1951 flood, Neosho County, Kansas
Date: July 6, 1951
These are two aerial views of Neosho County, Kansas, that were taken by and published in the Chanute Tribune newspaper. The two photographs show a flooded oil storage facility and farmstead.

Aerial view of the Neosho River in Council Grove, Kansas
Date: 1956
This photograph shows a view from above of the Neosho River passing through Council Grove.

Allen County, Kansas, floods--1951
Date: July 1951
These numerous photographs show flooding and flood damage from the Neosho River in Allen County, Kansas. High water marks can be seen on many buildings, as well as debris and destruction left by the water. Many homes, businesses, and public buildings were affected. These photographs were part of a preliminary survey by the Flood Control Committee of the Iola Chamber of Commerce on August 10, 1951. Many of the photos have additional information on their backs.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge, Neosho Rapids, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This black and white photograph shows construction work on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge 102-C along the Neosho River in Neosho Rapids, Kansas. According to information on the back of the photograph, the bridge was moved to fit the channel of the river so that the east bank, on the left, would allow for the free passage of water.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge, Neosho Rapids, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This black and white photograph shows construction work on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway's bridge 102-C along the Neosho River in Neosho Rapids, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge, Neosho Rapids, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This black and white photograph shows construction work on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge 102-C along the Neosho River at Neosho Rapids, Kansas. According to information on the back of the photograph, a gap developed on the left hand side of the bridge after it was moved into its new position.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge, Neosho Rapids, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This black and white photograph shows construction work on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge 102-C along the Neosho River in Neosho Rapids, Kansas. According to information on the back of the photograph, removal and adjustments were made to the east sections of the bridge which left a 50 foot gap.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge, Neosho Rapids, Kansas
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This black and white photograph shows construction work on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company bridge 102-C along the Neosho River in Neosho Rapids, Kansas. In the foreground center and near the other side of the river at right, new concrete piers were constructed prior to the actual bridge move. Also, crawler cranes removed spans from the east end of the bridge after the structure was later moved.

Beads from the 102 Steel Point Site, 14MO414
Date: 1847-1874 CE
These three beads were recovered from a site in Morris County during a 2006 survey by a Kansas Historical Society archeologist and Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers. The site had multiple occupations from the Archaic period to the late 1800s. The site may have been one of three Kansa sites along the Neosho River. All three of the beads are made of glass. Two are hexagonal shaped, one blue the other clear. The third bead is dark green and faceted.

Bird's eye view of Humboldt, Kansas
Date: 1872
A bird's eye view of Humboldt, Kansas showing the town's layout and a portion of the Neosho River.

Bridge, Iola, Kansas
Date: 1909
Postcard image of possibly the Kentucky Street Bridge, Iola, over the Neosho River.

Burlington, Kansas flood
Creator: Palenske, Louis F., 1858-1943
Date: 1926
This is one of two photos of the September 14, 1926 flood waters of the Neosho River which inundated the business district of Burlington, Kansas. Palenske Created this photo with his Korona Panoramic View Camera, using 17-inch film. Funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission through the Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Burlington, Kansas flood
Creator: Palenske, Louis F., 1858-1943
Date: 1926
This is one of two photos of the September 14, 1926 flood waters of the Neosho River which inundated the business district of Burlington, Kansas. Palenske created this photo with his Korona Panoramic View Camera, using 17-inch film. Funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission through the Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Catfish, Burlington, Kansas
Date: Between 1890 and 1909
This photograph shows a general view of a man standing between two flat headed yellow catfish taken from the Neosho River in Burlington, Kansas. In the background a group of men are visibly standing.

Children on a picnic in Council Grove, Kansas
Creator: Anderson, Walt
Date: around 1900
A group of picnicking children and their teacher for the camera. In the background of one photograph, bicycles leaning against the trees are visible. In another, there is a view of the Neosho River.

