Wilson's Creek NB

The Second Major Battle of the Civil War

Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and the site of the death of Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union general killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focused national attention on the war in Missouri.  Wilson’s Creek NB commemorates and interprets the battle within the context of the war in the Trans-Mississippi West.

27 Aug 2018

So much to learn from this site. While much is talked about and studied of the Civil War Battles East of the Mississippi River, little is for the Battles and skirmishes West of the Mississippi River. Missouri saw more than 1,200 distinct engagements within its borders; out paced by only Virginia and Tennessee. Missouri was a hotly contested border state populated by both Union and Confederate sympathizers with a star on both the Union and Confederate flags. The Visitors Center at Wilsons Creek was eye opening to learn how contested this state was. We started with a great movie about the Battle and events leading up to it then took in the displays at the Visitors Center. After taking in the Visitors Center we made the drive around the loop road to get a good understanding of the flow of the Battle. This is a site you can spend a half a day at or a whole day as there is so much to learn here.

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NPS Website

Our 128th NPS Unit

Fort Scott NHS

Forging a Nation: Fort Scott in the Mid Nineteenth Century

Promises made and broken! A town attacked at dawn! Thousands made homeless by war! Soldiers fighting settlers! Each of these stories is a link in the chain of events that encircled Fort Scott from 1842-1873. All of the site's structures, its parade ground, and its tallgrass prairie bear witness to this era when the country was forged from a young republic into a united transcontinental nation.

26 Aug 2018

This Fort has so much history to tell. Taking in the Visitors center tells the story well and a walk of the grounds puts it all into context. We spent a half a day here but feel we could have spent longer.

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NPS Website

Our 127th NPS Unit

Brown v Board of Education NHS

The Road to Justice

The story of Brown v. Board of Education, which ended legal segregation in public schools, is one of hope and courage. There were more than 150 plaintiffs across the country, when these people agreed to be plaintiffs in the case, they never knew they would change history. The people who make up this story were ordinary people. They were teachers, secretaries, welders, ministers and who simply wanted to be treated equally.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) is one of the most pivotal opinions ever rendered by that body. This landmark decision highlights the U.S. Supreme Court’s role in affecting changes in national and social policy. Often when people think of the case, they remember a little girl whose parents sued so that she could attend an all-white school in her neighborhood. In reality, the story of Brown v. Board of Education is far more complex.
In December, 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court had on its docket cases from Kanas, Delaware, the  District of Columbia, South Carolina, and Virginia, all of which challenged the constitutionality of racial segregation in public schools. The U.S. Supreme Court had consolidated these five cases under one name, Oliver Brown et al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka. One of the justices later explained that the U.S. Supreme Court felt it was better to have representative cases from different parts of the country. They decided to put Brown first “so that the whole question would not smack of being a purely Southern one.”
This collection of cases was the culmination of years of legal groundwork laid by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in its work to end segregation. None of the cases would have been possible without individuals who were courageous enough to take a stand against the segregated system.

24 Aug 2018

Wow such a great site. We first took in the movie in the auditorium where the 30-minute film Race and the American Creed traces the history of racism and segregation. The film is a dialogue between a young girl and a long-time friend of her grandfather. The student is seeking to learn about the long struggle to provide freedom and equality to all Americans. This really set the mood and meaning of the site.
We then took in the two gallery's. First The Education and Justice gallery, This exhibit gallery examines the barriers African Americans faced while trying to receive a formal education from the early 19th century to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Investigate why leaders in the black community fought so hard and took risks to integrate schools. Photos, exhibits, and interpretive media are combined to offer a summary of these hardships due to racial injustice. The gallery features seven short films.
We then took in the Hall of Courage and the Legacy of Brown v, Board of Education gallery. This gallery explores the Civil Rights Movement that followed in the wake of the Brown decision, rallying thousands of people dedicated to the eradication of prejudice and racial discrimination from all forms of public life. Learn about the continuing international impact and living legacy of Brown to ensure equality in all walks of life for all people.
After that we got to take in the former kindergarten room that has being restored to its 1954 appearance. See what it was like to attend the segregated Monroe school during the court case and find out how teachers were affected by the decision.
Plan on an half day or more here as there is so much to take in here.

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NPS Website

Our 126th NPS Unit



Tall Grass NPRES

Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie

Where's the tall grass? Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America. Within a generation the vast majority was developed and plowed under. Today less than 4% remains, mostly here in the Kansas Flint Hills. The preserve protects a nationally significant remnant of the once vast tallgrass prairie and its cultural resources. Here the tallgrass prairie takes its last stand.

23 Aug 2018

This will be a return trip list site, the day we went it was raining on and off. We started at the Visitors Center and got to take in the movie and exhibits. After a trip to the Visitors center it was on to the Ranch that is right next door to the Visitors Center. Explored around for awhile and after dodging the rain drops for a couple of hours we decided to add this to our come back list. We still want to take in a hike out to the Prairie and see what else this site has to offer.

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NPS Website

Our 125th NPS Unit



Fort Larned NHS

Home to the Guardians of the Santa Fe Trail

Discover a complete and authentic army post from the 1860s -1870s! This well-preserved fort on the Santa Fe Trail shares a tumultuous history of the Indian Wars era. The sandstone constructed buildings sheltered troops who were known as the Guardians of the Santa Fe Trail. 

22 Aug 2018

Took in this Fort on a rainy day. This Fort was an important Santa FeTrail Fort. Fort Larned was one of a series of forts along the Santa Fe Trail spaced to provide adequate protection along the entire trail. Fort Zarah to the northeast and Fort Dodge to the southwest were Fort Larned’s nearest neighbors along the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Hays, located nearer the railroad route that eventually eclipsed the Santa Fe Trail, was about 60 miles to the north. Fort Larned’s troops patrolled the Santa Fe Trail 70 miles in either direction from the fort, and at some times, escorted wagon trains down the trail to deter attacks. In time, Fort Larned and other forts along the Santa Fe Trail played their part in establishing lasting U.S. control over the Great Plains. We spent a 3 hours exploring the grounds and taking in the exhibits at the Visitors Center. 

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NPS Website

Our 124th NPS Unit



Nicodemus NHS

      

"Go to Kansas"

Formerly enslaved African Americans left Kentucky in organized colonies at the end of the of post-Civil War Reconstruction period to experience freedom in the "promised land" of Kansas. Nicodemus represents the involvement of African Americans in the westward expansion and settlement of the Great Plains. It is the oldest and only remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River.

21 Aug 2018

Getting to this unit was half the fun. Yes it's off the beaten path but well worth the time to go and learn about a forgotten chapter of American History. Start at the Visitors Center that is staffed by great volunteers that are decedents of the original families. These Volunteers were great in telling the story of this site. After taking in the movie and displays at the Visitor Center we were off to explore the town. Not much remains but a few buildings. We enjoyed taking in this site and recommend it.

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NPS Website

Our 123rd NPS Unit