Beads from a Child's Treasure Trove, 14EW310
Date: 1930-1959
Shown are eight of the 83 artifacts stored in a jar that was recovered during the Kansas Archeology Training Program excavation in 1996 at Fort Harker in Kanopolis, Kansas. The artifacts were discovered in a broken mustard jar, shown in the two slides, and may well represent a child's treasure, buried and forgotten sometime between the 1930s and the 1950s. Shown are eight glass and plastic beads: a black oval bead (possibly a button), a red faceted bead, two clear conical shaped beads, three clear round beads and one oblong red grooved or incised bead.

Buttons from a Child's Treasure Trove, 14EW310
Date: 1930-1959
Shown are five of the 83 artifacts stored in a jar that was recovered during the Kansas Archeology Training Program excavation in 1996 at Fort Harker in Kanopolis, Kansas. The artifacts were discovered in a broken mustard jar, shown in the two slides, and may well represent a child's treasure, buried and forgotten sometime between the 1930s and the 1950s. Shown are four of the six buttons that were found: a lozenge-shaped shank button, two white plastic buttons now stained red/pink and a black and gold glass button. Slight traces of the silver coating on the belt buckle remain.

Camp at Fort Harker in Ellsworth County, Kansas
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This photograph shows a camp at Fort Harker in Ellsworth County, Kansas. The fort was located in present day Kanopolis, Kansas. The image is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

Crystal Salt Company in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1915 and 1920
This is a photograph of the Crystal salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas.

Flatware from Fort Harker, 14EW310
Date: 1867-1872
All three pieces of flatware shown here were recovered during the 1996 Kansas Archeology Training Program field school during a metal detection survey at Fort Harker in Ellsworth County. The spoon has the words "SENATE SILVERPLATE" on the back, indicating it was manufactured by Oneida. The pattern on the front of the spoon's handle matches the 'Jean' pattern which was made in 1932, post dating the fort's occupation by 60 years. There are no marks on the knife or the fork. Fort Harker was located adjacent to what was to become the town of Kanopolis in Ellsworth County.

Fort Harker, Kansas
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This stereograph shows U.S. Army troops on the grounds of Fort Harker, Kansas. The photo was taken 500 miles west of St. Louis, Missouri, in present day Kanopolis, Kansas. It is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

Fort Harker, Kansas, 218 miles west of Missouri River
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This is a photo showing U. S. Army troops on the grounds of Fort Harker, Kansas. Fort Harker (originally called Fort Ellsworth) was established in 1864 in order to provide protection for the Kansas Stage Line and military wagon trains transporting goods along the Smoky Hill Trail and the Fort Riley Road. The fort closed in 1872 and was located in present day Kanopolis, Kansas. It is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Kansas Pacific Railroad.

Independent Salt mine, Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: 1950s
This twenty-three minute silent film documents salt mining in the 1950s at the Independent Salt Company in Kanopolis, Kansas. The film shows miners descending a mineshaft and drilling and cutting the mine "face." Then it shows the salt being moved to a rotating feeder-breaker that breaks the salt into smaller pieces. Finally, it shows the salt being loaded onto skips and hoisted to the surface through a shaft, and then dumped into bins in the mill building where it is sorted and loaded onto trucks.

Infantry Insignia from Fort Harker, 14EW310
Date: 1867-1872
These four fragments of a hunting horn insignia were recovered from Fort Harker during the 1996 Kansas Archeology Training Program. Insignia such as this were meant to be worn on a soldier's uniform hat or kepi. They were excavated from the foundation or builder's trench of the Enlisted Barracks. Fort Harker was located adjacent to what was to become the town of Kanopolis in Ellsworth County.

James Butler Hickok at Fort Harker, Kansas
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This photograph shows James Butler Hickok, at far left, with a group of men at Fort Harker, Kansas. Fort Harker was located in present day Kanopolis, Kansas.

Jewelry from a Child's Treasure Trove from Fort Harker, 14EL310
Date: 1930-1959
Shown are eight of the 83 artifacts stored in a jar that was recovered during the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school excavation in 1996 at Fort Harker in Kanopolis, Kansas. The artifacts were discovered in a broken mustard jar, shown in the two slides, and may well represent a child's treasure, buried and forgotten sometime between the 1930s and the 1950s. Shown here is a brass tie tack, three cuprous decorative attachments with a seashell motif on the front and prongs on the back, a gold colored ring missing its setting, a pink wristwatch band fragment, a screw back earring with a purple glass stone and a heart-shaped filigree necklace pendant.

