KANSAS! Magazine | Issue No. 3 2022 by Kansas Magazine

2022

| VOL 78

ISSUE 3

KANSASMAG.COM

A Celebration of Neighborhoods From Big Cities to Rural Connections

A L S O I N T H I S I S S U E // Rural Grocery Stores // Kansas Beef Jerky // Outdoor Movie Theaters Stone Bridges of Cowley County // Des The Poet // Kansas Pride Program // and more!

V I S I T D O D G E C I T Y . O R G / E X P L O R E

THE LEGENDS OF THE OLD WEST COME ALIVE IN DODGE CITY, KANSAS. Relive the wild west with live reenactments of the shootouts that earned the city the nickname “Wickedest Little City in the West.” Discover the best the new west has to offer with art galleries, breweries, shopping, and more.

1- 8 0 0 - O L D -W E S T

WHAT’S IN THESE PAGES

features

Beautiful Days in Our Neighborhoods We explore and celebrate different neighborhoods across the state

Keeping a Legacy Alive Owners of Wichita Irish dive bar talk about their start and long-standing success

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

PHOTOGRAPH Dwan Miller

Save your change for a rainy day. Save up to 35%

compared to cash tolls

Order at

myktag.com

st “ The proguI dcaen thin im is cla rom f m Ia

Abilene.”

- Dwight

“The Flint Hills are an incredible, wonderful, almost magical place. There’s no other place like it.” Jan Jantzen Naturalist

www.KSFlintHills.com

@FlintHills

Best U.S. Small Town TravelAwaits (2021)

Best Historic Small Town USA Today (2021)

ower D. Eisenh

that

VisitLeavenworthKS.com

April 29-30 First City History Festival May 30 Memorial Day Ceremonies at two National Cemeteries Event dates subject to change, call ahead

ms Shop the South Botto ! KS in Louisburg,

913-758-2948

Find us on Facebook & Instagram @captaincookstreasurechest 913-837-2757

Antiques, Vintage & Primitives! Artisan & Local goods! HOURS WED. - SAT. 10 - 6 SUNDAY 10 - 5

903 N. Broadway Street Louisburg, KS 66053 www.captaincookstreasurechest.com

COME EXPERIENCE

CLAY COUNTY Zoo Museums Rodeos

Festivals Milford Lake Water parks

Hunting Kansas Landscape Arboretum

claycokansas.com claycenterchamber@gmail.com 785.632.5674

WHAT’S IN THESE PAGES

departments WIDE OPEN SPACES KANSAS DETAILS

10 Cuisine Fine Food and Good Eats 14 Kansas Made Must-have Local Items

36 The Stone Arch Bridges of Cowley County This spring, travel back 100 years to the era of hand-built limestone bridges that stand as a monument to a Kansas architect and his stoneworkers

16 Heartland People and Places that Define Us 19 Culture Arts and Experiences

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP) David Mayes, Karen Bonar, courtesy Cowley County Historical Society

20 Kansas Air The Freshness of Outdoor Life 22 Lens A Conversation with KANSAS! Photographers

24 The Kansan Authentic Life in the Sunflower State

IN EVERY ISSUE 7 8 58 64

26 Reasons We Love Kansas Celebrating Unique Attractions 28 Must See Upcoming Events to Enjoy

30 Taste of Kansas: Danduland A Salina gardener demonstrates the rich, tasteful possibilities found in a simple backyard garden of an ordinary Kansas neighborhood

Extra Details From the Editor KANSAS! Gallery From the Poet Laureate

ON THE COVER Afternoon Treats, pastel on Art Spectrum board by Kansas-based illustrator Abra Shirley.

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Why Lawrence?

cool y l l a e r tury s n e c d i m borhood neigh -

odern

ence M

r, Lawr

arpe Tom H

Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce

Andrea Etzel

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Laura Kelly GOVERNOR

David Toland

LT. GOVERNOR & SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

Bridgette Jobe

TOURISM DIRECTOR

SUNFLOWERPUB.COM | LAWRENCE, KANSAS KSMAGAZINE@SUNFLOWERPUB.COM

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Bill Uhler

Bob Cucciniello

Shelly Bryant

Nathan Pettengill

Joanne Morgan

Kalli Jo Smith

Alex Tatro

Leslie Andres

PUBLISHER

Find your why:

DIRECTOR

DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR MARKETING, 785.832.7264 ADVERTISING DESIGNER

EDITOR EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

ALLENPRESS.COM | LAWRENCE, KANSAS

PRINTER

Kathy Lafferty

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Lisa Mayhew

ACCOUNT MANAGER

KANSAS! (ISSN 0022-8435) is published five (5) times per year by Kansas Tourism 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, KS 66612; 785.296.3479; TTY Hearing Impaired: 785.296.3487. Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS, and at additional mailing offices. Newsstand price $5 per issue; subscription price $20 per year; $36 for two years. All prices include all applicable sales tax. Please address subscription inquiries to: Toll-free: 800.678.6424 KANSAS!, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, KS 66612 Email: kansas.mag@ks.gov | Website: www.KansasMag.com POSTMASTER: Send address change to: KANSAS!, P.O. Box 146, Topeka, KS 66601-0146. Please mail all editorial inquiries to: KANSAS!, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, KS 66612 email: kansas.mag@ks.gov The articles and photographs that appear in KANSAS! magazine may not be broadcast, published or otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of Kansas Tourism or the appropriate copyright owner. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Additional restrictions may apply.

SHOPPING * DINING * TRAILS * ANTIQUES 25 HISTORIC SITES * TWIN LAKES

IT’S ALL IN THE “EXTRA”

details

SUNFLOWER MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNIVERSARY

A SHOP WITH COMMUNITY IN MIND

After a lengthy pandemic break, the Et Cetera shop—Newton’s nonprofit thrift store—has reopened its doors and returned to its mission of repurposing, recycling and giving back to community groups. This year marks the store’s 10th anniversary of setting aside 10 percent of all proceeds in order to provide micro-grants to other nonprofits. Since 2012, the store reports over $177,000 in local micro-grant donations. Other proceeds go to the store’s parent charity, Mennonite Central Committee. Since its opening in 1976, Et Cetera has donated more than $4 million to Mennonite Central Committee’s projects of providing food, support and relief to crisis regions and development needs across the globe.

Since opening in 1976, Et Cetera has donated more than $4 million to Mennonite Central Committee’s projects of providing food, support and relief to crisis regions and development needs across the globe. Not only does Et Cetera support charitable causes, but its staff and volunteers pride themselves on receiving, displaying and selling unusual and quality items at low prices. We asked four staff members and volunteers to present their selections for the store’s best finds when we stopped by a few weeks ago.

around the state page 10 Cuba

PHOTOGRAPH Bill Stephens

page 15 Plainville page 16 Lakin page 19 Garden City

page 24 Rose Hill page 40 Atlanta page 48 Caney page 27 McPherson

Above (from left) James Goerzen, Jo-Ann Schmidt, Bill Van Buren, and Kathryn Penner.

page 28 Rosedale

The Sunflower Music Festival celebrates 35 years this summer with free concerts from June 17–25 at Washburn University’s White Concert Hall. The event, a combination of classical music concerts and educational workshops, has received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to help support the 2022 program highlighting the achievements of Black Americans in classical music by presenting performers, soloists and composers of color, all under the direction of awardwinning conductor André Raphel. For a full performance schedule, go online at sunflowermusicfestival.org.

BIG KANSAS ROAD TRIP Explore attractions in Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford counties from May 5–8 this year during the Big Kansas Road Trip. This annual tour, sponsored by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, highlights a different part of the state each year. The 2022 tour includes attractions such as Big Brutus Steam Shovel, Fort Scott National Historic Site, Gordon Parks Museum, Kansas Rocks Recreation Park and more. Go online at bigkansasroadtrip. com for more information. 2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

A hello FROM OUR EDITOR

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. When I think about neighborhoods, I’m immediately transported back to my childhood and to memories of warm summer days spent riding bikes and playing hide and seek with my neighborhood friends. When the heat became unbearable, we’d head to the home of the kid with the latest Nintendo game. On my particular block, one night every summer the street was shut down. Adults would roll out their grills, set up lawn chairs in large semicircles and swap stories about life—but for us kids it was a complete freefor-all. Staying up way past our bedtimes, consuming dangerous amounts of sugar, and taking risks that on a normal night would get us sent home. It was the absolute best. Are block parties still a thing? I hope so. Neighborhoods are a community within a community, each as diverse as the people who live there. They take on a personality; they have history and traditions. Some well-known Kansas neighborhoods began as hubs for immigrants new to our state—such as Kansas City’s Strawberry Hill or Oakland in Topeka. But, as Beccy Tanner writes on page 44, not all neighborhoods are urban. On another note, I want to share my gratitude for all the warm and kind remarks our team has received regarding our last issue “Being Native. Being Kansan.” My inbox saw a noticeable uptick in emails, and we received numerous cards and handwritten letters. A bookstore in Wichita that carries KANSAS! even ran out of all their copies and ordered more because of the high demand. The response has been remarkable. Ad Astra,

@KANSASMag

ANDREA ETZEL

EDITOR, KANSAS! MAGAZINE

KansasMagazine (get spotted; use #kansasmag to tag us)

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Opposite Tulips at Twilight at Ward-Meade Park & Botanical Garden

PHOTOGRAPHS Andrea Etzel

facebook.com/KansasMagazine

Tulip Time in Kansas About the time this issue of KANSAS! leaves the press and is on its way to subscribers, the tulips across Kansas should be blooming. A hallmark that spring has finally arrived and a popular neighborhood flower, tulips are honored with a number of tribute events held at local gardens and arboretums throughout the state. Belle Plaine’s Bartlett Arboretum holds an annual tulip festival, Art at the Arb, in April; in Topeka, Ward-Meade Botanical Garden hosts Tulips at Twilight for two-weeks starting April 8; Wamego holds its Tulip Festival on April 24.

