Cottonwood Connections

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.