Dewitt C. Goodrich to George W. Martin
Creator: Goodrich, Dewitt C.
Date: January 16, 1911
In this letter to George Martin of the Kansas State Historical Society, Captain Dewitt C. Goodrich writes regarding an attack that occurred near Victoria, Kansas, in October 1867. According to Captain Dewitt, he was six miles east of Fort Hays, Kansas, working on "subdividing townships." His party of eight people, which included three African American soldiers that were provided by the U.S. Government for protection, hid from the Indians in a nearby ditch. However, Goodrich recalls that others were not so lucky, including a civilian working at Fort Hays who was "scalped, full of arrows and badly mutilated with butcher knives."

Dishes from the 102 Steel Point Site, 14MO414
Date: 1847-1874
These 10 dish fragments were recovered from a site in Morris County during a 2006 survey by a Kansas Historical Society archeologist and Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers. A wide variety of patterns were recovered from the site including dish sherds that were hand painted, decorated by transfer printing, called transferware, and by sponging with color, called spongeware. The site had multiple occupations from the Archaic period to the late 1800s. The site may have been one of three Kansa sites along the Neosho River.

Ephraim Nute to Edward Everett Hale
Creator: Nute, Ephraim
Date: April 28, 1857
Rev. Ephraim Nute, minister of the Lawrence Unitarian Church, wrote from Lawrence, Kansas Territory to Edward Everett Hale, a member of the New England Emigrant Aid Company's Executive Committee. Nute observed that Francis Serenbetz, a German Congregational minister, and his party of thirty German immigrants were in Lawrence and getting ready to head south to establish a colony on the Neosho River that they planned to name Humboldt. Nute was not optimistic that the Serenbetz party would succeed due to their lack of financial resources. Nute commented that immigration into Kansas continued to increase and estimated that nearly 1,000 people per day entered the territory. He stated that most of the new immigrants were from Western states and "of the right kind to stay." Nute also commented on the lack of saw and grist mills in the territory and blamed the New England Emigrant Aid Company for the deficiency.

Excursion on the Neosho River, Humboldt, Allen County, Kansas
Date: 1899
A large group of people taking an excursion boat out on the Neosho River.

Fayetteville road
Date: Between 1900 and 1910
These letters, maps, and reminiscences relate to the Fayetteville road, also known as the Fayetteville Emigrant Trail. This trail started at Arkansas Post in Arkansas, then headed towards the northeast corner of Oklahoma, crossing the Neosho River, entering the state of Kansas in what is now Montgomery County. The trail crossed the Verdigris River about two miles north of the Kansas state line, went through the present-day site of Coffeyville making its way northwest, finally meeting with the Santa Fe Trail at Turkey Creek in McPherson County, Kansas. In total, this trail crossed the following Kansas counties: Montgomery, Chautauqua, Elk, Butler, Harvey, Marion and McPherson.

Ferries in Kansas
Date: 1880-1935
Letters and notes to George A. Root concerning ferries and ferry companies that operated in Kansas. Included among the letters is a map of several ferry crossings near Shawnee County along the Kansas River and another map of ferries along the Neosho River.

Field notes of the survey of the Cherokee Lands
Creator: McCoy, John Calvin, 1811-1889
Date: September 21, 1837
This item contains the details of land surveys conducted by John C. McCoy on Cherokee Lands in 1836 and 1837. McCoy's field notes contains details such as the types of trees, topography, size and course of streams, soil condition, etc. According to the first entry, McCoy began the survey "in accordance with the instructions of Isaac McCoy" and "commenced at the N.W. corner of Quapau Lands on the East bank of the Neosho. River and run thence up with the meanders of the same."

Flooding along the Neosho River
Creator: Anderson, Walt
Date: 1898
These six photographs show the flooding of the Neosho River valley near Council Grove in 1898.

Flooding of Council Grove, Kansas
Date: 1951
These photographs show destruction caused by the flooding of Council Grove in 1951. Pictured are the Kaw Mission during the flood, pigs seeking refuge from high water on the front porch of a house, high water at a railroad bridge, high water at a brick-paved bridge, and the damaged National Guard Armory.

Flooding of Council Grove, Kansas
Date: 1903
These photographs show destruction caused by the flooding of Council Grove on May 27, 1903. Pictured are the neighborhood east of the school building, the destroyed bridge behind the Rightly home, damage on Union Street, a view northwest of Shamleffers Grove, a temporary foot bridge, and two views southwest on Main Street.