Where in Kansas?

Story by Cecilia Harris and Nathan Pettengill

Old-time, independent grocery stores are often an anchor of the neighborhoods and communities they serve. In Cuba, for example, the Cuba Cash Store has sold food staples and other goods to the small community’s residents for more than 140 years. Owner Cherie Cardi’s connections to the store and the town run deep. “Both my parents were born here, and I was raised here as a kid,” she says. “I’m related to a very large part of the community.” Cardi bought the store in October 2016 from the previous owners, who retired after running the business for 30 years. They had bought the store from Cardi’s relatives, who ran it for decades as well. Cardi knew the responsibility she was taking on when she bought the store in the town of some 150 residents. “I felt if we had to close the store, we would close the town,” she says, describing the store’s role as a business and community center. “The boys have coffee here in the morning; people come in here for lunch all the time. I plan on putting in more tables and chairs because people come in and sit here to eat and escape the weather when it is hot or cold. A couple of days a week, I cook up something warm, such as beef and noodles and brisket so that people can have a warm lunch.” As a business owner and caretaker of the historic store, Cardi says she keeps the atmosphere much as it always has been. The limestone building’s wooden floor leads to the meat counter, where the commercial slicer and grinder still operate after decades of use. Regulars rave about the specialty sandwiches and wide variety of deli meats and cheeses. There is no scanner for the checkout; everything is registered by hand. The coolers and aisles are in the same place, and the historic floors have been the same for 14 decades.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Riverton

Old-time grocery stores anchor communities

Mildred

Neighborhood Shopping

Hutchinson

Cuba

cuisine

“I wouldn’t change anything, because that is part of what this store is about,” Cardi says. As much as the store has been successful, Cardi says her business and small ones like hers are always fighting to survive—and that’s a struggle that can be won or lost depending on a community’s support. “People do need to support and shop local,” Cardi says. “Without local businesses, there is less support for the community and the town. It’s not just grocers, it’s florists, boutiques and gas stations. If we lose these community shops, then it is almost impossible to bring them back. Then we’re going to lose younger residents, and it will be harder to bring in people from the next generation. We need to support each other to keep each other going.” Facebook: Cuba Cash Store 785.729.3632

Above The Cuba Cash Store was built in 1883; this photo is believed to be from the 1890s. Opposite Cherie Cardi has owned and operated Cuba Cash store since 2016.

PHOTOGRAPHS David Mayes

KANSAS DETAILS

cuisine

Old Riverton Store Riverton A pressed-metal ceiling, a gas-fired stove, an antique scale for weighing meat, and an old-fashioned Coca-Cola cooler filled with glass soda bottles all reflect the nostalgic appeal of the Old Riverton Store on historic Route 66. First opened as the Williams’ Store in 1925, just one year before U.S. 66 came through the town as the first crosscountry highway, the business stocked groceries and general merchandise. In continuous operation since then, Old Riverton Store is considered one of the most authentic stops on the entire historic route that spans eight states. The store remains much as it did nearly 100 years ago, with penny candy, chocolate bars, and other grocery items lining long wooden shelves. Also stocked are flowers, handcrafted gift items, and, of course, Route 66 memorabilia. eislerbros.com | 620.848.3330

Smith’s Market

Mildred Store

Hutchinson Smith’s Market, opened by Henry Smith as a produce market in 1933, retains its original wood floors, tin ceilings and period lighting inside a historic brick building in Hutchinson. Quality fruit still draws customers, along with nostalgic toys, old-fashioned candies, specialty foods, and more than 100 varieties of nuts and trail mixes. “I like to describe our store as stepping back in time,” owner Chris Barnes says, “a shopping experience like no other.” smithsmarketks.com | 620.662.6761

Mildred In the same building where Charlie Brown’s Grocery operated for nearly 100 years, the Mildred Store stocks staple grocery items, deli sandwiches, old-fashioned candy, and glass-bottled pop in a nostalgic atmosphere. The owners also host family entertainment in a music venue behind the store and provide a RV park for visitors. themildredstore.com | 620.439.5424

WASHINGTON

COUNTY TOURISM

785.325.2116 | washingtoncountyks.gov FISHING AND PUBLIC HUNTING

The Wahington County State Fishing Lake is located 12 miles NW of Washington

Scott Bean Photography K A N S A S L A N D S C A P E A N D N AT U R E P H O TO G R A P H S

7 8 5 - 3 4 1 - 1 0 4 7 | S C OT T @ S C OT T B E A N P H O TO . C O M

www.scottbeanphoto.com

PHOTOGRAPHS David Mayes

ate

KANSAS DETAILS

KS Magazine SpringSummer.qxp_Layout 1 3/21/22 10:01 AM Page 1

LIVING COLOR IN THE FLINT HILLS America’s vast, tallgrass prairie is our backyard. Space to roam and relax. Tap into pulsing college town culture and historic frontier pioneer heritage. Sip grain-to-glass craft beers and feast on local farm-grown food. Take a ride

Oh Manhattan !

VISITMANHATTANKS.ORG

into the sunset on the Native Stone Scenic By-Way. From dawn to dusk, nd your happy place in Manhattan.

KANSAS DETAILS

Where in Kansas? Le Roy

Hutchinson

Lucas

Plainville

Jerky Drawing on fresh, local supplies and a heritage of meat production, small Kansas businesses produce some of the nation’s best jerky

PHOTOGRAPHS Dave Leiker

Story by Cecilia Harris

Rich in protein, low in calories, lightweight to carry, and eaten with little mess, jerky continues to be a popular snack, and Kansas producers are able to leverage their locations and knowledge to deliver fresh, artisanal choices. Carolyn Hall, co-owner of Luther’s Smokehouse in LeRoy, says she has seen a rise in online sales of the dried beef snacks. “We noticed an obvious increase in our online presence since Covid started, and it’s stayed that way,” Hall says. Geri VanHorn, the store’s other co-owner, says that growth in the consumer market has come from shipments to the Northeastern United States. All of the Luther’s Smokehouse jerky is made by hand. Vanhorn marinates the meat for 72 hours and then smokes and dries it for another 11 at their onsite smokehouse in LeRoy. Vanhorn follows the same recipe used when the business opened in April 1974. Traditionally, customers have preferred the mild and hot beef flavors although jalapeño and teriyaki also are popular. “We have popcorn jerky that is gaining in popularity,” Hall says of the smaller pieces of dried meat. “A lot of people like it better than strips because it’s easier to chew and there’s no tearing.” Luther’s also offers an even softer option—ground and formed jerky—preferred by those with dental issues. “The best way to make it for people who have difficulty chewing is to grind the meat and form it into the jerky strips so it’s easier to chew,” Hall explains. “Our flavors are Midnight Special, which is pork and brown sugar, and the Cowboy, which is pork and cranberry.” Luther’s Smokehouse jerky may be purchased at their convenience store in LeRoy or online. 620.964.2500 | jerkyusa.com Above Luther’s Smokehouse co-owners Carolyn Hall and Geri VanHorn Opposite Luther’s products include (clockwise from top) beef sticks, beef jerky (various flavors), summer sausage, and jalapeño jerky.

kansas made

Primal Beef Jerky Hutchinson Just the right amount of sugar and cayenne is added to the seasoning for sweet and spicy jerky, the top flavor at Primal Beef Jerky in Hutchinson. The original, hot, sweet and spicy, cracked pepper, bacon jalapeño, and teriyaki flavors are all made in small batches and found in 300 locations throughout Kansas and on the company’s website. feedonprimal.com 620.664.0871

Brant’s Market Lucas and Plainville Celebrating its centennial this year, Brant’s Market in Lucas is one of the oldest meat markets in the country. Offering jerky as well as brats, fresh meats, and cheese, Brant’s is best known for its handcrafted ring bologna, smoked sausage and jaternice made from recipes founder James Brant brought with him from Czechoslovakia. The store has opened a second location in Plainville. brantsmarket.com Lucas: 785.525.6464 Plainville: 785.688.4350

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Where in Kansas?

Growing Community A community garden in Lakin aims to educate, promote health and bring fresh produce By Amber Fraley

“These things kind of fell into one beautiful coincidence,” says Jenny White as she describes the formation of a community garden in Lakin. The director of the Kearny County Wellness Coalition, White had already helped create a community garden in neighboring Deerfield, so when additional funds became available in 2019, her group realized it could make a difference in Lakin, where the high school decided it would not resurface its tennis courts but would turn the property over for a community garden and greenhouse. “The Board of Education agreed to pay for the water,” White says. “It felt like a real destiny moment.” This spring of 2022, the green house and 10 cinder-block garden plots are ready for their first growing season. Lakin High School students will be gardening one of the garden plots, with 9 others left for community volunteers. “My kids love doing things outdoors,” says Jennifer Wright, who teaches several agriculture classes at the high school, including a plant and soil class, horticulture, animal science and ag science. For her and her students, –Jennifer Wright the gardens and greenhouse are part of a revival in agriculture-focused education. Lakin High School had ended its agricultural education program in 1980 but brought it back for the 2017–2018 school year. The following year, Lakin High School reinstated the Future Farmers of America program. With the greenhouse and garden now in place, Wright envisions her students being able to learn a multitude of skills, including composting, irrigation, pest control and fertilization methods. “My students can go out there and plant whatever they’re studying, or raise vegetables, or grow a crop like corn to learn about the stages of corn growth,” she says. Wright notes that the program is important for students who intend to take ag classes at the college level and to establish connections with community members. “I see this garden as a gateway to help students,” Wright says.

