Forts and Trails Exhibit The Kansas Museum of History in Topeka, Kansas features areas devoted to Native American History, the settling of Kansas, the battles over Kansas statehood, Civil War, African American Kansas History, and more recent developments. The museum was recently closed for three years for major renovations, but reopened in November 2025. The exterior of the museum has no obvious changes. Inside, the look has changed a lot, starting with the 1946 Funk airplane (manufactured in Coffeyville, Kansas) suspended above the lobby. The area of the museum that was most interesting to me, was the Bleeding Kansas exhibit, which includes the stories of many of enslaved people. My favorite part of the former museum is gone, the 1950s diner made by the Valentine Industries. That area was used to tell how Kansas has been the home or original location of many restaurant chains from White Castle to the Harvey House chain to Applebee's. Exhibits include a fully stocked covered wagon ready for a trip on the Oregon Trail, a Biplane built in 1914 by A.K. Longren, an 1880 Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad locomotive, Cheyenne tipi, and six flags from the First and Second Kansas Colored Infantries. weapons. Kansas has been the home or original location of many restaurant chains from White Castle to the Harvey House chain to Applebee's, and the related exhibits are popular. I found the new exhibit on boxcar people facinating. In the early 1900s, the families of Mexican railroad took the wheels off boxcars, put them on foundations and turned them into homes. Communities of these homes were located across much of Kansas. This is a story I had never heard before. Plan to spend at least 2 hours visiting the main gallery and temporary displays. The State Archives collections contain more than 12 miles of printed materials & Kansas government archives, 25,000 maps, approximately 500,000 photographs, and more than 50,000 reels of microfilm. From March - October the State Archives is open 9 AM - 4:30 PM on Tuesday - Saturday, except state holidays. From November - February it is closes Tuesdays. Researchers can request material from the stacks until 4PM.
copyright 2005-2026 by Keith Stokes |
