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.

Boot Hill Cemetery, Hays, Kansas
Date: 1885
This black and white photograph shows the excavating site of the Boot Hill Cemetery in Hays, Kansas. Located on a hill north of the town of Hays City Kansas, the cemetery was the first in the West to be called Boot Hill. At least seventy-nine outlaws were buried at the site.

Ellis County organization records
Creator: Kansas. Secretary of State
Date: 1867-1870
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 listing who should be Ellis County's county officials and designating Hays City as the temporary county seat. Also included is a letter certifying votes for Hays City as the county seat and for various county buildings to be contracted for.

Fort Zarah
Creator: Hunnius, Ado, 1842-1923
Date: 1914
Description of Fort Zarah written by Carl Julius Adolph Hunnius in 1914. Fort Zarah was an active military fort in Great Bend, Kansas, from 1864-1869, and Hunnius had been to the fort while serving with Major General Winfield Scott Hancock during the Indian pacification campaign of 1867. Hunnius's descriptions of Fort Zarah provide the sizes of the buildings located at the fort, and includes a drawing of the fort.

Fourth annual fair of the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Creator: Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Date: October 5 - 8, 1886
This poster announces a fair at Hays City, Kansas, sponsored by the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association. Highlights of the fair include $1,000 in premiums, races each day, and reduced rail rates. The poster includes color illustrations of livestock, and horse and sulky racing

Hays City, Kansas
Date: Undated
These two photographs represent Hays City, Kansas. One viewing the city from the northwest and the other from the west.

I.M. Yost Milling Company paperweight
Date: between 1878 and 1895
Glass paperweight advertising the I.M. Yost Milling Company of Hays City, Kansas. Isaac M. Yost (1848-1944) assumed operations of the mill in Hays City in 1878. Over the course of its operations the mill was destroyed by fire and rebuilt three separate times. Yost's company also eventually had elevators in Victoria, Toulon, Ellis, Oglallahm and Collyer. In October of 1907 they also assumed operation of the Wilson Mill, Elevator, and Coal yards. Sometime around 1908 Yost sold his interests in his milling company to J.K. Mullen of the Colorado Milling & Elevator Company, and by 1910 the business was renamed the Hays City Flour Mills. In addition to his milling business, Yost was instrumental in the establishment of the cement plant and company town of Yocemento. Hays City was renamed simply Hays in 1895.

Lands in Kansas
Creator: Union Pacific Railway Company
Date: 1893
This Union Pacific Railway Company pamphlet advertises cheap and affordable land in Kansas for purchase.

Standard atlas of Ellis County, Kansas
Creator: Geo. A. Ogle & Co.
Date: 1922
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, a map of the state, United States, and world. It has illustrations, portraits and photographs of homes.

Standard atlas of Ellis County, Kansas
Creator: Geo. A. Ogle & Co.
Date: 1905
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.

The fourth annual fair of the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Creator: Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Date: October 5 - 8, 1886
This poster announces an agricultural fair at Hays City, Kansas, sponsored by the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association. Events include horse races and shows, livestock and farm produce exhibitions, and mule, sack, and bicycle races. Various illustrations show fair buildings, horse racing and livestock.

The third annual fair of the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Creator: Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Date: September 22 - 25, 1885
This poster announces the third annual foar at Hays City, Kansas, sponsored by the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association. Highlights of the fair include Japanese day fireworks, trials of speed, and a good band of music. The poster includes illustrations of livestock, produce, and sulky racing.

Third annual fair of the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Creator: Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association
Date: September 22 - 25, 1885
This poster announces a fair to be held at Hays City, Kansas, sponsored by the Western Kansas Agricultural Fair Association. Highlights of the fair include premiums, floral hall, Japanese day fireworks, and bicycle racing. The poster includes illustrations of livestock.

Views of Hays, Kansas
Date: 1885
These photographs represent different views of Hays, Kansas during the 1880s and early 1890s. The photographs are shot looking southwest across Hays. Fort Hays can be seen in the upper right corner of the photograph. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.