“I see this garden as a gateway to help students.”

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Deerfield

Lakin

heartland

Growing the Lakin Community Garden Jenny White and Jennifer Wright have big hopes for the Lakin Community Garden. They hope that, in addition to providing hands-on agriculture education to high school students and growing opportunities for community members, the community garden will provide • Educational opportunities for middle- and elementaryschool students • Fundraising for the schools by selling produce baskets • Fresh fruits and vegetables for the Kearny County Hospital • Fresh fruits and vegetables for the Lakin school cafeterias • Food for the Kearny County Farmers Market Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Grants Kearny County Wellness Coalition’s garden program has been funded in part by a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS), which launched its Pathways grant in 2016 with 8 communities and by 2020 had expanded to 24 communities. The original 8 communities had to meet several requirements, including being semi-urban to rural with populations of less than 75,000 people. Up to $500,000 in funding is available per community. For information about future grants, visit bcbsks.com.

Opposite Lakin High School’s greenhouse and community garden plots are ready for the 2022 growing season.

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP) courtesy Jennifer Wright, Shutterstock (3)

KANSAS DETAILS

Where in Kansas? Topeka

Wellingtion

Garden City

culture

Sidewalk Chalking Contests

Chalk It Up to Creativity Cities look to engage the community with chalk art festivals

PHOTOGRAPH Shutterstock

By Cecilia Harris

Artists of all ages and skills will be creating temporary masterpieces during the Garden City Sidewalk Chalk Contest on April 23 at Stevens Park. Katy Guthrie, the executive director of Garden City Arts, says the idea for the contest came from a patron who was “blown away” by the artwork at a chalk art festival in Denver. “We were looking for creative ways to engage the community in the arts,” Guthrie says. “We wanted to encourage people to take part in a new endeavor that appeals to both children and adults, and the Sidewalk Art Contest does that so well.” The annual contest was first held in 2015, with attendance growing each year. Once the drawings are completed, three judges determine the winners of cash prizes in the professionals’ competitive category. Spectators can vote on their favorites, and winners in those categories will receive a People’s Choice cash prize. Guthrie says a record number of 44 3x3-foot squares of chalk art were created last year. “One person mentioned it was their favorite event because they could see the artwork being created from start to finish in person.” gardencityarts.org/sidewalk-chalk-contest 620.260.9700

Wellington Not one, but two sidewalk chalk contests are planned during the Kansas Wheat Festival July 5–9 in Wellington. Movie themes will be portrayed at the Sidewalk Chalking Contest at the historic Wellington Regent Theatre, while any subject may be drawn at the Kids’ Sidewalk Chalk Contest at the First United Methodist Church. wellingtonkschamber.com 620.326.7466

Topeka Chalk Art Festival Topeka Boxes of chalk will be placed in front of every downtown business on September 10 for passersby to participate in the Topeka Chalk Art Festival. Organizer Alexander Lancaster also recruits professional artists to take part and share their expertise with others. Facebook event: Topeka’s Chalk Art Festival 785.851.8101

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

KANSAS DETAILS

kansas air

Crappie Season The spring spawn provides fishing opportunities for both new and seasoned anglers

Kansas’ spring spawn is arguably the state’s biggest fishing event of the year. The fertile waters in lakes and reservoirs support large quantities of quality-sized fish valued for their taste. One of the favorites is crappie, with its light flavor and substantial filets. During the spring, these fish gather in the shallows and can be easily caught by anglers of all skill levels. When to Catch Crappie don’t follow calendars. Their spawning season is determined by factors such as the length of daylight and water temperatures. In general, Kansas crappie start heading to the shallows when the water temperature climbs into the mid-50-degree range. The full spawn, with males defending territories and females laying eggs, comes when that water temperature is between 60 and 65 degrees. That’s usually sometime between mid-April and the end of May, some of the most pleasant days of the year to be out on the water. Small, shallow ponds and lakes warm much faster than large reservoirs. A rocky shoreline with exposure to the sun will be the first place at a lake to have water warm enough for spawning. Shade-covered shorelines near deep water will be the last to warm. The crappie spawn on our southern border may begin two weeks ahead of the spawns near our northern border because of warmer air and water temperatures. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) posts fishing reports for nearly all public waters on their website, ksoutdoors.com. All fishing regulations and license requirements are also on the site. Hopeful anglers can also check with local bait shops or fishing groups to see when the spawn has begun for a particular area. How to Catch Them You can catch crappie from an expensive boat with expensive gear … but you can catch the fish just as well from the shore and with a rod and reel you bought at a garage sale for $1. In fact, if there are any advantages, they might be in relatively flimsy rods that can detect the soft bites of a

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

crappie. Light line between 4- and 8-pound test also helps. Bobbers and minnows are often best for catching crappie. The bobber should be just big enough to not be pulled under by the weight of the hook, a small split-shot on the line and the swimming minnow. Small marabou or soft plastic jigs can replace the minnow, and anglers can cover more water casting the float and lure. The set-up should be reeled in slowly, letting the jig rest often. Experiment with depth of the bait, lure size and color, if needed. Try to find a pattern, such as how deep the crappie seem to be or if they’re around flooded brush or rocks. Many rely on a fishing tactic known as “doodle-socking.” Anglers use a fishing rods as long as 15 feet and move along a shoreline, lowering a jig into likely-looking areas. It can be done from a boat, along the shoreline or by wading in the shallows. The sport of fly-fishing continues to grow in Kansas, and every year more and more find the joy in using the gear for catching crappie. Minnow-imitating flies work well, such as small streamers or small jigs fished below a float.

PHOTOGRAPHS Michael Pearce

By Michael Pearce

Where to Fish Good crappie fishing is within an easy drive of nearly all cities and even the most remote ranches of Kansas. Locations include our 20-plus sprawling federal reservoirs and hundreds of small state, city and community lakes. The state’s Walk-In Fishing Access program has also leased hundreds of privately owned ponds and stream banks for free public angling access. Here’s a look at the best of the best according to KDWP fisheries biologists. Western Kansas • Sebelius (Norton) Reservoir (Kansas’ highest-ranked crappie reservoir) • Lake Scott (Kansas highest-ranked crappie lake) • Cedar Bluff Reservoir

Northeast Kansas • Hillsdale Reservoir • Melvern Reservoir • Perry Reservoir

North-central Kansas • Lovewell Reservoir • Ottawa State Fishing Lake • Jewell State Fishing Lake

Southeast Kansas • Neosho State Fishing Lake • Elk City Reservoir • Eureka City Lake

South-central Kansas • Kingman State Fishing Lake • McPherson State Fishing Lake • Council Grove Reservoir

KANSAS DETAILS

lens

Dwan Miller Photography @dwan_millerphotography dwanmillerphotography.mypixieset.com

A conversation with KANSAS! photographers about their lives in photography Born and raised in Ahoskie, North Carolina, Dwan Miller is a fashion and lifestyle photographer who has lived in Manhattan since 2017. He is proud to be a retired Army veteran with over 20 years of service. What was the moment you wanted to become a photographer? I wanted to become a professional photographer around 2015, and that’s when I bought my first professional camera. I was around 38 years old, but for the majority of my adult life I’ve been taking photos of my family and friends.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY Dwan Miller

What was your first camera? What did you like about it? My first camera was a Canon T7 Rebel, and I still have it. I love it to this day and definitely appreciate learning from a DSLR camera first

before owning and operating a mirrorless camera now. Describe your photographic style in terms of a family tree. My mother would be “editorial,” my father would be “lifestyle,” my brother would be “men’s fashion,” and my sister would be “high fashion/commercial.” What are some objects that you like to photograph that are not common in other works? I love to add props to portrait photography. I believe it adds a dynamic to every photo and brings out more definition and meaning. I love to photograph models with flowers, wine glasses, portable microphones, cigars, boom boxes, cameras and more.

What have you learned from being a photographer that you wouldn’t have learned otherwise? I’ve learned that capturing the moment is a historic process that will live forever and longer than any human. A photo generates feeling, memories and captures life frozen in time. It connects you to people’s past and present journeys so that you can help share it for a lifetime. I can’t think of another job that does this. What is the most common photography advice you share with amateur photographers? Learn how the camera works first before spending a ton of money on equipment. Then understand lighting, the sun and other sources of light—this is valuable knowledge for becoming a better photographer.

“A photo generates feeling, memories and captures life frozen in time. It connects you to people’s past and present journeys so that you can help share it for a lifetime.” –Dwan Miller 2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

THE

kansan

“This photo was taken in Rose Hill, Kansas, in August of 2021 with my Sony a7r IV and my 24-70 lens. This picture is of my five-yearold daughter. There’s a local farm [Bramble’s Edge Farm] that grows a huge field of zinnias, and I took her there to enjoy the sight. She was running back and forth, so I took a candid approach to this shot, like I do with the majority of my photography. I love this image because it’s about childhood emotion and being carefree. I feel it encompasses Kansas life because we still have the ability to run free in this state between the dirt roads and open fields. We aren’t closed in by buildings, and the sky is wide open.” –ABBEY LIND

Abbey Lind is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Wichita in 2015. She has been a photographer since 2015 and thoroughly enjoys photographing families and couples. 24

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

PHOTOGRAPH Abbey Lind

@abbeylindphotography

Where in Kansas?

