18th Infantry Band, Fort Hays, Kansas
Date: 1886
This is a view of the members of the 18th Infantry Band at Fort Hays, Kansas. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

A.B. Campbell to Governor John Martin
Creator: Campbell, A. B.
Date: April 9, 1886
Adjutant General Colonel A. B. Campbell of Parsons, Kansas, writes Kansas Governor John Martin of Topeka. He informs the governor that citizens are putting together a force of fifty special police to respond to striking railroad workers. Railroad employees at Parsons were striking and the governor granted permission to provide citizens with arms to keep the peace.

A.B. Campbell to Governor John Martin
Creator: Campbell, A. B.
Date: April 1, 1886
A.B. Campbell, Kansas Adjutant General, of Parsons, telegrams Kansas Governor John Martin, of Topeka, stating that another railroad engine has been killed and that he is leaving to investigate. This is in response to the local authority's request for National Guard troops during the railroad strike in the three state area.

A.B. Campbell to Governor John Martin
Creator: Campbell, A. B.
Date: April 4, 1886
The Kansas adjutant general at Parsons sends a telegram to Governor John Martin of Topeka asking the governor for permission to furnish the mayor of Parsons with one hundred guns to preserve peace in the city. A strike of railroad workers on the Missouri Pacific Railroad at Parsons led company and city officials to ask the governor to arm citizens and for call out the militia.

A.O. Brown to Governor John Martin
Creator: Brown, A.O.
Date: March 30, 1886
A.O. Brown, mayor of Parsons, Kansas, telegrams Kansas Governor john Martin, of Topeka, requesting immediate help from the "troops" over a labor dispute. Strikers had driven a freight train off the tracks near Parsons. In February 1885, railroad shop workers walked off the job because of a cut in pay and reduced hours of work. Governor Martin was able to negotiate a settlement to the strike but problems continued throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.

Abilene, Kansas, looking northwest from the Courthouse
Date: 1886
Photograph of Abilene, Kansas, in Dickinson County, looking northwest from the Courthouse, 1886.

An address to the employees of the Missouri Pacific Railway Co.
Creator: Hoxie, H.M.
Date: March 8, 1886
In this address, H.M. Hoxie, First Vice President of the Union Pacific Railway Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, informs the employees of events that have led up to the strike involving several railway systems throughout the country. On December 16, 1885, the United States Court took possession of the Texas and Pacific Railway making the employees of the railroad employees of the agents of the court. In March, 1886 these employees inaugurated a strike and the Knights of Labor notified superintendents of the railroads down the line that they would appoint and place their own watchmen to protect railroad property from loss and damage.

Assumption Catholic Church and parochial school
Date: 1886
View of the Assumption Catholic Church and parochial school in Topeka, Kansas.

A story of the Shawanoes (Shawnee)
Creator: Rayner, John Allen
Date: 1886
This reminiscence by George Bluejacket, a Shawnee (Shawanoe) Indian originally from Ohio, tells the creation story of the Shawnee people as well as the history of his own tribe. Although his story ends before the Shawnee were relocated to Kansas (then called Indian Territory), it appears that he relocated with the rest of his tribe. The reminiscence was recorded by John Allen Rayner, and the first page of the document is an explanatory letter written by Rayner.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company cottages, Winslow, Arizona
Date: June 11, 1931
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company cottages nos. twelve and thirteen built in 1886 at Winslow, Arizona

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company cottages, Winslow, Arizona
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: June 11, 1931
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company cottages nos. ten and eleven, built in 1886, at Winslow, Arizona.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company's McQueen switch engine Topeka, Kansas
Date: 1886
This photograph shows the first Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company's McQueen switch engine arriving in Topeka, Kansas. A group of men are standing in front of the engine.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depots, Raymond, California
Date: 1886
This photograph shows a steam locomotive at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depots in Raymond, California. A new depot is in the process of being built.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Railway Company depot, Lawrence, Kansas
Date: 1886
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company depot in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas. It shows a large two story brick building with railroad tracks in the foreground and two carriages parked near the building.

