A Kansas bungalow
Creator: Martin, William H., 1865-1940
Date: 1909
This photomontage or exaggerated postcard shows an African-American family standing in front of a giant watermelon that resembles a home. It was used as an advertising item for the Palace Clothing Company for a raincoat sale being held in the Arts Building of the Topeka Fair Grounds. It is an example of the racial stereotypes and prejudice that was commonplace in American culture.

Cleaning melon and cucumber seed at Deerfield, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: November 18, 1895
This is a photograph showing farmers cleaning melon and cucumber seeds in the Arkansas River near Deerfield, Kearny County, Kansas.

Display at Finney County Fair, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: 1890
The photograph shows I.L. Diesem's home as a model and crop display at the Finney County Fair in Kansas in 1890.

Drouthy Kansas
Creator: Worrall, Henry
Date: 1878
This painting by Henry Worrall, completed in 1878, challenges the assumption that Kansas was part of the "Great American Desert." Although there had, indeed, been a severe drought during 1860, Worrall believed that Kansas did not deserve this harsh reputation. In the foreground, his painting depicts the bountiful harvests of grain, watermelon, and potatoes, while the background includes rain showers and a rainbow stretching across the horizon. Although Worrall was a very productive artist, "Drouthy Kansas" quickly became his most famous work.

Eating watermelon, Bourbon County, Kansas
Date: August 13, 1911
This black and white photograph shows a group of people eating watermelon in Bourbon County, Kansas.

Eating watermelon, Wichita, Kansas
Date: Between 1940s and 1950s
This black and white photograph shows twin girls eating watermelon at a unidentified home in Wichita, Kansas.

Exaggerated photograph
Creator: Beck, Hezekiah
Date: 1888
This exaggerated photograph shows a gentleman, possibly A.B. Arment, posing with a giant ear of corn and an oversized watermelon. Arment operated a furniture store at 1007 South Main Street, Winfield, Kansas. He was using it as advertisement.

Fairgrounds, Finney County Fair, Kansas
Date: 1894
Photographs showing the produce exhibit of J. T Pearce at the fair in Finney County, Kansas.

Farmer's display, Wichita County Fair, Kansas
Date: 1887
This sepia colored photograph shows a display of vegetables at the Wichita County fair. The sign indicates this was the first farmer's display at the fair.

Fourth annual Sumner County fair, Wellington, Kansas
Date: September 17 - 20, 1894
This poster advertises the fourth annual Sumner County fair to be held at Wellington, Kansas. Highlights include livestock, agricultural crops, horse racing, and musical entertainment events. Fair officers are H. C. St. Clair, president, and I. N. King, secretary.

George Henry family, Stanton County, Kansas
Date: 1919
This black and white photograph shows members from the George Henry family slicing into watermelons on their farm in Stanton County, Kansas.

Growing melons for D. M. Ferry, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This photograph shows melons being grown for D.M. Ferry, Kearny County, Kansas.

Growing melons for D.M. Ferry, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This damaged photograph show melons being grown for D.M. Ferry, Kearny County, Kansas.

Growing melons for D. M. Ferry, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1895 and 1900
This is a photograph showing farm laborers working in a melon field for D. M. Ferry, Kearny County, Kansas.

Growing watermelon for seed, A.R Downing's farm, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: 1895
This photograph shows A.R. Downing's watermelon farm. Downing grew the watermelons for the seeds. The photos shows several horses and carriages and several men working in the field.

Harvesting watermelons, Kearney [Kearny] County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This is a photograph showing three men harvesting watermelons in a horse-drawn wagon.

I.L. Diesem's individual agricultural exhibit, fair, Finney County, Kansas
Creator: Wolf, Henry L. 1850-1924
Date: 1892
The photograph shows I.L. Diesem's agricultural exhibit at the fair in Finney County, Kansas. The agricultural products are on different shelves and some are on the ground. The photograph also shows how some products are in jars, baskets, and buckets on the shelving unit. Also in the center of the photograph there are straw models of Diesem's home.

Joe Campbell, Rossville, Kansas
Date: 1960
Joe Campbell enjoys watermelon at the Lions watermelon feed in Rossville, Kansas, September 1960. This photograph is provided through a pilot project to host unique cultural heritage materials from local libraries on Kansas Memory and was accomplished by mutual agreement between the Northeast Kansas Library System, the Rossville Community Library, and the Kansas Historical Society.

Kansas. Modern queen of the prairie
Creator: Moore, Roy R.
Date: Between 1940 and 1942
This silent film promotes the agricultural industries in Kansas. Clip one includes wheat and beef cattle. Clip two includes hogs, horses, dairy cattle and corn. Clip three includes grain sorghums, potatoes, poultry, garden crops (cabbage, watermelons, peas, and apples), hay, irrigation, and fish. Photographed by Steve Smith.

Kansas state fair, Wichita, Kansas
Creator: Kansas State Fair Association
Date: October 1-5, 1895
A poster promoting the Kansas State Fair to be held at Wichita, Kansas. The poster includes a color illustration of fruits and vegetables.

Lions watermelon feed, Rossville, Kansas
Date: 1960
Don Jones, Mr. Sears, and Gene Irwin enjoy watermelon at the Lions watermelon feed in Rossville, Kansas, September 1960. This photograph is provided through a pilot project to host unique cultural heritage materials from local libraries on Kansas Memory and was accomplished by mutual agreement between the Northeast Kansas Library System, the Rossville Community Library, and the Kansas Historical Society.

Picnicking on watermelon
Date: 1900
This photograph from a glass plate negative shows two woman and a young child picnicking on slices of watermelon.

Scenes of Sherman County, Kansas
Date: 1890-1920
Multiple scenes of Sherman County, Kansas.

Scenes of Sherman County, Kansas
Date: 1890-1930
Multiple scenes of Sherman County, Kansas. The coffee house photograph features left to right: Maude Coffin High, Nell Coffin, Henry High, Mrs. Coffin, and Pearl Coffin. In the Calkins sod house photograph, pictured left to right: unknown, Chauncey Calkins, Ed Collier, Mrs. Latichia (Israel) Calkins, unknown, James Calkins, Israel Calkins, and the man on the house is unidentified.

Southwestern Kansas Exposition, Finney County, Kansas
Date: Between 1880 and 1890
The photograph shows the Southwestern Kansas Exposition in Finney County, Kansas.