KANSAS DETAILS

Edgerton

Humboldt

Concordia

McPherson

Garden City

reasons

Reasons

We Love Kansas

1 26

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

IN THIS ISSUE

Cinema under the Stars

PHOTOGRAPH courtesy Broadway Plaza

By Cecilia Harris

BROADWAY PLAZA SUMMER MOVIE NIGHT 1 Concordia The Broadway Plaza Summer Movie Night series features films for all ages that are part of several outdoor activities planned in a community spot created specifically for citywide events on five vacant downtown lots. Movies begin at 7 p.m. on May 5, June 16, July 14, and two August dates to be determined. Organizers will announce the movie selections in April. broadwayplazaconcordia.com | 785.243.2010

OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHTS 2 Edgerton Edgerton brings three outdoor showings, each with themed activities before the movie. A car cruise at Martin Creek Park precedes the May 14 showing of Ghostbusters: Afterlife; back-toschool celebrations accompany the August 6 showing of SpiderMan: No Way Home; and educational activities will be held before the September 10 showing of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The August and September showings will be held at the city’s downtown green space, and free popcorn is provided. Edgertonks.org | 913.893-6231

MOVIES ON THE SQUARE 3 Humboldt Test your skills at cornhole and other yard games as part of the family-friendly Movies on the Square to be held once a month from May through September on Humboldt’s city square. Additional special activities may center around the theme of the movie to be shown that night. Free popcorn is always provided, and a food truck may be available. Facebook.com/HumboldtMOTS | 620.473.3232

MOVIES IN THE PARK 4 McPherson Bring your family and plant your chairs or lay out your blankets in the grass for the best view of a movie under the stars at the Lakeside Park Band Shell in McPherson. The movies will be shown on four Friday nights in June and July, and each movie will begin at dark. Check the website for exact dates. The McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau and area businesses sponsor the free showings. visitmcpherson.com | 620.241.3340 SCREEN SATURDAY NIGHTS 5 SILVER Garden City Silver Screen Saturday Nights in Garden City pairs up with the Stevens Park Concert Series for double features of music and movies. The free events will be held on June 18 and 25, July 9 and 23, and August 6. gcrec.com | 620.276.1200

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

KANSAS DETAILS

must see

Rosedale 150th Anniversary Exhibit

April 8–9 | Dodge City Kick off the start of spring events with the American Cornhole Dodge City Major event at the Western State Bank Expo Center. Price for spectators is free. Registration is open until the Sunday before the event. americancornhole.ticketsauce.com/ events/view/aco-dodge-city-major

Tulips at Twilight April 8–24 | Topeka Old Prairie Town and Friends of WardMeade present Tulips at Twilight 7–10 p.m. Event-goers will enjoy 20,000 tulips illuminated by luminaries, floral and lighting displays, and floating lanterns in an Asian garden. travelks.com/event/tulips-attwilight/25846/

Buzzard Bash April 23 | WaKeeney WaKeeney Travel & Tourism presents the return of the Buzzard Bash—an all-day event for all ages! The festival kicks off at 8 a.m. with a Poker Fun Run and ends with an outdoor concert. wakeeney.org/events/

GYP

JUNE 3&4, 2022

HILLS

March 12–May 31 | Bonner Springs Join the Wyandotte County Museum and celebrate 150 years of Rosedale history. Originally an independent city before it consolidated into Kansas City, Kansas, the new exhibit will highlight major developments in the community’s history, as well as people, places and business. wycokck.org/Departments/Wyandotte -County-Historical-Museum

Big Kansas Road Trip May 5–8 | Bourbon, Cherokee & Crawford Counties Designed to help sustain rural communities in Kansas, the 2022 Big Kansas Road Trip invites visitors to eat, shop and attend local events. bigkansasroadtrip.com

Abbyville Frontier Days Rodeo & BBQ

Robinson Summer Craft Sale June 4 | Hutchinson Kansas State Fairgrounds presents the Robinson’s Summer Craft Show at the Sunflower North Building on the fairgrounds. The first Saturday in June (and December) enjoy over 100 vendors 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Admission is free. travelks.com/event/robinsonssummer-craft-sale/25481/

Juneteenth Celebration June 19 | Manhattan Visit Manhattan City Park in honor of Juneteenth. This festival and official holiday celebrates the freedom of African Americans, as well as their accomplishments and educational contributions. Visit the Manhattan KS Juneteenth Celebration Facebook page for updates. Stay on the lookout for additional celebrations happening in your community.

Whatever Floats Your Boat

May 20–21 | Abbyville

June 19 | Webber

Spend the weekend enjoying rodeo. Friday night kicks off with free admission for kids. On Saturday, enjoy the Rodeo Parade at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m., family activities and a barbecue dinner at 5 p.m. The rodeo will begin at 8 p.m. travelks.com/event/abbyvillefrontier-days-rodeo-%26-bbq/25480/

Show off your boat-building skills in the Whatever Floats Your Boat contest at Southwinds Beach. Participants must design and build a cardboard boat that stays afloat on the designated course. Look for information about this event in early June. travelks.com/event/whatever-floatsyour-boat/22737/

ROUNDUP

Memorial Peace Park Rodeo Arena Medicine Lodge, Kansas

More info at peacetreaty.org

PHOTOGRAPH courtesy Wyandotte County Museum

American Cornhole

Bonner Springs

Where in Kansas? Crawford County

Cherokee County Bourbon County

Topeka

Hutchinson

FIND MORE EVENTS AT TRAVELKS.COM/EVENTS All events are subject to change. Confirm with organizers before finalizing plans.

Abbyville

Dodge City

WaKeeney

Webber

Manhattan

Map of Rosedale community circa 1880

WIDE OPEN

spaces

TA S T E

O F

K A N S A S

Danduland A Salina gardener demonstrates the rich, tasteful possibilities found in a simple backyard garden of an ordinary Kansas neighborhood Story by Meta Newell West Photography by Karen Bonar

n the back yard of a residential neighborhood of Salina, Kamila Dandu’s garden features plants and vegetables from around the world: pencil-thin Thai long beans; spiky lime-green Asian gourds; purple, lavender and white eggplants from various countries; waxy sweet peppers from Hungary; and Italian ribbed red tomatoes mixed with an array of colorful flowers and lush green plants. Pots and plots of fragrant herbs join the mix to create a polyculture, a diversified agricultural system. Dandu believes that with the right care and attention, the Kansas soil of her garden—which her husband has named “Danduland” as an homage to her ability to turn the lawn into an agricultural oasis—can support all sorts of plant varieties and cultures. She transplanted some moringa oleifera (a long, slender plant often called the “drumstick tree”) from seeds mailed to her from a fellow gardener in Arizona. One winter, she threw Spanish peanuts into a container, then harvested and roasted the peanuts the next summer. She says even tropical and subtropical plants can be grown in Kansas if given plenty of water, brought inside during the winter or grown as an annual.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Left These Asian gourds have adapted well to central-Kansas. Opposite Kamila Dandu grows flowers and vegetables from her backyard in Salina.

Home to the Largest Town Square

10 West Jackson Iola, KS 66749

iolachamber.org • (620)365-5252

Proud Past – Brilliant Future Come Visit Eisenhower State Park Pomona State Park 785-528-3714 (Osage City Hall) www.OsageCity.com

Historic Wolf Hotel at Ellinwood

The Painted Lady at Ottawa

OUR INNS OFFER:

Victorian Lantern at Kingman

Gardening is therapy for Dandu. She says it clears her mind, creates a feeling of peace and allows her to connect with nature. “Sometimes I spend so much time in the garden that my family forgets I’m out there,” she notes. More than once they’ve locked the house, departed, and left her stranded. Now, she hangs a warning sign on the sliding glass door: “Please do not lock this door! Otherwise there will be no dinner!” Gardening also connects her with the past. “I was as young as four when I began helping my father in our garden plot in Ružomberok, Slovakia.” Planting pea seeds and onion sets taught her about spacing and hole depth. As she helped create compost from table scraps and grass clippings, she learned about natural gardening and how to garden on a budget. Her dad also taught her the importance of early morning watering, a regime she continues to follow. Dandu does not have a greenhouse or any fancy equipment. She builds her own trellises, gardens with a spade, waters with a hose, and often uses seeds she saves from year to year. Sometimes she buys 19-cent seed packets but will splurge on rare seeds. Scrapbooks full of gardening information, such as frost dates and planting times, also include handmade tables created to track the what, when, where and how related to former plantings, along with figures that indicate the percentage of sprouted seeds. Sketches of previous garden plots provide insight on the location of perennials and help Dandu design her next garden plot. She likes to rotate crops and adds, “I always include a few new vegetables each year.”

Historic Phillip Houston House B&B at Rexford

Come Explore Our Historic Bed & Breakfast Inns

• A friendly, safe, and comfortable environment • A wonderful complimentary breakfast • Knowledge of the surrounding area, community, historic sites, shopping, etc • A venue for family reunions, retreats, hunters, weddings, honeymoons and other celebrations

visit us at

kbba.com

Dandu grows a variety of white and purple eggplants.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Roasted Eggplant

in Spicy Yogurt Dandu’s garden includes more than a half dozen varieties of eggplant. She makes the occasional eggplant parmesan but prefers to roast or grill her eggplants. This particular recipe can be adapted to the grill. Yield: About 4 side servings

Ingredients Eggplant • 3 to 4 long eggplants or 1 large, cut into ¼-inch slices • Olive oil • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder • ½ to 1 teaspoon chili powder • ½ to 1 teaspoon coriander powder • ¼ teaspoon black pepper • Salt to taste Yogurt Sauce • 1 cup plain yogurt • cup buttermilk or water • ¼ to ½ teaspoon each: chili powder, paprika, cumin powder and coriander powder • Salt to taste • 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped, if available

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 2. Place foil or parchment paper on baking sheet for easy clean up. 3. Place eggplant slices on baking sheet, spray or brush with olive oil. 4. Mix all eggplant spices together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over eggplant slices; turn and repeat. 5. Bake/roast about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 6. Yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, mix all sauce ingredients until combined. Spread some yogurt sauce on serving plate/platter. Place eggplant slices on top of yogurt sauce and drizzle with additional sauce. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.

