These utensils were recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. On the left is a serving fork that was cleaned by electrolysis, which passes an electrical current through a liquid solution to separate the rust from the artifact. In the middle is a slab, tang, and bolster of a knife handle. On the right is a serving spoon with a back mark that states "EXTRA COIN SILVER PLATE." Extra plate means the utensil so marked has slightly more silver than usual. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.