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 Independence to Ludell
Date: 1989-2001
These are panoramic photographs of Kansas towns beginning with Ada and ending with Bunker Hill. 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: Independence, Industry, Ingalls, Iola, Jennings, Jewell, Johnson City, Kanopolis, Kanorado, Kansas City, Kincaid, Kingman, Kingsdown, Kinsley, Kirwin, LaCrosse, Lamont, Lancaster, Langdon, Larned, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Lebanon, Lebo, Lenora, Leon, Leoti, Lerado, Levant, Lexington, Liberty, Lincoln, Lindsborg, Linwood, Longford, Longton, and Ludell.

L. W. Halbe collection
Creator: Halbe, L. W. (Leslie Winfield), 1893-1981
Date: 1908-1912
The L. W. (Leslie Winfield) Halbe photo collection consists of 1500 glass plate negatives produced by Halbe during his teenage years. Halbe lived in Dorrance, Russell County, Kansas, and began taking photographs of the region with an inexpensive Sears and Roebuck camera when he was fifteen years old.

Missouri Pacific Railroad depot, Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: 1971
This photograph shows the Missouri Pacific Railroad depot in Kanopolis, Kansas. The one-story wooden structure is no longer standing.

Pins from a Child's Treasure Trove, 14EW310
Date: 1930-1959
Shown are three of the 83 artifacts stored in a jar that was recovered during the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school excavation in 1996 at Fort Harker in Kanopolis, Kansas. The artifacts were discovered in a broken mustard jar, shown in the two slides, and may well represent a child's treasure, buried and forgotten sometime between the 1930s and the 1950s. These three stamped iron pins all had spring loaded pin backs. The oval pin with a picture of a skeleton key has the words "KEY COMMITTEE" printed on it. The other pins are a brass or bronze pin with an etched crisscross pattern and a rusty pin that may have once been white or silver colored.

Plat book, Ellsworth County, Kansas
Creator: North West Publishing Co.
Date: 1901
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.

Primer Pin for Field Artillery from Fort Harker, 14EW310
Date: 1867-1872
This primer pin for field artillery was recovered from Fort Harker during the 1996 Kansas Archeology Training Program. It was excavated during the metal detector survey conducted there. Fort Harker was located adjacent to what was to become the town of Kanopolis in Ellsworth County.

Royal Salt Mine in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1915 and 1920
Here are two photographs showing the interior of the Royal Salt Mine in Kanopolis, Kansas.

Royal Salt Mine in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1915 and 1920
This is a photograph showing the exterior of the Royal Salt Mine in Kanopolis, Kansas.

Royal salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: 1913
This is a photograph of the Royal Salt Company mine in Kanopolis, Kansas.

Salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1889 and 1890
This is a photograph of a salt mine under construction in Kanopolis, Kansas. The mine, which was one of the earliest in Kansas, opened in 1890 and closed in 1924. Patron provided information suggests this is the Royal Salt Mine at Kanopolis, and that the sandstone blocks used to build the hoist house and boiler house came from the hospital at Old Fort Harker in Kanopolis.

Salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1890 and 1899
This is a photograph of a salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas. The mine, which was one of the earliest in Kansas, opened in 1890 and closed in 1924. Patron provided information suggests this is the Royal Salt Mine at Kanopolis, and that the sandstone blocks used to build the hoist house and boiler house came from the hospital at Old Fort Harker in Kanopolis.

Salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1890 and 1899
This is a photograph of a salt mine in Kanopolis, Kansas. The mine, which was one of the earliest in Kansas, opened in 1890 and closed in 1924. Patron provided information suggests this is the Royal Salt Mine at Kanopolis, and that the sandstone blocks used to build the hoist house and boiler house came from the hospital at Old Fort Harker in Kanopolis.

Standard atlas of Ellsworth County, Kansas
Creator: Geo. A. Ogle & Co.
Date: 1918
The atlas contains a plat book of the villages, cities, and townships of the county, and a map of the state, United States and World. It also has a Patron's Directory and a Business Directory.