Bank robbers in Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Date: 1884
This photograph shows a group of robbers from Medicine Lodge, Kansas. The men in shackles are identified from left to right as: John Wesley, Henry Newton Brown, Billy Smith, and Ben Wheeler the would be robbers of the Medicine Valley Bank in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Brown, a former member of Billy the Kid's Gang, and Wheeler a former outlaw and friend of Brown's, found themselves on the other side of the law with their appointments as marshals of Caldwell, Kansas. However, on April 30, 1884, Brown, Wheeler, Smith, and Wesley attempted to rob the Medicine Valley Bank. The robbery was unsuccessful and the robbers were eventually apprehended and brought back to Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Their time in jail was brief when pandemonium erupted over their capture, creating a diversion for escape. In a hail of bullets, Henry Brown was shot dead while an injured Wheeler was captured and hanged beside Wesley and Smith.

Caldwell, Kansas
Date: 1876
This pencil sketch of Caldwell, Kansas is taken from the Ado Hunnius dirary and depicts the Caldwell House Hotel from the north east end of the street.

Caldwell Weekly Advance
Date: Between 1890 and 1899
Interior view of the Caldwell Weekly Advance newspaper shop showing men using a printing press and one man holding a copy of the newspaper. The Caldwell Weekly Advance newspaper was published in Caldwell, Kansas.

Carl "Ado" Hunnius diary
Creator: Hunnius, Ado, 1842-1923
Date: January 10 - 24, 1876
Carl J. A. "Ado" Hunnius kept this diary while visiting the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes in Indian Territory. The diary contains detailed information about the trip and sketches (drawn illustrations) of some of the things he saw during the course of his travels. A complete transcription is available by clicking on Text Version below.

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad depot, Caldwell, Kansas
Creator: Kelley, Frank O.
Date: 1954
This black and white photograph shows the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad depot at Caldwell, Kansas.

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad roundhouse, Caldwell, Kansas
Date: 1910
A photograph showing the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad roundhouse in Caldwell, Kansas.

Chisholm Trail
Creator: Kansas Dept. of Transporation
Date: June 07, 1970
An aerial view of the Chisholm Trail south of Caldwell, Kansas in Sumner County.

Covered wagons on the streets of Caldwell, Kansas
Date: April 1889
Photo of covered wagons on the streets of Caldwell, Kansas during the gathering of the Oklahoma Boomers.

Duck Hunt, Caldwell, Kansas
Date: 1922
A sepia colored photo of two hunters and their results from a successful duck hunt in Caldwell, Kansas. The hunters left to right: E.A. Detrick and Harry Wanerke hunted for two days and shot 100 ducks which are visable draped along their vehicle.

E. B. Reynolds to Governor John St. John
Creator: Reynolds, E. B.
Date: August 12, 1880
A letter to Kansas Governor St. John from a tireless and much-traveled temperance worker, E.B. Reynolds, who refers to the intemperance cause as "rumocracy". Reynolds summarizes his travels and progress in Kansas.

E.L. Metz to Arthur Capper
Creator: Metz, E.L.
Date: June 4, 1940
In this letter to Senator Arthur Capper, E.L. Metz of Caldwell, Kansas, argues that the United States should provide material and monetary aid to England and France but should avoid becoming directly involved in the war in Europe. In 1940, a group called the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies promoted this very position. Newspaper editor William Allen White (of the Emporia Gazette) headed this organization. The U.S. Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act to this end in March 1941. Four days after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.

Evans Brothers bull train in Caldwell, Kansas
Date: 1882
This is a photograph showing the Evans Brothers bull train in Caldwell, Kansas.

Firemen, Caldwell, Kansas
Date: Between 1890 and 1895
This photograph shows members from the Caldwell, Kansas fire department standing in front of an unidentified building.

Governor's proclamations
Date: 1869-1977
This collection of proclamations issued by Kansas Governors declares first, second or third-class status for Kansas towns and cities. Proclamations are arranged in alphabetical order by town name. Included are descriptions of city limits, plat maps and censuses.

G. R. Anderson to Board of Railway Commissioners
Creator: Anderson, G. R.
Date: May 21, 1883
In this letter G. R. Anderson, owner of a general merchandise, coal, and hay store in Caldwell, Kansas, complains to the Board of Railroad Commissioners that the rate of transferring loads of coal on the Missouri Pacific Railroad at Ft. Scott is unreasonable. The flat rate of five dollars per car meant that, proportionally, moving a small load of coal was more expensive that moving a large load of coal. See the Board of Railroad Commissioners' response to this concern, a letter by H. M. Hoxie to E. J. Twiner, dated May 31, 1883.