Band in Liederkranz Park, Alma, Kansas
Date: 1886
Photograph of fifteen members of a band are seen here at a performance at Liederkranz Park located just outside the west edge of Alma, Kansas.

Better than ever. The fourth annual fair of the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Date: October 05, 1886-October 08, 1886
Numerous activities are featured on this poster that advertises the Hays City fair. Crowds of people are shown as well as demonstrations and local farmer's livestock. A list of entertainment includes music, foot and bicycle races, horse races, and livestock displays.

Biennial report of the State Reform School, 1886
Creator: Kansas. State Charitable Institutions
Date: 1886
The Kansas State Reform School, also known as the Industrial School for Boys, was established in 1879 by a legislative act that appropriated $35,000 for the erection of buildings, etc., in Topeka, Kansas. Control and supervision of the school was placed in the hands of the Board of Trustees of Charitable Institutions. The school was located 3 miles north of the capitol building on an original tract of 170 acres that was given by the city of Topeka. The west wing of the main building was opened on June 1, 1881. The school taught boys the rudiments of useful employment as a means of supporting themselves after being discharged from the facility. The boys learned, among other things, tailoring, shoe and harness making, woodworking of various kinds, baking, and printing. Information included in this item is the superintendent's report, physician's report, tables showing movement of population, crimes committed, age of those committed, a general inventory, and statement of accounts.

Bird's-eye view of Abilene, Kansas
Date: 1886
This bird's-eye view shows Abilene, Kansas, possibly as early as 1886.

Bird's eye view of Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas
Creator: Koch, Augustus
Date: 1886
This bird's eye view of Kingman, Kansas, was drawn by Augustus Koch. It shows the court house, a school, churches, the Kingman Planing Mill, the Kingman Opera house, two newspaper offices, a fair grounds, and two railroad depots. One railroad line was the Wichita & Western Railroad and the other was the D. M. & A. R. R. (Denver, Memphis and Atlantic Railroad.) The street names are on the image and the location of the business district is very obvious. Individual houses are also visible. There are several windmills in the image. The south fork of the Ninnescah River runs through Kingman. Hand printed in the upper margin is the phrase With Compliments of James P. Mead & Co., Kingman, Kansas. Mead's property is in the upper left area of the image.

Blizzard in Ford County, Kansas
Date: 1886
View of steam locomotives trying to cut through large drifts of snow. People are standing in snow next to the tracks. The photograph was taken east of Dodge City, Kansas.

Burrell soddy, Ness County, Kansas
Date: Between 1886 and 1887
This photograph shows Frank, Henry and Otis Burrell with their dogs in front of the Burrell homestead in Ness County, Kansas. The sod house was located in northern Ness County and was built by Warren Burrell across the corner of three quarters of land.

Businesses on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, Kansas
Date: 1890
A photograph showing businesses along the west side of the 700 block on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, Kansas. The first building on the left houses Geo. Leis Drugs. The second building is a bookstore. The third building on the left is Steinberg & Bros. Dry Goods.

Business men, property owners to Governor John Martin
Creator: Kansas Community Leaders
Date: March 26, 1886
In this telegram, business men and property owners from several Kansas communities plead with the governor to issue a proclamation to resume traffic on all rail lines operated by the Missouri Pacific Railway Company during the railroad strike of 1886.

C. B. Woodward to Governor John Martin
Creator: Woodward, C.B.
Date: March 13, 1886
Labette County sheriff, C.B. Woodward, tells Kansas Governor John Martin of Topeka he is unable to control the strikers who have captured the train engines by force. He is requesting military support. In February 1885, railroad shop workers walked off the job because of a cut in pay and reduced hours of work. Governor Martin was able to negotiate a settlement to the strike but problems continued throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.

C.E. Faulkner to Governor John Martin
Creator: Faulkner, C.E.
Date: March 30, 1886
C.E. Faulkner, of Parsons, Kansas, writes Kansas Governor John Martin, of Topeka, stating the strike is not over. The strike had been settled and workers returned to work when trouble disrupted in Texas. Employees who had participated in the strike were not allowed to return to their jobs. Railroad workers in Parsons were informed of this and refused to end the strike in that area.