A round-up on Tom Kern's ranch in Coldwater, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: 1897
A round-up herd of about 1,200 cattle on Tom Kerns' ranch south of Coldwater, Kansas, in 1897. Cowboys on horses are visible in the background.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Coldwater, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 28, 1931
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot at Coldwater, Kansas. The depot was built in 1887 and measured 24'x92'.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Coldwater, Kansas
Date: Between 1970 and 1975
These two photographs show the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Coldwater, Kansas. The station was later moved to Buttermilk, Kansas. One of the photographs shows Oliver Frank Tarr standing by the operator's window.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Coldwater, Kansas
Creator: Bohi, Charles W., 1940-
Date: Bewteen 1950s and 1960s
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Coldwater, Kansas. The station was later moved to Buttermilk, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Coldwater, Kansas
Date: 1950-1960
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Coldwater, Kansas. The station was later moved to Buttermilk, Kansas.

Cattle branding on the Garst ranch south of Coldwater, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1903
This is a view of a cowboy branding an animal on the Garst ranch south of Coldwater, Kansas. Two cowboys on horseback are holding ropes attached to the animal, and a herd of cattle is visible in the background.

Comanche County organization records
Creator: Kansas. Secretary of State
Date: 1873-1875
In order for an unorganized county to be recognized by the state of Kansas, a certain number of householders/legal electors had to petition the governor. The governor would appoint a census taker. Initially, unorganized counties were required to document that they had at least 600 inhabitants in order to be recognized as a county by the state legislature. Over time the number of residents needed to organize a county changed to 1500 and later to 2500 residents. The census was submitted to the governor who then issued a proclamation indicating that the requirements had been met, appointing county commissioners and a county clerk, and naming a county seat. Not all of these documents are available for each county. Included in this file is the memorial to the governor asking for a census to be taken, an affidavit by A. Updegraff to be census taker, the completed census, and the proclamation by the governor appointing county officials and designating Coldwater as the temporary county seat.

Confiscated liquor, Coldwater, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1929
These two black and white photographs show county officials from Coldwater, Kansas, standing behind confiscated bottles of liquor. The first photograph identifies the gentlemen as the following: (left to right) Ed Baker, county attorney; George McDonald, marshal; Bill McCrary, sheriff; and Leonard Tony. The second image is an interior view of liquor that has been seized by officials.

Fourth of July celebration, Coldwater, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: 1903
View of a 1903 Fourth of July celebration on a street in Coldwater, Kansas. Business buildings are visible along the street, including the Shultise & Allderdice General Supply Store.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, subject convention centers - courthouses
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 subjects included in this part of the collection are convention centers (including livestock arenas), courthouses, and courtrooms.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, subject farmhouses
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 farmhouses, arranged alphabetically by county.

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.

Old Powell place on Mule Creek east of Coldwater, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1903
View of cattle on the "old Powell place" ranch (now owned by Mr. Smith). The ranch house and barns are visible in the background.

Santa Fe Demonstration Train
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company
Date: July 21--August 2, 1930 and August 24--September 5, 1931
These posters advertise Santa Fe demonstration trains traveling in Kansas in 1930 and 1931. The purpose of the 1930 train (8 cars) was to present a plan for higher profits on wheat farms. Tom L. Bair, the State's champion wheat grower, was part of the 1930 train. It's travel dates were July 21 through August 2, 1930. The 1931 train (9 cars) was designed to present a plan for more profits in the beef cattle industry. The 1931 train had special features for women and children and it was traveling throughout the state from August 24 through September 5, 1931. The towns where the train would stop each year are listed on the posters. The trains were operated jointly by the Santa Fe and the Kansas State Agricultural College. J. F. Jarrell, manager of Agricultural Development for Santa Fe, was the organizer of these trains. The posters make a point of emphasizing that the speakers will be on a flat car "equipped with electrically controlled voice amplifiers. Visitors remaining in their automobiles will be able to hear perfectly."

Santa Fe Wheat Festival Special
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1926
This Wheat Festival Special was operated by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company. It traveled throughout Kansas July 19-July 30, 1926, to numerous Kansas communities. Other organizations that cooperated to operate the train included the following: The Kansas State Agricultural College, the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, The Kansas State Grain Inspection Department, the Southwestern Wheat Improvement Association and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, under authority of the Kansas Public Service Commission. The flyer lists the speakers and their topics. Miss Vada Watson, the Kansas Wheat Girl, was one of the special attractions.

Standard atlas of Comanche County, Kansas
Creator: Geo. A. Ogle & Co.
Date: 1909.
This atlas shows maps of each township with the names of landowners. It has a patrons' directory, and plats of towns as of the year of publication.

Stuffed toy
Creator: Hoffman, Sandy
Date: 1985
This plush eagle was made by Sandy Hoffman of Coldwater, Kansas in Comanche County. It was made to commemorate Coldwater High School's football team wining the state championship in 1985. It was given to then Governor John Carlin who donated it to the museum.

Tornado damage, Coldwater, Kansas
Date: 1899
Four photographs showing buildings damaged by the 1899 tornado in Coldwater, Kansas.

World War II honor roll at the First Presbyterian Church in Coldwater, Kansas
Date: 1944
This is a photograph of the World War II honor roll, which lists people serving in the war from Coldwater, Kansas. The honor roll was located at the First Presbyterian Church in Coldwater.