Abilene in its glory
Creator: Baker-Co
Date: 1874
An illustration of a train of cattle leaving Abilene, Kansas. The illustration was copied from Joseph G. McCoy's Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Southwest, 1874. The illustrator is Henry Worrall

Alma Salt Works, Alma, Kansas
Date: 1874
The Alma Salt Works was located at Seventh and Grand Streets in Alma, Kansas. The factory evaporated water from a brine well, capturing the remaining salt. In the background at the left of the photograph are Palenske Hall, Schmitz and Meyer store, and the Kaufman building. The salt works closed in 1876 and the land became theSalt Works Addition which is now a residential section of Alma.

Ashley Rood
Date: 1874
This is a studio portrait of (Edgar) Ashley Rood, son of George H. and Helen Mars (Thomas) Rood, at the age of three. The couple's only son and sole surviving child, Rood became a partner in his parents' farm, livestock, and feed business outside of Peabody, Kansas, when he graduated from high school.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad land
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company
Date: 1874
Map of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad lands showing connections with three million acres of land for sale on eleven years credit and seven percent interest. Removed from the company's 1874 annual report.

Atlas map of Johnson County, Kansas
Creator: Heisler, E. F
Date: 1874
The atlas has over one hundred representative views of residences and public buildings, together with personal sketches of old settlers of the county and those contributing views as well as detailed plat maps with landowners' names.

August Schulz diary
Date: 1872-1878
This diary was written by August(us) Schulz, who resided in McPherson County, Kansas. The diary describes the work and events that took place on the family farm in Canton Township, McPherson County. Schulz and his wife Luisa were born in Germany, according to the 1880 U. S. census. Augustus's age was listed as 54 and Luisa was 58. The first two pages of content labeled 1872 and 1873 are in German. They have four children, The two girls were Agnes, 24 years old, and Ottilie, age 16. The two boys were Alexander (23) and Hugo (20). In 1880 they were all living at home. Schulz provides details about the crops he is planting and several entries describe planting several hundred trees. The diary also mentions establishing land claims for the older children.

Board of Agriculture reports
Creator: State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1874
This series of Board of Agriculture notes from 1874 covers broad topics relating to live stock and crops. Materials included in the collection is: correspondence, reports and handwritten notes.

Buffalo hides in Dodge City, Kansas
Date: April 4, 1874
This photograph, taken in Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas, shows a large pile of buffalo hides obtained from hunting expeditions in western Kansas. It is estimated that the pile contains around 40,000 hides. Charles Rath, who purchased the hides, is seated on the pile. The men in the background are operating a hide baling machine. Dodge City was located on the Santa Fe Trail. During the period in which these hides were gathered, American hunters decimated the bison heards in the West, leaving Native American tribes without one of their primary sources for food, clothing, and tools.

"Busted!" - A Deserted Railroad Town In Kansas
Creator: Tavernier, Jules, 1844-1889
Date: 1874
This is an illustration titled "Busted! A Deserted Railroad Town in Kansas" published in Harper's Weekly, v. 18 (February 28, 1874), p. 192.

C. M. Ricker to Charles Morris
Creator: Ricker, C. M.
Date: November 6, 1874
Captain C. R. Ricker of the Kansas State Militia, Medicine Lodge, Kansas, writes to Adjutant General Charles Morris of Topeka concerning a band of Pawnee Indians. Ricker notes that the Indians are just east of Medicine Lodge and believes they intend to fight a band of Osage Indians. Though this band had not disturbed any person or property, they were burning the prairie. Ricker suggests that the burning is an attempt by the Indians to further destroy settler's rangeland already devastated by drought and grasshoppers. Ricker asks for instructions on dealing with this "friendly" band of Pawnee. The threat of an Indian uprising on Kansas' southern boarder in 1873 led Governor Thomas Osborn to employ the state militia and appeal to President Ulysses S. Grant for federal troops and arms.

Camp wagon on the trail
Creator: Baker-Co
Date: 1874
This photograph shows an illustration of a camp wagon on the trail. The illustration was copied from Joseph G. McCoy's Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Southwest, 1874. The illustrator is Henry Worrall.

Cattle drive of Longhorns
Creator: Baker-Co
Date: 1874
"Midnight Storm and Stampede" copied from Joseph G. McCoy's Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Southwest, 1874. The illustrator is Henry Worrall.

