1853 Half Dime from Fort Zarah, 14BT301
Date: 1853-1868
This silver half dime was recovered from Fort Zarah during the 1969 Kansas Archeological Training Program field school, a joint project undertaken by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers. The obverse side shows a Seated Liberty with her right hand resting on a striped shield and her left hand holding a Liberty pole. Six-pointed stars surround Liberty and arrows are present on each side of the date of 1853. The reverse side has the words "HALF DIME" and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves. Fort Zarah, located along the Santa Fe trail in Barton County, was active from 1864 to 1869.

Album Patch quilt
Date: 1895
Album Patch quilt with numerous handwritten signatures inked on the top. Marks on the center block include the name of Rev. L. C. Schnacke, the notation he was pastor of the First Congregational Church in Great Bend, and the date May 2, 1895. Most of the other names are for residents of Great Bend. This quilt probably was a fund raiser, with a small fee being charged for names to be recorded on it. The marks all appear to be written by the same person.

Alibates Scrapers from the Wells Site, 14BT404
Date: 1650-1750 CE
These scrapers were collected from the Wells village site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. Scrapers such as these would have been hafted on a handle and used to scrape hides. They would have required periodic resharpening. All are made of Alibates flint, a silicified or agatized dolomite from the Canadian River valley in the Texas panhandle. This suggests either trade with people further south or travel by the people living in the village. The village site had an abundance of artifacts that reflect not only a Dismal River aspect occupation (1650 - 1750 CE) but also a historic component.

Alternately Beveled Knives from 14BT413
Date: 1500-1800 CE
These alternately beveled knives were recovered from a Late Ceramic period archeological site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. Repeated sharpening on alternate sides created the bevels and at least some were likely hafted to a handle. Two are made of Alibates Agatized dolomite, a silicified or agatized dolomite from the Canadian River valley in the Texas panhandle. The other two are made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk, a type of chert that outcrops in western Kansas and north into Nebraska. Archeologists are interested in what the artifacts can tell about how people used resources, moved across their landscapes, and interacted with other groups.

Alysia Kysar to Governor Joan Finney
Creator: Kysar, Alysia
Date: March 19, 1991
Alysia Kysar of Liberal, Kansas, writes Governor Joan Finney of Topeka concerning a water rights conflict at Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands in Barton County, Kansas. Kysar is eleven years old. She argues that the importance of wildlife habitats and communal ownership of natural resources, like water, supercede the rights of individual water users along Wet Walnut Creek. Kysar further questions the suitability of irrigated agriculture to an arid environment. In Wet Walnut Irrigators v. Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (1992), the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cheyenne Bottoms, citing its earlier claim to water rights.

Applications for Positions
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1915-1919: Capper)
Date: February 20, 1915
This file includes a letter from Great Bend, Kansas with the enclosing of an application for the position as Deputy Oil Inspector. The file is incomplete and does not include the application. This is part of a bigger collection of Governor Arthur Capper correspondence.

Arthur Sayler cutting post rock, Albert, Barton County, Kansas
Date: Between 1970 and 1990
These photographs show Arthur Sayler of Albert, Barton County, Kansas demonstrating techniques for cutting post rock. Limestone fence posts like these were commonly used in west-central Kansas where timber was scarce.

A Story of Real Life on The Plains
Creator: Van Sickle, S.S.
Date: 1875
A story written by Captain S.S. Van Sickel, in which he recounts his time on the Plains, his experiences with the Indians, and his narrow escape from death during the winter of 1874-75. He was a citizen of Bull City, Kansas (now known as Alton) for several years and also spent time in Dodge City, Great Bend, and Russell.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad time table number 28
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: April 20, 1873
This timetable was for the exclusive use of the employees of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and included the eastern, Arkansas Valley and Wichita divisions.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Beaver, Kansas
Date: 1970
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Beaver, Kansas. The one-story structure was moved to the town of Chase, Kansas where it once housed a gas station.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Belpre, Kansas
Date: May 09, 1931
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Belpre, Kansas. The one-story wooden structure built in 1907 measuring 24 feet by 42 feet. The depot still stands and has been moved to the Barton County Museum in Great Bend, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Ellinwood, Kansas
Date: Between 1950s and 1960s
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Ellinwood, Kansas. The station no longer provides rail service but houses the Hines-Grossman American Legion Post #320.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Galatia, Kansas
Date: 1970
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Galatia, Kansas. The wooden structure no longer stands.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Great Bend, Kansas
Creator: Bohi, Charles W., 1940-
Date: Between 1960s and 1970s
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Great Bend, Kansas. The "county seat" style depot built in 1911, with white bricks, features an open waiting room and a enclosed freight room. The Santa Fe emblems located at the pitch roof and operator's bay are commonly associated with a "county seat" depot. The structure still stands but is no longer in operation.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Great Bend, Kansas
Date: Between 1950s and 1960s
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Great Bend, Kansas. The "county seat" style depot built in 1911, with white bricks, features an open waiting room and enclosed freight room. The structure still stands but no longer in operation.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Great Bend, Kansas
Creator: Killam, H.
Date: August 1963
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Great Bend, Kansas. The "county seat" style depot, built in 1911 with white bricks, features an open waiting room and a Santa Fe emblem located along the pitch roof. The structure still stands but is no longer in operation.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Great Bend, Kansas
Date: Between 1911 and 1920
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Great Bend, Kansas. The "county seat" style depot built in 1911 with white bricks, features an open waiting room, and enclosed freight room. The Santa Fe emblems located beneath the pitched roof and on the operator's bay are commonly associated with a "county seat" depot. The structure still stands but is no longer in operation.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Great Bend, Kansas
Date: 1968
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Great Bend, Kansas. The "county seat" style depot, built in 1911 with white bricks, features an open waiting room and enclosed freight room. The Santa Fe emblems located at the pitch roof and operator's bay are commonly associated with a "county seat" depot. The structure still stands but is no longer in operation.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Pawnee Rock, Kansas
Date: 1975
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Pawnee Rock, Kansas. The structure was moved a block to its current location and is used as a community center and public library.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Rozel, Kansas
Date: Between 1890s and 1970s
These two photographs show the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad depot in Rozel, Kansas. In the first photograph gran bins and a grain elevator are visible. The second image shows the structure in its later years. The station has been moved to Ellinwood, Kansas were it was refurnished and is privately owned.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company's steam locomotives #1440 and #0116
Date: Unknown
This photograph shows two Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company's steam engines, #1440 and #0116, at Great Bend, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company freight house, Great Bend, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 10, 1931
This black and white photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company freight house built, in 1898, at Great Bend, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company round house, Great Bend, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 10, 1931
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company round house at Great Bend, Kansas. The structure was built in 1889 and measured 38'x80'x87'.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company section house, Albert, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 10, 1931
This black and white photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company section house at Albert, Kansas. The structure was built in 1886 and measured 14' x 32' and 14' x 14'.

Atlas and plat book of Barton County, Kansas
Creator: Kenyon Company (Des Moines, Iowa)
Date: 1916
This atlas and plat book of Barton County contains an outline map of the county, plats of all townships with owners' names, and a Kansas state map showing automobile roads. It also includes a farm animal chart on the health and diseases of horses, cows, hogs, and sheep.