Albert Nelson, World War I soldier
Creator: Nelson, Albert
Date: 1918-1919
Around 1919, the Kansas State Historical Society and the American Legion solicited biographical information from returning veterans (primarily members of the 35th and 89th infantry divisions) and the families of those who died in service, notably from the Gold Star Mothers. Each veteran or family member was asked to provide letters, photographs, a biography, and military records. This file contains information on Albert Nelson, 353rd Infantry, Machine Gun Company, 89th Division.

Canteen
Date: between 1861 and 1865
Kidney-shaped metal filter canteen dating from the Civil War. Sergeant William W. Dimond used this canteen during his service with Co. G of the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry. Dimond had this canteen with him when he was injured at Malvern Hill, Virginia. He was discharged in 1863 and eventually moved to Downs, Kansas.

Chiropractor Practicing Without a License
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1915-1919: Capper)
Date: January 13, 1915
This file includes a letter from Mrs. Martin Kenyon of Downs, Kansas. Topics discussed, but not limited to, in the correspondence is a chiropractor who was practicing without a license who is no longer practicing but Kenyon feels he should be allowed to continuing practicing from a personal testimony. This is part of a bigger collection of Governor Arthur Capper correspondence.

Earl Barrett, World War I soldier
Date: 1919
Around 1919, the Kansas State Historical Society and the American Legion solicited biographical information from returning veterans (primarily members of the 35th and 89th infantry divisions) and the families of those who died in service, notably from the Gold Star Mothers. Each veteran or family member was asked to provide letters, photographs, a biography, and military records. This file contains information on Earl Barrett, Medical Replacement Unit #47. Earl died from pneumonia on October 6, 1918.

Fielder's glove
Creator: D&M Sporting Goods
Date: between 1919 and 1920
Brown leather baseball glove. This glove belonged to Emmett Richmond. Richmond was born in 1903 and played baseball for Downs (Kansas) High School before moving to Stockton, Kansas. He graduated from Stockton High School and played on a town team.

Francis Albert Schmidt, World War I soldier
Date: 1918
Around 1919, the Kansas State Historical Society and the American Legion solicited biographical information from returning veterans (primarily members of the 35th and 89th infantry divisions) and the families of those who died in service, notably from the Gold Star Mothers. Each veteran or family member was asked to provide letters, photographs, a biography, and military records. This file contains information on Francis Albert Schmidt, Headquarters Company, 347th Infantry, 87th Division.

Future Farmers of America, Downs Chapter, Downs, Kansas
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This is a photograph of the Future Farmers of America, Downs Chapter, in Downs, Kansas. The officers are seated around the table, from left to right they are: Thommie Thomas, reporter; Mr. R. D. Brent, advisor; Howard Cary, vice-president; Lloyd Wiersma, president; Bill Bortz, treasurer; Harold Frazell, secretary; and George Kaspers, sentinel. Second row left to right: George knoll, James Hart, Glenn Walter, Max Poppen, Alvin Goheen, Dick Thomas, James Riedel, Paul Hofer, George Yost, and J. L. Storer. Back row: Burton Huiting, Donald Albrecht, Earl Cole, John Muck, John Riedel, Elton Koops, Gerald Koops, John Junk, Keith Blide, Robert Akens, and Marvin Gradig.

High school building in Downs, Kansas
Creator: H. G. Zimmerman & Co.
Date: Between 1900 and 1909
This is a postcard showing students posed in front of the high school building in Downs, Kansas.

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.

Luna E. Warner
Date: Between 1870 and 1879
Here are two photographs of Luna E. Warner, the daughter of Walter W. Warner and Alice Cleveland Warner. In 1871, the Warners brought their family from Massachusetts to settle in Osborne County, Kansas. Luna's diary was edited by her daughter Venola Lewis Bivans and is published in The Kansas Historical Quarterly, volume 35, Autumn and Winter, 1969, Number 3 and 4.

Main street in Downs, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1919
This is a postcard showing business buildings on Main Street in Downs, Kansas. This view was taken looking north from the Lipton Hotel.

Missouri Pacific Railroad depot, Downs, Kansas
Creator: Kelley, Frank O.
Date: 1958
This photograph shows the Missouri Pacific depot in Downs, Kansas. The Italian Renaissance style depot has been refurbished and houses the Downs Historic Railroad Foundation. The depot was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2001.

Missouri Pacific switch yards in Downs, Kansas
Creator: Wolfert's Jewelry Store
Date: Between 1910 and 1919
This is a postcard showing a steam locomotive in the Missouri Pacific switch yards in Downs, Kansas.

Only a fair sample of what Kansas can do -- when she tries
Creator: Lare C. A.
Date: 1899
This photomontage or exaggerated photograph copied from "Facts About Kansas" by the Missouri Pacific Railway shows J.H. Smith, editor and owner of the Downs Times in Down, Kansas, carrying a giant ear of corn from his garden.

Photography wagon, Downs, Kansas
Creator: Queen City Photo Car
Date: Between 1870s and 1880s
This photograph shows a group of men moving a photography wagon near Downs, Kansas. The gentleman with an "x" marked beside him has been identified as C. H. Oldson.

Plat book of Osborne County, Kansas
Creator: North West Publishing Co.
Date: 1900
This atlas shows maps of each township with the names of land owners and was compiled from country records and actual surveys

Report of Kansas U.S.O. Committee
Creator: United Service Organization
Date: 1941
This item details the amount of contributions to the United Service Organizations (U.S.O.) from cities and counties in Kansas during 1941. Totaling almost $90,000, the U.S.O. campaign in Kansas was quite successful and helped support a number of services for Americans serving in uniform during World War II. The report lists the contributions by city and the nature of the fund raising. There was a campaign in movie theaters that raised almost $9,000 from 84 cities. The list includes the names of the theaters. Local newspapers, which provided publicity, are often listed as well. The members of the local U.S. O. committees are listed, occasionally.

Standard atlas of Osborne County, Kansas
Creator: Geo. A. Ogle & Co.
Date: 1917
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.

The Young Ladies Band of Downs, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
This photograph of the Young Ladies Band of Downs, Kansas, shows women sitting on a wagon playing their instruments.

The advantages Northern Kansas offers to home seekers and land buyers
Creator: Northern Kansas Immigration Association
Date: 1888
This booklet was prepared by the Northern Kansas Immigration Association for home seekers and land buyers looking for opportunities in Northern Kansas.

U.S. 40. The main street of America
Creator: U.S. 40 Highway Association, Inc.
Date: 1920s
This pamphlet by the U.S. 40 Highway Association promotes U.S. Route 40 as the trans-continental highway from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California. At the pamphlet's creation, the highway had not yet been completed and reached to eight miles west of Topeka, Kansas. Raymond M. Sawhill of Glasco, Kansas, was the secretary of the local organization. The pamphlet contains a map of the route and there are charts listing the distance between all the cities through which the highway would pass. The charts also list the population of each of the cities. This pamphlet proposes a northern and southern route through the middle and western portions between Manhattan, Kansas, and Limon, Colorado.