One of the key features of the Cottonwood Ranch Historic Site is the beautifully preserved stone buildings. Rowlison goes into great detail why settlers on the Great Plains frequently used stone in construction in the 1800s. This deep look into stone construction also covers how settlers used tools of their time to achieve beautiful & long lasting buildings, a majority of which still stand today!
Along with his roles of curator & archeologist, Don Rowlison is a noted cowboy historian. For years his “Out of the Bedroll program educated groups around Western Kansas about the real lives of these “hired hands on horseback” who became icons of the American West. In this episode Don covers the cowboy way of life & how they affected Kansas, helping turn it into a major player in cattle production
Archeology is the science of studying history and prehistory through the process of excavation and artifacts. Don Rowlison explains the value of archeology in understanding both the prehistory & history of the Great Plains. He is joined by Christine Garst and Tim Weston. Join Don and his friends as we discover the value of learning about the past and the archaeological process.
John Fenton Pratt's, original owner of Cottonwood Ranch, an avid photographer, glass negatives reveal many aspects of life, including the fashion & function of the clothes people wore. Rowlison is joined by Kristin Keith, a historic reenactor, & Marla Day, curator of the Historic Costume & Textile Museum. Don & others dive deeper into the understanding of clothing and fashion of the Great Plains.
Prehistory, history before written record, is vital to understand how the Great Plains settlers started their life in Kansas. Don Rowlision, Rob Thompson and Tod Bevitt explain the process of learning about prehistoric Kansas. Through exploration, recreation, and examination Don and his friends show us how important studying prehistoric Kansas is.
One of the only ways the Great Plains settlers could receive products was through mail order. This process was crucial to serve the growing population of plains settlers. Without this service Western Kansas may not have been settled so quickly. Professor of history, Dr. Leo Oliva joins Don Rowlison to explore the great importance of mail order. Join us as we take this journey together.
A beautifully preserved and restored stone house serves as the centerpiece for the Cottonwood Ranch Historic Site. Since 1985, Don Rowlison has given thousands of tours of the historic structure. In this episode it is our turn to hear the story of the building and furnishing of this home built on the Kansas prairie and lived in by English immigrants in the late 1800s during pioneer settlement.
Don Rowlison and his colleges look at how entrepreneurship helped shape the Great Plains. The idea of entrepreneurship is one that kept the settlers going and they had no other choice. There was nothing in the Great Plains so the settlers had to be resourceful. Also in this episode Don talks to current entrepreneurs that kept their dream alive through hard work and dedication.
Don Rowlison and his colleagues look at how agriculture was important to the settlers of the Great Plains. Inside this episode Don will cover topics of the practices and difficulties the early settlers had while trying to establish good agricultural practices.
Don Rowlison and his colleagues look at how agriculture was important to the settlers of the Great Plains. Inside this episode Don and his friends will look at the actual land that the settlers had to work with. The Great Plains was very different from their homeland so there was a steep learning curve.
The Homestead Act is the reason why the Great Plains were settled. When Lincoln signed this bill into law he set in motion one of the greatest settlement movements in human history. Take a ride with Don and his friends as he takes us through this monumental moment in American history.
Life on the Great Plains was rough, hard, and dangerous. The settlers still found time for entertainment and developing a rich culture of arts. Join Don and his colleagues as he takes a deeper look into the world of art and entertainment on the Great Plains.
Cottonwood Connections visits the Fort Wallace Museum, where decades of volunteers have worked to bring greater understanding to the clash of cultures at this Western Kansas outpost on the Smoky Hill Trail.
The Grainfield Opera House, constructed in 1887 served many functions over the decades. Now, thanks to the collective efforts of a community, it stands as a town’s statement that both its history and its future matter.
A look at the role of the animals whose contribution and dedication made settling the Great Plains possible.
Physical sites and buildings help tell the stories of our past. We take a look at the preservation and restoration of Cottonwood Ranch and visit various locations either preserved, restored, remodeled, or rebuilt to share our history.
What was the significance of the buffalo to the native people of the Great Plains? What happened to them, how were some preserved, and how are they being revived today?
Many small towns in Western Kansas aren’t where they used to be. We take at look at how entire communities would pick up and move to be closer to the railroad, to avoid drowning in a newly built reservoir, or to claim the throne as county seat.
Many of the most interesting events in history happened right in our own backyards. Area county historical societies highlight the importance of understanding the people and events that shaped the home towns of the Great Plains.