As adept at cooking as she is at gardening, Dandu has mastered European, Asian and American cuisine. She’s as likely to turn a loaf of homemade marbled rye into Reuben sandwiches, full of corned beef and oozing Swiss cheese, as she is to create an international dish. Her cooking style is a creative combination of recipes from her Slovak heritage and husband Raju’s Indian culture mixed with what’s readily available in her garden or in supermarkets. For example, she adds Indian bottleneck gourds and Thai long beans to her mother’s white bean-based Slovakian soup (Tekvicovo-fazuľková polievka) and finishes it off with spicy homemade Turkish pepper paste. Her “waste not, want not” approach to cooking leads to very little waste. Excess tomatoes and peppers are turned into pastes or purées that are portioned and frozen for later use as flavorpacked additions to winter soups and stews. Veggies are used to create Indian dahls that are frozen in lunch-size containers for quick meals. Herbs are mixed into breads, creating elaborate loaves such as her herbed garlic pull-apart bread. Grated zucchini is used in fritters while beet greens go into stir-fry dishes. Excess radishes are pickled, chive blossoms are added to vinegar, and butterfly pea flowers and lavender create flavorful teas and lemonade. Above Dandu’s Italian ribbed tomatoes Right Dandu says timely planting and replanting can help a garden thrive.

Gardening Tips

Kamila Dandu believes that the following gardening techniques can improve any garden in our state. Soil Preparation Add a combination of homemade and purchased compost to the soil as it is prepared each spring. Planting Know when and how to plant each item in the garden. Some plants should be started indoors beginning in January or February; others are planted directly in the soil. Place cold-weather vegetables (such as kale, spinach, peas, chard, onions and early varieties of beets) into the ground around the middle or end of March. Plant warm-weather vegetables (tomatoes and peppers) after the last frost. Late summer is the time to replant spinach and other fall crops. Fertilizer Place kelp (dried seaweed meal) into the holes where seeds or seedlings are to be planted. Mycorrhiza, a natural plant nutrient, can be put under individual plants as they are set in soil. Dandu also mixes a nontoxic Epson salt concoction that adds magnesium to the soil. Natural Pest and Weed Control Edge vegetable beds with flowers (specifically marigolds and zinnias). Plant basil next to tomatoes and eggplants to help control bugs. Use mulch to control weeds.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Spicy

Basil Pesto

“Dandu culinary fusion” is evident in Kamila’s version of spiced pesto, which can be used on pizza and bruschetta, in pasta, as a marinade, and spread on grilled cheese sandwiches. It is also an essential ingredient in her savory bakka-style twisted bread, a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Yield: About 1 cup

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

3 to 4 garlic cloves ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (almonds or walnuts may be substituted) 4 green chilies (less or more to taste) 2 cups packed basil Salt, black pepper to taste ½ to ¾ cup olive oil, and extra for covering finished pesto 2 tablespoons lemon juice or to taste ¼ to ½ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions 1. Pulse garlic, toasted nuts and green chilies in food processor until coarsely chopped. 2. Add basil, salt and black pepper 3. Gradually add olive oil and lemon juice, process until fully incorporated and smooth. (Begin with lesser amounts and add more to achieve desired consistency.) 4. Add cheese and pulse lightly to incorporate. Check for seasonings. 5. Place in a jar or covered container. Cover top of pesto with a layer of olive oil to protect from darkening. Keeps in refrigerator for several weeks.

WIDE OPEN

spaces

The Stone Arch Bridges of Cowley County This spring, travel back 100 years to the era of hand-built limestone bridges that stand as a monument to a Kansas architect and his stoneworkers

Story and photography by Bill Stephens

t’s a beautiful spring day as we travel one of the back roads of Cowley County and park our car to inspect and appreciate another stone bridge. Architecturally, it is a graceful structure whose gentle, flowing arches seem to defy gravity. Practically, it is time-proven and sturdy, having for more than a century allowed passage across a creek and eliminated long, roundabout routes that would add on some 20 miles of travel. This is just one of the approximately 40 stone bridges built in Cowley County after 1901 and placed on strategic sites that were natural narrows used by the locals to ford creeks. More than half of those original stone arch bridges were lost to flooding, time, and the increasing size and weight of the traffic, but local volunteers and officials are committed to preserving the surviving bridges and sharing them with visitors. According to Cindy Goertz, a longtime member of the Cowley County Historical Society Board, there are more limestone arch bridges on Cowley County public roads than in any other county in the state. Walter Sharp, a prominent architect from El Dorado who settled in Winfield in the early 1900s, built most of these bridges. He used local limestone in long, arching stretches. “Sharp developed and perfected the stone arch bridge design. The lengths of some of the stone

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Above (from top) Groups fishing at Andes Bridge in 1910 and 1924 Opposite Andes Bridge as it currently stands

Andes Bridge

WIDE OPEN

spaces bridges are in excess of 60 feet, supported by two or even three arches. Other counties used stone arch bridges to cover small culverts but chose to use the iron truss bridge structure for larger streams. So these are unique,” Goertz says. Some of the stones used in construction were over nine feet long and weighed many tons, but using the local limestone reduced the need for long-distance transportation of raw materials. “The limestone was all quarried locally, within a close proximity to the bridge site, and all the labor was done by local men who were familiar with stonework,” Goertz explains. “Engineers were brought

on-site to probe for bedrock to make certain that the footings of the bridges were firmly located.” When a newly constructed bridge was opened to traffic, it was a festive occasion because it shortened the routes between communities. In addition, the bridge locations provided a new place for baptisms, social gatherings, even modest bathing, although the water was usually cold. Longtime residents have fond memories of swimming in the waters around many of the bridges, swinging from ropes suspended from the large sycamore trees, and washing their cars on the solid rock outcroppings.

Weekend in WaKeeney Located halfway between Kansas City and Denver at the intersection of Interstate-70 and Highway 283.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Badger Creek Bridge

Touring the Bridges Officially designated the “Stone Bridge Capital of Kansas” by the Kansas legislature in 2016, Cowley County boasts 18 unique stone arch bridges open to the public. “The bridges are clustered around small communities like Dexter in the southeast and Cambridge in the northeast,” says Cindy Goertz of the Cowley County Historical Society. “You can explore the bridges and then visit the nearby little towns. Some of the towns had stone buildings constructed by the same crews that built the bridges. Cambridge has stone buildings constructed by the same crew that built the Fox bridge. Winfield has one building on Main Street constructed by [lead bridge architect] Walter Sharp, the Winfield National Bank building on the southwest corner of Ninth & Main. It is listed on the National Historic Register.” Students of bridges have come from all over the country to visit these historic sites. Goertz says it is

Above Badger Creek Bridge Opposite Boy Scouts at Andes Bridge in 1922

estimated that only 1,700 stone arch bridges remain in the United States; Cowley County works to preserve and bring visitors to its remaining bridges through self-guided tour routes available from the Winfield and Arkansas City chambers of commerce, as well as the county historical museum in Winfield and online at cowleycountyks.gov/ StoneArchBridges. One particularly notable bridge on the tour is the county’s last-remaining triple-arch bridge, the Kirk/ Pudden Bridge, constructed south of Dexter in 1913. With a price tag of $3,350, it was one of the most expensive stone arch bridges of the time. Kirk/Pudden Bridge, as well as the double-arched Andes Bridge and the Thomson Bridge, are on the National Register of Historical Sites. The Badger Creek Bridge is listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places and was nominated in 2017 for the National Register of Historical Places.

WIDE OPEN

spaces Listing of Extant Bridges Not all of the Cowley County bridges are part of the official tour or available to the public due to road closures, washouts or other reasons. But here is a rundown of Cowley’s stone arch bridges. used by public not accessible open, but not recommended to cross single arch double arch triple arch National Register of Historical Sites Kansas Register of Historical Sites

Cindy Goertz

Cowley County continued to build stone bridges until concrete bridges became the standard in the 1920s and the state engineer’s specifications required concrete for bridge constructions. This change ended the construction of new limestone stone arch bridges. But the bridges continued to stand. More than 100 years after they were built, the bridges are inspected regularly by county officials. Most are approved for passenger vehicles, though heavy farm equipment and buses are generally banned from using them. “The stones allowed many of the bridges to survive floods for more than a century,” Goertz says, “and many are still viable structures in daily use.”

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Name

Year Built

Location

Andes

1910

southeast of Winfield

Badger Creek

1909

south of Winfield

Black Crook Creek

1908

south of Winfield

County Poor Farm

1900

south of Winfield

Crabb Creek

1900

south of Dexter

Dr. Snyder (Spring Creek)

1935

east of Winfield

Elrod

1908

north of Winfield

Floral

1906

east of Udall

Fromm

1917

north of Cambridge

Muret

1890

southeast of Winfield

Neer

1914

north of Cambridge

North Dexter

1920

north of Dexter

Pudden (Kirk)

1913

south of Dexter

Rock Creek

1910

north of Winfield

Stalter

unknown

north of Winfield

Stewart

1904

east of Udall

Thomson (or Thompson)

1906

east of Winfield

Timber Creek

1904

east of Atlanta

Notations

Opposite (clockwise from top) Floral Bridge; the bridge’s dedication stone; the assembly of the bridge shows that the stones were laid together rather than carved into place; a photo of stoneworkers and residents at Floral Bridge shortly before its completion in 1906.

