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Focus on History

FEATURING:

    The 2011 Bulletin covers the Capitols of Topeka, a special Kansas Sesquicentennial edition featuring gems of Kansas statehood history in the Topeka/Shawnee County area. Plans are to have this work published before the end of 2010 and available to the public before January 29, 2011, the 150th birthday of our state.

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2012 LOCAL HISTORY IN THE NEWS

• Constitution Hall uncovers 1850s-era 'graffiti' [with video] —Jan Biles, Topeka Capital-Journal 3/17/2012
• Film documents Underground R.R. in Kansas Topeka Capital-Journal 3/17/2012
• Project splices dramatic prose with history, —Bill Blankenship, cjonline.com 2/10/2012
• Mount Auburn Cemetery history unearthed [with video]

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Capitol Dome Tours
Over 50 thousand people have taken a dome tour at the Kansas State Capitol since they were reintroduced in January 2006! The 296 steps of this spectacular tour literally takes the breath away.
     The dome is currently closed for renovation and may re-open sometime in 2012. This space will contain tour details once tours re-start.

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BULLETINS
The Society has published 81 Bulletins on the history, culture, and heritage of Topeka and Shawnee County. The Bulletins are considered the hallmark of the Society.

• See list of all BULLETINS published
• See list of all BULLETINS for sale by SCHS
• Lloyd Zimmer Books & Maps, a third-party source for rare/hard-to-find books on Topeka-Shawnee Co. history

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2012 SCHS CALENDAR
Trustee meeting are held every third Tuesday of the month, 7 pm,
Hale Ritchie House
—Guests & visitors are always welcome!!
Read past Trustee Meeting Minutes (includes 2006 and after)

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ONLINE ARCHIVE

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HISTORY LINKS

• The Kansas Baseball History Project Links to Topeka and Shawnee Co. baseball players.
• The Kansas Historical Society, in partnership with Ancestry.com, now allows individuals with a valid Kansas driver’s license free access to more than 8 million Kansas records on the popular family history website. Users can access Kansas State Census Records from 1865-1925 (years ending in “5”), Civil War Enlistment Papers of Kansas Volunteer Regiments (1862, 1863, 1868), Russell County Vital and Probate Records, selected World War I manuscripts, and the United Spanish-American War Veterans certificates collections. Starting link here.
• Kansas Memory Online —a feature of the KSHS
• KS historical newspapers—Library of Congress links to on-line versions
• Tales Out of School —a Emporia State University newsletter geared toward Kansas K-12 teachers related to teaching Kansas history
• Freedom's Frontier Nat'l Heritage Area events calendar
• Constitution Hall, Topeka
• The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed
• Topeka High School Historical Society
• The Historic Trail of Brown Vs. Board of Education 10/30/2009
• Kansas History —links galore! 2/17/2009
• History Now —from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, focuses on history of the Old West. 9/26/2006
• Special Collections —special primary and secondary sources at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
• Kansas Heritage Index —links to a wealth of Kansas history info

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CONTACT US:
SCHS web site contact:
e-mail: Inquiry, SCHS
phone: 785-234-6097 [Leave a voice message. We'll return your call.]

MAILING ADDRESS:
Shawnee County Historical Society
P.O. Box 2201
Topeka, KS 66601-2201

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Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area
• FFNHA website
• FFNHA Aug. 2011 Newsletter

Partnership Commitment

The Shawnee County Historical Society’s mission is to foster a culture of historic preservation and heritage commemoration. It has a lengthy history of collecting and publishing documents and narratives of the county’s history which include shaping of the frontier, the Missouri-Kansas border war, and the enduring struggle for freedom.

The Society’s Landmark Preservation project, the historic Ritchie House, represents the latest in the Society’s efforts to preserve and promote awareness of the area’s rich heritage encapsulating the three themes of FFNHA. The house, built by a Topeka pioneer in 1856, is a pivotal point on the city’s Freedom’s Pathway, connecting the Brown. v. Board of Education NHS and the Capitol of the free state of Kansas.

As the Society completes its education center at the Ritchie House, it expands its education programming to inform and challenge young people and heritage tourists regarding local evidence of the enduring struggle for freedom. It has undertaken an ambitious initiative of create curriculum materials for area schools based on state history and government standards, assisting teachers and their students to master the area’s heritage as an integral part of the American struggle for freedom. In addition to these school curriculum materials, the Society has sponsored and will continue to do so, public programs of heritage awareness that coincides with the mission of FFNHA.

In its regular publications and heritage programming at the Ritchie House the Society looks forward to active partnership with FFNHA.

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Available:
Historic Shawnee County

Freedom's Cap: The United States Capitol and the Coming of the Civil War
Guy Gugliotta, Kansas City Public Library, Mailn Library, Thursday, March 22, 6pm
See details on the kclibrary.org web site

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The 2009 Bulletinis now available. It covers Topeka's Elmhurst Nieghborhood, including history of Lowman Hill Elementary School, Elmhurst Plaza and the Methodist Home. Neighborhood borders include Boswell, Huntoon, Washburn Av., and 10th St.
    Lively Elmhurst is currently available for sale ($20. + tax) at the Booktique at the Topeka and Shawnee Co. Public Library or on-line (@ $25, including cost of shipping) Buy now with your secure PayPal account or a major credit card. 8/30/2010