We visit the Sternberg Museum in Hays, Kansas, to learn about its namesake, George Sternberg, and his family of renowned paleontologists who helped shape our understanding of our pre-historic past.
Exploration of food preparation and preservation in the pioneer era, featuring guest Emily Campbell, owner and chef at The Elephant in Hoxie, Kansas, preparing a meal of historic recipes in the Cottonwood Ranch kitchen.
In a time when the center of the country was described as a “sea of grass,” trappers, traders and explorers shaped the understanding of the both perils and possibilities on the Great Plains.
A look at how various communities were formed by immigrants from specific places, traditions, religions or people groups, and check in on how these heritages are carried on or celebrated today.
Balls of Twine. Enormous prairie dogs. The Garden of Eden. The highways and byways of Kansas are blessed with landmarks of the odd and unusual.
The cattle drive holds a special place in the mythos of the Great Plains and the American West. In this episode we will explore the legends and the realities of the Western Trail that spanned from Texas, north through western Kansas and on to Canada.
Ride along with Don Rawlison for side-by-side tours of the Decatur County Museum. Exploring the collection of buildings and understanding this museum’s passion for documenting its community history by getting outside to share the stories of its people and past.
Don Rawlison joins the Kansas Anthropological Association’s summer Kansas Archeology Training Program. Exploring the Scott Lake area near the El Cuartelejo pueblo ruins, the training program is uncovering a potential prehistoric site. Join us as we explore together!
For Great Plains settlers, gathering for church was a central part of community life. We explore historic churches of the area and seek to understand the role of religion in developing community life.
In the only form of heavy transportation, railroads built America, and Kansas was a center focus of it. Join Don Rawlison as he digs deeper into the role the railroad played in driving settlement, building towns, and changing the landscape of the plains.
We visit with re-enactors and presenters to understand how living out a piece of history can deepen understanding of lives and legends. Join us as we take a walk through history and experience first hand what Great Plains living was really like.
Don Rawlison shows us the role small town newspapers had in chronicling the life of a town and building a community’s identity. Join us as we step through history using newspapers and the story behind them.
A discussion of the importance of sewing circles to small town society and the current day role of quilts as both family heirlooms and tools for genealogical study. Join us on this journey through the history of Great Plains sewing.
In 1982 a man found an unusual bone in on his parents property near Morland, Kansas. It would lead to the discovery of fossils that told the story of ancient life on the Great Plains.
This episode highlights the work and exhibits of this unique museum that invites I-70 travelers to pull off and explore the settlement and agriculture of the Plains, including the expansive Cooper Barn.
An invitation to viewers to explore the interesting topography and geological formations of Western Kansas and learn how, by their uniqueness, they created their own special place in our history.
An introduction to the infamous and those who tried to stop them - from horse thieves to bootleggers, fraudulent city founders, illegitimate newspapers, and legends of lost gold.
Through visits with professors, musicians, filmmakers and a journey to the cabin where its words were penned, we explore the creation and complicated history of the cowboy folk tune that would become Kansas’ state song.
The image of the one-room school is iconic in the history of the settlement era. We hear the experiences of those who attended one-room schools, a system that carried on into the 1960s.
A deep look into the cowboy saddle development, types and different styles. A current day saddle craftsman walks us through the intricate process of restoring and maintaining saddles that are, in their own right, masterpieces of art.
We visit the Fort, learn about its history, the role it played in its years of service and how it continues to be a focal point in sharing the story of Western Kansas.
A look at how artists like Jerry Thomas, Pete Felton and Bruce Burkholder and others represent our history through pen, paint and sculpture.
Discuss settlement era medicine and how this vital service has evolved and faced the challenges of providing care in rural America.
We discuss the various styles and types of carriages, carts and wagons and how they compare to modern vehicles, and we visit with a current day craftsman who restores and constructs these classic conveyances.
We explore Cottonwood Ranch’s outbuildings, discuss their role in the ranch’s livestock history and the greater prevalence of sheep ranching in the settlement era, including a visit with a current-day operation that has carried on for generations.
How did the first of the world wars impact those who settled on the Great Plains, how did western Kansas serve the effort, and in what way did the conflict alter the industry of agriculture.
The influence and aftermath of World War I may have ushered in the social and economic aspects of the Roaring 20s, but it also set the stage for the depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
Western Kansas and the Great Plains served the war effort in many ways, but the war in turn altered the region agriculturally, economically and in population for decades to come.
This passage along the Smoky Hill River served to tie regions of the country together, and it set the stage for major arteries of commerce to come.