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.

1969 Excavation at Fort Zarah, 14BT301
Date: 1969
These images were taken at 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. Fort Zarah, located along the Santa Fe trail in Barton County, was active from 1864 to 1869. Shown is a complex of dishes, grinder, and other kitchen detritus, progress views of the exposed footings in structure 1 and 2, and a plan view map of the excavated blockhouse.

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.

A Lithic Collection from 14BT420
Date: 1000-1500 CE
These chipped stone tools were recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists from an Middle Ceramic period archeological site in Barton County. Shown are an alternately beveled knife, a side-notched arrow point, a corner-notched arrow point and a section of a hafted knife. The latter two are made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk, which outcrops in western Kansas. The site had indications of at least one house and a large midden (refuse) area.

Alternately Beveled Knife from 14BT418
Date: 1500-1800 CE
This alternately beveled knife was collected from an archeological site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. Archeologists believe that knives shaped like this would have been used for butchering bison and other large game animals and are sometimes called Harahey knives. Repeated sharpening on alternate sides created bevels. This example is made of Permian chert from the Flint Hills region.

Alternately Beveled knife from 14BT420
Date: 1000-1500 CE
This alternately beveled knife was collected from an archeological site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. Archeologists believe that knives shaped like this would have been used for bison butchering. Repeated sharpening on alternate sides created bevels. Knives with the general diamond shape are also sometimes called Harahey knives. The site had indications of at least one house and a large midden (refuse) area.

Alternately Beveled Knife from 14BT435
Date: 1000-1500 CE
This alternately beveled knife was collected from an 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. made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk, a type of chert that outcrops in western Kansas and north into Nebraska.

Alternately Beveled Knife from the Wells Site, 14BT404
Date: 1650-1750 CE
This alternately beveled knife was collected from the Wells village site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2007. Repeated sharpening on the knife's alternate sides created the bevels. The knife is made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk that outcrops in western Kansas and Nebraska. 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.

Ammunition from 14BT436
Date: 1800-1860
These ammunition remnants were intrusive (not of the same time period) at a Late Ceramic period archeology site in Barton County. They were donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. From left to right: two .50 caliber Gallagher brass cases dating approximately to 1860 (few were made), two .56 caliber Spencer bullets, and an unfired .50 caliber musket ball.

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.

Arrow Points from 14BT406
Date: 1650-1750 CE
These triangular arrow points were recovered from an archeological site in Barton County, and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. Manufacturing materials include Alibates agatized dolomite from the Canadian River valley in the Texas panhandle, Flint Hills region chert, and Smoky Hill silicified chalk, which outcrops in western Kansas and Nebraska in addition to unknown chert. This suggests either trade or travel by the people living at the site. The site had an abundance of artifacts that reflect a Dismal River aspect (Apache) occupation.

Arrow Points from 14BT408
Date: 1000-1800 CE
These arrow points were collected from a multicomponent (multiple occupations) archeological site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. Shown are a double side-notched, a triangular, and a corner-notched arrow point, all made of Flint Hills region chert.

Arrow Points from 14BT420
Date: 1000-1500 CE
These arrow points were collected from an archeological site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. All of the points are corner notched. The point on the left is made of Alibates 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 here to the Texas panhandle. The two points in the center may be made of Flint Hills region chert that has been heated to improve its knapping quality. The point on the right is Smoky Hill silicified chalk, which outcrops in western Kansas and Nebraska. The site had indications of at least one house and a large midden (refuse) area.

Arrow Points from 14BT424
Date: 1000-1800 CE
These arrow points were collected from an archeological site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2021. All are made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk, which outcrops in western Kansas and Nebraska. Shown (left to right) is a side-notched point, a side- and basal-notched point, and a triangular point.

Arrow Points from the Wells Site, 14BT404
Date: 1650-1750 CE
These arrow points were collected from the Wells village site in Barton County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2007. Shown are two triangular arrow points, one made of local chert from the Flint Hills region and the other from silicified or agatized dolomite called Alibates from the Canadian River valley in the Texas panhandle. The other arrow point has side notches and is made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk that outcrops in western Kansas and Nebraska. 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.

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.