Floral Bridge

WIDE OPEN

spaces

ILLUSTRATION Abra Shirley

Beautiful Days in our neighborhoods We explore and celebrate different neighborhoods across the state

Traditionally, these might be sections of a city that were once independent but were gradually absorbed by a metropolitan area without losing their historical character. In recent years, the concept of new urbanism has championed the idea of creating or reviving residential areas with shopping, entertainment, green spaces and other essential locations all within a short walk of one another. Kansas has examples of these different urban neighborhoods, and we list and celebrate several in the following pages. But the Sunflower State is also a rural state. Our 2020 census revealed that only 57.3 percent of the state lives in an urban county—but not necessarily in an urban neighborhood. That means that about half of the state lives in a county where the population density is less—often far less—than 150 people per square mile. In these areas, the self-contained, urban neighborhoods don’t exist, but that doesn’t mean these areas don’t contain neighborhoods. They do, but in a different form. In rural Kansas, the fabric and history of neighborly relations mean that a neighborhood extends for dozens or even hundreds of miles. Join us as we honor both concepts of neighborhoods and share examples of where you can find them in Kansas. Rural neighborhoods Some memories are never shaken. As I was growing up, it was the neighbors who boosted our spirits and kept us going. Look up, and there was Paul Prescott puttering along in his ancient faded-red Chevy pickup truck, dog by his side, and a herd of cattle moseying along behind as he moved them from one pasture to another. Stop to chat and he peppered nearly every conversation with a “By golly!” while offering giant bottles of icycold colas which he’d kept for such an occasion.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

A death in the family? The morning after my mom died suddenly, sure enough, there were my mom’s best friends, Alice Cooper and Virginia Ann Snyder—who had driven the distance with casseroles and cakes in hand—knocking on our front door. Such was the way of life in 1970s Stafford County Cleveland Township, population 30—give or take a few. So, what is a Kansas neighborhood in regions where the entire town might not fill up a big-city apartment complex? Like anywhere else, it’s a mix of family, characters, food, and shared experiences—both inside the house and next door to you; it’s just that the next doors might be several acres or more apart. But it’s the feelings, mutual admiration, and the awareness that we share a common space and common bonds. Definitions of neighborhoods have changed significantly in the 16 decades since Kansas was declared a state. Neighbors, then, could be those who traveled with us on boats, trains and covered wagons and settled where we settled. Some were already here—for centuries—the Kanza, Pawnee, Kiowa, Osage, Comanche, Wichita, Shawnee, and Kickapoo. Others would come after— Africans, Czechs, Swedes, Germans, Irish, Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Mennonites, Exodusters, Hispanics, and others. Sometimes there were conflicts. But most often, the neighbors next to us have shared sugar, clothes, love, and companionship. It was about neighbors helping neighbors. Through grasshopper plagues, dust bowl storms, floods, droughts, and blizzards—neighbors played a role in defining our communities and ourselves. Our neighborhoods were where we ate, played, and slept. Country kids further enhanced (continued on page 48)

PHOTOGRAPH Amy Meng

When people talk about neighborhoods, they are often referring to a residential section inside a city with historical or defined geographical borders and with a certain character either from its architecture, its physical layout, or its residents.

The Bricks, Hays Urban revivals or well-preserved historic downtowns have been essential for many Kansas cities, and The Bricks project in Hays is one of the latest success stories. Named for the brick streets around central Chestnut Street, the area boasts new boutiques, restaurants, entertainment venues, murals and a depot pavilion with plans for new additions and restorations.

Urban Kansas Neighborhoods to Know or See

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE) Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau, Jason Dailey, Deborah Walker, Visit Kansas City Kansas

PLANEVIEW, WICHITA

Planeview was among several communities hastily built across the United States during World War II as temporary housing for some 20,000 aircraft workers. Its 500 acres of land, which are in south-central Wichita near McConnell Air Force Base, became one of the city’s three Federal Housing Administration projects. Others included Beechwood near Douglas and Webb streets and Hilltop Manor. But Planeview would, over a single year, become the seventh-largest population center in Kansas as it grew to accommodate war-time employees at the aircraft factories. The neighborhood was more than new homes. It contained its own post office, schools, theaters, and grocery stores. That first generation that grew up in Planeview were small-town kids and farmers’ children brought together by war, plunked in a hastily built neighborhood and made inseparable by the bonds of friendship in their new surroundings. Speaking at her high school class’s 60th reunion in 2012, Marilyn Jones recalled for the Wichita Eagle how she and her best friends would sleep on roll-away cots in her backyard and look up at the stars. Margaret Wade remembered the immaculately clean new houses with indoor plumbing and whose doors were never locked. And Beverly Warner remembered the comradery. “All of us, we didn’t have much,” Warner said. “We were poor folks … Wichita looked like Las Vegas then. It was a 24-hour city.”

WEST CAMPUS, MANHATTAN

The heart of Wildcat Country, this section of Manhattan contains Aggieville, the popular entertainment and shopping district, but it’s also home to nearly 14,000 residents in a range of homes from rowhouse apartments, converted homes and downtown lofts. This is the epicenter of college town living.

STRAWBERRY HILL, KANSAS CITY

During the late 19th and throughout much of the 20th century, Strawberry Hill in Kansas City was a mix of cultures. Situated on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers, the neighborhood attracted immigrants from Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Sweden. Now, it is both a destination for great food, drinks, dives, museums, and a cultural center celebrating the neighborhood’s rich history and diversity.

MISSION HILLS, KANSAS CITY METRO AREA

Mission Hills is part of the greater Kansas City region along the Kansas–Missouri border. The famous and controversial J.C. Nichols originally developed the community in the 1910s, envisioning it as a residential area anchored by a country club and golf course. The area remains one of the state’s most affluent residential neighborhoods.

OAKLAND, TOPEKA

Originally a separate city from Topeka on the north side, the area continued to rebuild after a series of floods as it was eventually absorbed by the Kansas capital as a neighborhood. Oakland’s craftsman homes hosted a generation of railroad workers and new immigrants, particularly of German and Mexican origin. Historically anchored by the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph and Our Lady of Guadalupe churches, Oakland continues to host one of the state’s largest annual Fiesta Mexicana celebrations.

HYDE PARK, HUTCHINSON

Hyde Park in central Hutchinson boasts a mix of spacious, homes with generous yards and garden spaces. The subdivision, was built in the early 1900s by Hare and Hare Landscape Architects of Kansas City, and features several landmark homes in the Craftsman/Bungalow style with Colonial Revival aspects. The neighborhood is perhaps best known for its annual luminaries display, and is also a popular destination for Trick-or-Treaters and home garden tours.

WAREHOUSE ARTS DISTRICT, LAWRENCE

Set in historic East Lawrence, a few blocks from the city’s thriving commercial downtown, this growing collection of lofts, apartments, and art studios is anchored by a successful brewery, an event space, the historic St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal church, and a dedicated shared bike/pedestrian pathway. —Beccy Tanner and staff

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

(and among them there might have been some rabble-rousers) might assemble to drag the county courthouse square on a Friday or Saturday night. With the advent of cable and satellite television programs, then later the internet, we saw our neighbors less often. Recently, our co-existence has shifted from physical to virtual spaces. Dave Webb, Kansas historian and author from Protection, notes that in rural farming communities, the definition of a neighbor used to be within a 5- to 10-mile radius. Now, more often, it is found through online community sites or Facebook pages. These days, particularly in pandemic times, we may socialize less with our next-door neighbors than we do with neighbors found on social media who share similar beliefs. Yet … when you pull into a rural town, you can still find neighbors gathered at the local coffee shops, co-ops, and restaurants. They talk about the weather, the latest school game, or whatever comes to mind. And I know, in my rural community, each of us has neighbors we can still rely on when we need. These neighbors might have to drive miles, but they’ll get here when we need them. —Beccy Tanner

PHOTOGRAPHS Phil Frigon, Fally Afani

that sense of community on endless bus routes, 4-H meetings, and church fellowship groups. Back when most Kansans identified themselves as living in a rural community, being neighbors meant living in a radius where one could easily drive a team of horses or a tractor and pitch in to harvest crops, fix fences, and lend an extra hand. Throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries, neighbors often meant the difference between success or failure and whether families would stay on their land for generations to come. Potlucks at church suppers and school events became commonplace. Jell-O salads, fried chicken and pies became prized possessions. Everybody knew who fixed what—what was best and what maybe to shy away from. Telephone party lines kept us connected. Four or five families often shared the same line; we knew which family should answer a call by the pattern of the rings. Expectations of privacy often went unheeded. Schools became community hot spots and town rivalries were heated. Our sense of neighborhood identity was wrapped up in intense basketball and football games. In rural areas, the county teens

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Kansas Pride Program Success Stories CANEY MARKET

When the Caney Market opened in March 2021, it ended the town’s 10-plus years without a grocery store. City administrator Fred Gress, the city council, and Caney Community Betterment Group collaborated to raise money for the store’s down payment. The city of Caney owns and operates the store, and its employees work for the city. The location also features a Champ’s Chicken and draws customers from across the region, including just over the Oklahoma border.

MARION FFA GARDEN AND FOOD BANK PARTNERSHIP

Working with Pride, the FFA chapter in Marion received a two-acre parcel of land from the Marion School District in December 2015 in order to start a community garden. Volunteers spent the spring of 2016 working the land and donated that first harvest—and every harvest since—to the Marion County Resource Center and Food Bank. Since the creation of the community garden in 2016, more than 23,000 pounds of fresh produce have been donated to the food bank.