Henry Newton Brown and Ben Wheeler
Creator: Siringo, Charlie
Date: Between 1882 and 1884
This sepia colored post card shows the portraits of Henry Newton Brown and Ben Wheeler. Brown, a former member of Billy the Kid's Gang, and Wheeler, a former outlaw and friend of Brown's, found themselves on the other side of the law with their appointments as marshals of Caldwell, Kansas. In this south central Kansas community Brown and Wheeler, with their quick draw on the gun, turned the once lawless cowtown into a safe and peaceful place to live. They were trusted as lawmen until the unthinkable happened on April 30, 1884, when Brown and Wheeler and two of their outlaw friends John Wesley and Billy Smith attempted to rob the Medicine Valley Bank. The robbery was unsuccessful, and the robbers were eventually apprehended and brought back to Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Their time in jail was brief when pandemonium erupted over their capture creating a diversion for escape. In a hail of bullets Henry Brown was shot dead while an injured Wheeler was captured and hung beside Wesley and Smith.

Henry Newton Brown's rifle
Creator: Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Date: between 1879 and 1884
2nd Model 1873 Winchester rifle. Citizens of Caldwell, Kansas, presented the rifle to Henry N. Brown on January 1, 1883, in appreciation for his services as their marshal. With personal debts weighting heavily on his mind, on April 30,1884, Brown used the rifle in an attempted bank robbery in Medicine Lodge and killed the bank's president in the process. Brown was captured and secured in the Medicine Lodge jail. When a lynch mob later broke into the jail, Brown attempted to flee and was shot to death.

Historical atlas of Sumner County, Kansas
Creator: Edwards, John P.
Date: 1883
This atlas shows maps of each township with the names of landowners. It has a county history, patrons' list, advertising directory, and plats of towns as of the year of publication.

Kansas Adjutant General general correspondence
Creator: Kansas. Adjutant General's Office
Date: 1879
This correspondence was sent and received by Kansas Adjutant General Peter S. Noble to and from militiamen across the state, often written on stationary from their places of regular employment. The Kansas University Cadets are frequently mentioned. Included are petitions for the organization of militia companies in the cities of Raymond, Offerle, Burlingame, and Caldwell, among others. Also included are petitions for weaponry and ammunition to protect the cities of Oberlin, Spearville, and Bazine from Indian attacks.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, subject businesses
Creator: Kansas Film Commission
Date: 1980s-2000s
These are panoramic photographs of locations in Kansas created by the Kansas Film Commission to promote scenes to film companies. The panoramics were created by taking individual photos and taping them together. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject and then location. The subject of this part of the collection is businesses, including banks, bars, general stores, food stores, funeral homes, gas stations, hotels, malls, miscellaneous buildings, newspaper offices, restaurants, toy stores, and workshops.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, subjects banks - bridges
Creator: Kansas Film Commission
Date: 1980s and 1990s
These are panoramic photographs of locations in Kansas created by the Kansas Film Commission to promote scenes to film companies. The panoramics were created by taking individual photos and taping them together. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject and then location. Subjects included in this part of the collection are: banks, bed & breakfasts, and bridges.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, subject stadiums - trains
Creator: Kansas Film Commission
Date: 1980s-2000s
These are panoramic photographs of locations in Kansas created by the Kansas Film Commission to promote scenes to film companies. The panoramics were created by taking individual photos and taping them together. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject and then location. Subjects in this part of the collection include stadiums, stockyards, studios, theaters, and trains.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, towns Caldwell - Everest
Creator: Kansas Film Commission
Date: 1980s and 1990s
These are panoramic photographs of Kansas towns beginning with Caldwell and ending with Everest. The Kansas Film Commission created the photos to promote Kansas locations to film companies. Many of the photographs show business districts and buildings. The panoramics were created by taking individual photos and taping them together. Towns and cities included in this part of the collection are: Caldwell, Caney, Carbondale, Cassoday, Cedar Bluffs, Cedar Vale, Centropolis, Chanute, Chase, Chautauqua, Chetopa, Circleville, Clay Center, Clayton, Climax, Clinton, Clyde, Codell, Coffeyville, Colby, Coldwater, Collyer, Colony, Columbus, Concordia, Corona, Courtland, Cuba, Damar, Deering (Dearing), Delavan, Delia, Denison, Denmark, Denton, Derby, De Soto, Dorrance, Dover, Dresden, Dunlap, Durham, Dwight, Easton, Edson, Elk City, Elk Falls, Elkhart, Ellinwood, Ellsworth, Elmdale, Emporia, Ensign, Eudora, and Everest. There are interiors of the Brown Grand Theatre in the Concordia folder. The theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Kansas Woman's Christian Temperance Union memory book
Creator: Kansas Woman's Christian Temperance Union
Date: Between 1941 and 1950
This memorial book contains photographs and biographical sketches of members of the Kansas Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Click "Text Version" below for a searchable index of the names contained in this volume.

Main street, Caldwell, Kansas
Date: 1900
This black and white photograph looking north on main street in Caldwell, Kansas. The town located on the Chisholm Trail in Sumner, County, Kansas, was known as the "Border Queen City" during the cow town period because of its location to the Oklahoma border. In 1893 Caldwell, also, became a starting point for the Cherokee Strip Land Run which opened up the Oklahoma Territory for settlement.