company C, 306th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 77th Infantry Division. Interviewed by Harmon talked about military experiences in the Second World War. The 2005 Kansas Legislature passed a bill funding the WWII Veterans Oral History grant program. This transcript is from one of the nine community institutions that received these grants. The transcript from the interview is presented here; the original video copy of the interview is available through the Greater Barber County Historical Action Assn and through the Kansas State Historical Society.

John Staley Holden, Cimarron, Kansas
Date: 1958
This photograph shows John Staley Holden campaigning for District Judge in the Thirty First Judicial District. An elephant and donkey are wearing campaign signs. One of them reads "Whether Republican or Democrat Vote For John Staley Holden District Judge". The photograph appears to have been taken at either a fair or carnival. There are loud speakers on the car. The Thirty First district included the following counties Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, and Meade.

Justices of the Peace, Kiowa County
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1885-1889 : Martin)
Date: 1885-1889
These letters, spanning 1887, are from Kansas state officials and other individuals regarding the Justices of the Peace for Kiowa County Kansas to Kansas Governor John Martin. The letters discuss the resignation of predecessors as well as the recommendation and appointment of Justices of the Peace. Those appointed were C. H. Burgess, William M. Wilson, J. Y. Robbins, and John Wesley Gibson.