LECOMPTON MURAL AND THEATER

In 2021, Pride worked with Lecompton, the smallest town of Douglas County, to raise $15,000 in private donations to hire artist and Lecompton native Rick Wright to create the town’s first outdoor mural. After the mural was complete, community members continued to improve the site by installing an outdoor lighting system. In addition, the Pride partnership spurred the restoration of a community theater located on the third floor of the building whose walls feature the mural. The theater’s original seats date from the 1920s, and organizers replaced the building’s large windows and installed new velvet curtains and a showcase chandelier inside the theater hall.

HUMBOLDT NEOSHO RIVER PARK

One of the first projects that Pride-Humboldt took on was the restoration of Neosho River Park. In the years since, the local Pride team has built an outdoor amphitheater, a walking trail, and more. After receiving a grant and holding successful fundraisers, the community was able to add a pair of restrooms. The original core of volunteers ranged in age from 50 to 80, but in years since, these volunteers have been assisted by 4-H club members, high school students, college students, and other young adults.

Communities interested in learning more about the Kansas PRIDE Program can visit kansasprideprogram.k-state.edu. In some cases, grant funding is available for projects, and PRIDE works with the Kansas Department of Commerce regional program managers (RPMs) to assist communities in identifying outside funding opportunities. Above Lecompton’s first outdoor mural was created with community donations and support from the Pride program.

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

civic organizations and private entities to better neighborhoods and communities. The program has had success in large cities such as Wichita as well as in small towns like Alton. “One of the things I get overwhelmed with is the generosity at the local level. Maybe a community wants to do a cleanup. Well, then, the utility company steps up, a local waste management company, too … before you know it the community and the companies have partnered to clean their town,” says Jaime Menon, extension state leader for community vitality and cocoordinator of Kansas Pride. “Alton, they’re one of our smaller communities, but … I tell you what, their organization, it’s phenomenal. They are so well organized. For example, every year they put on a jubilee that rivals their county fair,” Menon says. And Menon has seen this again and again, from projects such as creating community gardens, painting murals, and more. Things happen once a community member steps forward. “There’s always someone who’s been there a long time—the spark. They just get everything moving. There are people behind them, behind the trailblazer, and they all work together,” Menon says. “It’s really incredible to witness.” —Haines Eason

PHOTOGRAPH Brian Goodman

Forging Our Best Neighborhoods Gaston Bachelard’s landmark and influential book The Poetics of Space is a philosophical exploration of how our physical surroundings can captivate and define us. The 1958 book from the French author is more nuanced than that short summary but there is something simple and exceedingly true that still applies to our modern lives in Kansas: we should strive to perfect the environments around us, especially those most near and dear. Our homes and neighborhoods should be what we hope for them and work for them to be. The American nonprofit Project for Public Spaces shares an essential addition to the concept of intentional neighborhoods—that the best neighborhoods are shaped from “the simple idea that the people who live in a neighborhood are the world’s experts on that particular place. Any project to improve things should be guided by the community’s wisdom.” This approach of outside consultants working with local residents and organizations to create the best neighborhoods and communities possible is at the core of the work being done by the Kansas Pride Program, a hands-on, nonprofit community program based at Kansas State University. Since 1970, the Pride program has fostered collaboration between outside consultants and local experts to work with

FromtheLandofKansas.com

Grown. Raised. Produced.

Celebrate agricultural experiences and products grown, raised or produced in Kansas. Find the nearest farmers’ market, shop for high quality Kansas-made products, or discover new recipes for your dinner table. Use our interactive map to find farmers’ markets and current From the Land of Kansas members — big and small — who grow, raise, serve or produce products in the state.

FromtheLandofKansas.com

Story by Martinez Hillard

Photos by Dwan Miller

Keeping a Legacy Alive Owners of Wichita Irish dive bar talk about their start and long-standing success

2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

The Artichoke Sandwich Bar,

Wichita’s long-running Irish dive bar, is approaching its 40th year in business. At 811 N Broadway Avenue in Midtown, it sits east of the Arkansas River and north of Downtown Wichita, a number of blocks removed from the updated districts of Delano and Old Town. You might have seen the giant blarney stone by the sidewalk, the shamrocks on the front of the building, or the commissioned murals on the side—but if you haven’t, it’s time to snag one of the convenient parking spots and give the The Artichoke Sandwich Bar a try. The Artichoke offers a distinct combination of hearty sandwiches like their Famous #8 sandwich (turkey, bacon and Swiss cheese on onion bun), wraps, salads, and cold beer—all great choices to pair with the local live music featured four nights a week. Co-owners Uche Onwugbufor and Tracy Rutledge arrived in Wichita around the same time original owner Pat Audley opened The Artichoke Sandwich Bar in 1984. Rutledge’s family arrived courtesy of the military. “We moved every two years … I got here when I was a senior in high school,” she recalls. Onwugbufor was also a senior in high school when his family moved from Missouri to Wichita. “My parents are Nigerian immigrants. We initially moved [to the U.S.] from England. I was born a couple hours north of London ... we were in Missouri first because there is a historically Black college,” Onwugbufor says, referring to Lincoln University in Jefferson City. “[My father] had done graduate work in St. Louis. My mother didn’t care for St. Louis, but Jefferson City was too small. This was kind of like Goldilocks. [Wichita] was just right.” The Artichoke’s co-owners went to different high schools, Rutledge to Derby and Onwugbufor to South. Rutledge planned to leave Wichita after graduating, but she met Joel, her husband of 38 years, at a party and stayed. It was at that same party where she met Onwugbufor. “I knew [Rutledge’s] brother,” Onwugbufor says. “Joel and I basically met her the same night. Joel and I knew each other from before because I was a musician and he was a sound person. We hung out in concentric circles.” Onwugbufor and Rutledge’s friendship grew during a burgeoning era of Wichita’s music and nightlife scene in the 1980s. Pogo’s was a legendary dance club that the two frequented. Because it was 18 years of age to enter, it served as a hangout for

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

adolescents and young adults in Wichita in the 1980s. “We saw bands there. We all were a part of live music, just a whole bunch of band guys and band girls and we all went out,” Onwugbufor concludes. As they rattle off names of bands and clubs from their early 20s, the fond memories of that time and their shared group of friends becomes clear. Their circle included bands like The Catch, That Statue Moved, and Room Full Of Walters, an alternative rock quartet that made waves in the Christian music industry with their 1996 album, Sleepy-Head. “It was all pretty much dance and rock stuff for the most part,” Onwugbufor says. Following through on a promise Their working relationship came into play back in 2014 after a night when Onwugbufor was running late to a birthday party for Rutledge after a gig. “By the time I got to her house, everyone was either drunk or gone, except for her and Joel,” he remembers. “We were there until 6 in the morning. I had bought some Cricket Wireless stores with a bunch of guys, and I was unhappy. It was not going well. She convinced me at that point that I could become an All-State agent. She said she would help me, and, true to her word, she helped me.” It also opened up the door for their friendship to rekindle. “We had been friends since we were 19. This was her 50th birthday,” he continues. “She was married, she had children. I was married briefly. Our lives moved in different ways.” However, Rutledge and Onwugbufor’s mothers were now living in the same neighborhood, and the old friends were beginning to see each other more often as a result of her and Joel’s kids getting older. Onwugbufor was playing gigs at The Artichoke Sandwich Bar, so Rutledge and her husband would see him there. “When my time with All-State came to a close, I remember calling Tracy and saying ‘if we’re gonna do this, we need to do this now, because I can’t remake myself into something else,’” Onwugbufor recalls. They began scouting locations throughout Wichita and reached out to their friends in the local restaurant industry. The owner of Brickyard, an outdoor music venue in Old Town with an adjoining eatery called Public, helped them scout. The owner of Mort’s Martini and Cigar Bar, another Old Town staple, provided them with valuable insight as they searched. Onwugbufor happened into The Artichoke Sandwich

Black-Owned and Operated Supporting Black-owned restaurants in Kansas WICHITA

SORREL’S JAMAICAN FOOD LLC Now located on East Harry Street, Sorrel’s is famous for its authentic Jamaican food. Fried food lovers—this spot is your new heaven. The menu features a multitude of jerk, curry, fried, salt fish and brown stew dishes and more. 316.794.6252 sorrelsjamaicanfood.com FISH & MORE Open Monday–Saturday (closed Sundays), Fish & More is famously known for its delicious catfish, as well as shrimp, chicken wings, gizzards and more. The restaurant is impossible to miss on Oliver Street with its unique Fish & More mural along the entire side of the building. 316.201.4949 | Find Fish & More on Facebook. WICHITA CHEESECAKE COMPANY This family-owned bakery is known for its mouthwatering cheesecakes. With over 30 flavors available, cheesecakes are ready for order with a minimum of 48 hours notice. Featured flavors include key lime, New York, banana pudding, chocolate grasshopper and Butterfinger. Online ordering is available 24/7. 316.358.9494 | wichitacheesecakecompany.com

ACROSS KANSAS

BLACK BELT BAR-B-Q | LEAVENWORTH Operating since 1997, this family-owned food truck located in Leavenworth features local barbecue with a Jamaican “kick.” Dishes include pulled pork, curried chicken dinner, turkey leg and more. Look for the Black Belt BarB-Q at festivals and Kansas City events, but most days, visitors can find the iconic truck parked in the Fairfield Inn parking lot. 913.351.2558 | blackbeltbbq.com

Long-time friends turned co-owners Tracy Rutledge (left) and Uche Onwugbufor had discussed owning a business together since 1985.