Col. O.W. Wheeler's cattle herd
Creator: Baker-Co
Date: 1874
View of Col. O. W. Wheeler's herd en route to the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1867. The illustration was copied from "Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade" by Joseph McCoy published in 1874. The illustrator is Henry Worrall.

D. C. Haskell to Governor Thomas Osborne
Creator: Haskell, D. C. (Dudley Chase), 1842-1883
Date: November 11, 1874
A letter written by D. [Dudley] C. [Chase] Haskell introducing Governor Thomas Osborne to Rev. W. M. Wellman. Wellman was appointed to the Kansas Relief Committee and worked on behalf of The Smith County Aid Society to obtain funds to help settlers effected by the grasshopper plague.

Dance-House
Creator: Baker-Co
Date: 1874
An illustration of an exuberant dance at a dance house copied from Joseph G. McCoy's Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Southwest, 1874. The illustrator is Henry Worrall.

Denison, Texas
Creator: Tavernier, Jules, 1844-1889
Date: August 1874
This is an illustration showing the depot and train in Denison, Texas. Also visible are covered wagons and oxen, business buildings, and a horse-drawn delivery wagon. The illustration appears in The Great South-West, August 1874. It is credited to both Paul Frenzeny and Jules Tavernier.

Die unterzeichnete Vorstand giebt sich die Ehre
Creator: Hunnius, Ado, 1842-1923
Date: October 21, 1874
This item is a certificate from the Museum fur Volkerkunde (Anthropological and Ethnological Museum) in Leipzig, Germany. It was issued to Carl Julius Adolph "Ado" Hunnius by the Museum's executive committee on October 21, 1874, to certify that Hunnius would be "making collections and receiving donations for said institute" as their authorized agent. Shortly after receiving this certificate, Hunnius began gathering the data for his article "Die Indianer in der Vereinigten Staaten," which provides information on the Native American tribes in the United States of America.

Dodge House and Billiard Hall, Dodge City, Kansas
Date: 1874
A stereograph showing the Dodge House and Billiard Hall in Dodge City, Kansas.

Edwards County organization records
Creator: Kansas. Secretary of State
Date: 1874
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 that a census be taken, two completed censuses, and the proclamation by the governor appointing county officials and designating Kinsley as the temporary county seat. A complete transcription is available by clicking "Text Version" below.

Family in covered wagon during a wind storm
Date: May 30, 1874
Photo of an illustration of a single family in covered wagon during a wind storm on the prairie, copied from "Harper's Weekly," May 30, 1874.

Fighting a prairie fire
Creator: Frenzeny, Paul
Date: February 28, 1874
In this woodcut illustration from Harper's Weekly, men fight a prairie fire.

Francis J Swehla
Creator: White, W. A.
Date: 1874
A photograph showing Francis J Swehla with his wife and son Victor. Francis Swehla was one of the first settlers in Wilson, Kansas. This is a copy of a photograph taken at Grete, Nebraska in 1874.

General Custer finding the remains of the Kidder massacre
Date: 1874
An illustration showing General George Armstrong Custer arriving at the scene of the Kidder massacre which occurred around July 1, 1867 in Sherman County, Kansas. This illustration is copied from Custer's book, My Life on the Plains, published in 1874. Funds for digitization provided by Mr. Steve Peckel in memory of William Chalfant.

General offices, depot and machine shops for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway in Sedalia, Missouri
Creator: Tavernier, Jules, 1844-1889
Date: July 1874
This is an illustration showing the general offices, depot and machine shops for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway in Sedalia, Missouri. The illustration is published in The Great South-West, July 1874. It is credited to both Paul Frenzeny and Jules Tavernier.

Grangers versus hoppers
Creator: Henry Worrall, 1825-1902
Date: 1874-1875
This is a copy of a cartoon by Kansas artist Henry Worrall showing Kansas farmers (Grangers) battling grasshoppers. The National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry was originally founded with the idea of educating and connecting farmers within America. The first Grange was set up in Fredonia, New York. From there granges spread across the U.S., providing classes and social events to farmers. The first Kansas Grange was organized in 1872 at Hiawatha. Within a few years, more than 1,000 Granges claiming more than 30,000 members had been established across the state. Read more about the Grange in Kansapedia.