AUNTIE RITA’S JAMAICAN CUISINE | SALINA Recently relocated to downtown Salina, Auntie Rita’s offers a taste of Jamaican food in a colorful and cozy establishment. Visitors should expect to carve out some time in their day to enjoy this eatery where everything is made fresh. Menu items include jerk chicken, seafood, tacos, ribs and more. 785.502.5145 | Find Auntie Rita’s Jamaican Cuisine on Facebook. NANNY’S SOUL FOOD | TOPEKA Located inside of the NOTO Arts Center in downtown Topeka, Nanny’s Soul Food features old-fashioned cooking you will love. Open Wednesday–Saturday, visitors can expect food made from scratch, including homemade gumbo, fried fish, oxtail and more. 785.233.3322 | Find Nanny’s Soul Food on Facebook. JOHN’S JAVA AND JAZZ | KANSAS CITY, KANSAS This family-owned location has held its spot in this KCK neighborhood since 1949. While the building itself has been home to several businesses over the years, John’s community coffee shop and jazz parlor features breakfast, lunch, dinner, and more. 913.232.8000 | johnsjavajazz.com Wednesday through Saturday, the dive bar offers live music from local and traveling musicians.

Bar and struck up a conversation with the previous owner, Pat Audley. He told Audley that he was looking to purchase a bar after leaving All-State. When he called The Artichoke a week later to schedule a gig, Audley asked if he wanted to buy even though it wasn’t yet publicly for sale. Onwugbufor and Audley sat down to talk further. Onwugbufor immediately went to Rutledge’s house afterward. Buying the venue was a quick and easy decision for them. In February 2019, Onwugbufor began working at The Artichoke to learn the ropes and get acclimated to what ownership might look like for him. After that stint, he and Rutledge bought the bar in December 2019, and it was long-time dream turned reality— having talked about owning a restaurant together since 1985. Building a community Having to navigate the food service industry isn’t for the faint of heart. The first day they came in, they installed a point-of-sale system for the first time in The Artichoke’s history. They also gave it a deep declutter and displayed photos throughout the restaurant that tell its story. They slowly added new sandwiches. “When a business is this old, people freak out,” Rutledge laughs. “We wanted to let people know that this will always be Pat’s bar,” Onwugbufor adds. A global pandemic complicated their process. Like many other small business owners in Kansas, they were forced to adjust in real time, not only for their patrons, but also as they saw their neighborhood’s needs increase. “It was stressful,” Rutledge says. “[Our] drivethru [window] was huge. The community here really rallied.” “Those first few months, people didn’t want to lose what was theirs,” Onwugbufor says. “They were very generous.” Rutledge continues, “We put out a message on social media for people to send us a private message [if they] couldn’t eat because they lost their job during the pandemic. We delivered food to them.” An employee from Cargill saw the post, collected money via an office pool, and gave The Artichoke enough cash to keep their food delivery going for nearly three months. With live local music from Wednesday through Saturday night, Onwugbufor arranged a series of live stream performances.

“People would come through the drive-thru and leave tips for the bands. People would call in and buy a round of drinks for the band on their credit cards,” Rutledge recalls. Their patrons tuned in faithfully, and their efforts had a profound effect on those watching. “Somebody said to me, ‘those live streams saved me. I just remember all that you guys did during that time, and thank God. I spent many Fridays and Saturdays just watching music with you guys,’” Onwugbufor says. Their commitment to the neighborhood extends beyond The Artichoke’s four walls. There are a number of health facilities and shelters for those experiencing homelessness within a stone’s throw. They have a tradition of gathering food every Thanksgiving at the Rutledges’ home, packaging the leftovers, and distributing it. They’ve also held a blanket drive and giveaway. Preserving the legacy Perhaps the biggest challenge is keeping the legacy that Audley started nearly four decades ago. An educator for 30 years, Audley lives not far from The Artichoke. “He’ll come in for a little bit [on occasion],” Onwugbufor says. “I told him that he’d never have to pay for food and drink in this place ever again.” The direction they were given from Audley, along with their modernization of the business’ key aspects, ensured they would be successful. By this spring, they will have celebrated their 38th annual Fake Paddy’s Day Celebration. When asked why two old friends would jump at the chance to own an Irish dive bar in the heart of Wichita’s oldest neighborhood, Rutledge makes it clear. “It’s iconic,” Rutledge summarizes. “People have an emotional attachment to this place.” Thanks to their longtime employees, their consistency as managers and business owners, the recognition that comes with The Artichoke’s name, and that Famous #8, people in Wichita remain on board, often sharing their own version of the dive bar’s legacy with its new owners. “We threw Pat a retirement party on January 4, 2020,” Onwugbufor remembers. “This place was packed. When he finally came in and people yelled his name, it practically blew him backward out the door. As we’re going around [to different patrons], they’re telling us their memories and not to ‘screw this up.’ I think we’ve stayed true to it for the most part.” 2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

K A N S A S !

gallery

STEPHEN J. OZGA | ELLSWORTH COUNTY

JESSI JACOBS | ELLIS COUNTY

CORY KEGLEY | RILEY COUNTY

TOM ARNHOLD | JOHNSON COUNTY 2022 ISSUE 3 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

MARILYN FRIESEN | BUTLER COUNTY

FROM THE

From the Laureate I first met Des The Poet in Salina, at the ONE MIC poetry event during the Smoky Hill River Festival in 2018. We read back to back on a hot summer day. It was 99 degrees outside, but Des The Poet wasn’t sweating it. Des was calm, cool and collected. That day, he had something to say. Des has always spoken openly and sincerely about overcoming hardship. His outreach to youth is commendable. He’s one of those poets who isn’t writing for himself but for his community. He believes that writing is a form of meditation and therapy and an outlet to release emotions, ideas, and thoughts. His philosophy is “You get out what you put in, through all situations! Keep them feet moving!” –Huascar Medina, Kansas Poet Laureate

About Des The Poet Born and raised in Wichita, Desmond E. Bryant White—or Des The Poet—is a 3-time published author of poetry compilation projects as well as the book Better Days in 90 Days: Secrets, Tips & Cheat Codes. He is a national spoken-word artist, motivational speaker and authorpreneur powered by sincerelydesi.com.

KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 3

Keep Them Feet Moving by Des The Poet

Trying to shake these demons up off me. If you don’t change, you stay the same. Day by day nothing changes, yet we wake up and everything’s changed. I’m getting smarter. I’m getting wiser. I’m a razor, cutting drama. Going harder. Going farther. Baby steps or I’ve been crawling since a toddler, trying to prosper. Get rich or die trying, blinded by what the hood has to offer. We live in a day and age; new graves dug every day. What can I say? It’s a shame. They are shooting up football games. Stress levels are raised to the point I’m growing grays. I hop on planes to get away. I just pray for better days. At my feet, they lay, what? These problems. I step over them every day, what? These obstacles. All that stuff that weighs you down, you got to learn to let it go. I get ghost to clear my mind, so lately I’ve been laying low. Introverted. There’s nothing wrong. I just need to be left alone. I recall a time that humbles me. I was trapped, no vision at all. The only thing that separated me from freedom were those laws and those walls. They say blood is thicker than water, but so was mud. I was in these streets tough. Banging, throwing up BLOODS! Effectuated with a lifestyle, until I found out what it really was. No Brotherly Love Over Oppression and Destruction. Black on Black violence, we shoot each other like it’s nothing. Blue on Black violence, police kill, then we riot. But protesting without demands. Do we even know why we fighting? Closed lips in a generation with no leadership or guidance. Youngsters wearing gloves and masks, before we ever knew about a virus. The shine we crave thrives, from the darkness inside of us. Makes you wonder what it is that made them people despise us. Life’s too short; breathe deep. You got to make up your mind on who you really want to be. Either you work for yourself, or you build someone else’s dream. Do you want success? More than you want sleep? Do you want success? More than you want to eat? Do you want success? Do you really? We will see. Keep them feet moving, and one day you’ll see that inside you’ll find all you need. You must have faith and believe.

PHOTOGRAPHS courtesy Des The Poet, Shutterstock

Poet Laureate

DESTINATIONS & ATTRACTIONS OL M T CHISHUSEUMRAIL M

Open May thru November Call for current days of operation Hours: 1-5 PM 502 N. Washington Wellington, KS 67152 620.326.3820 | facebook.com/ctmuseum www.ctmuseumks.com

OUT Salina Summer

HIGHLIGHTS! Sculpture Music Theatre Festivals Museums Water Park Golf Zoo Shops Comfort Great Eats

SCAN FOR NEW VISITORS' GUIDE!

ADD YOUR DESTINATION OR ATTRACTION Cool Places &

Friendly Faces!

in KANSAS! Magazine Contact Sunflower Publishing for details sunpubads@sunflowerpub.com 785.832.7264

SEE THEM BEFORE THEY ARE! EXTINCT

Topeka Dino Days Base Camp featuring an Allosaurus Topeka Information Center

EXHIBITS & LOCATIONS SUE: The T. rexDinosaurs ExperienceAlive! Topeka Dino Days Base Camp featuring an Allosaurus Great Overland Station Created by Dino Don, Inc. Topeka Information Center - Through May 30

The Topeka Zoo - Through June 30

Dinosaurs Alive! Created by Dino Don, Inc. Zoo SUE: The T. rex Experience The Topeka Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs Great Overland Station - Through May 1 Babies Tiny Titans: Dinosaurand Eggs and Babies *Save 10% on SUE tickets with coupon code ‘KansasMag’. Kansas

Kansas Children’s Discovery Center

Children’s Discovery Center Through May 30

TOPEKADINODAYS.COM TOPEKADINODAYS.COM

KANSAS! Magazine | Issue No. 3 2022

Articles inside

From the Poet Laureate

Taste of Kansas Danduland

Cuisine

Heartland

Kansas Air

Must See

The Kansan

Reasons We Love Kansas

Culture