"Everything had blood in it's eye...."

by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

Bad day at Black Rock, blue Monday, alarm clock failure, flat tire, bad hair day, etc. Apparently “one of those days” can happen any time, any place, any century.

G.A. Huron, editor of the Kansas New Era, predecessor of the Vindicator, cited the following events one Thursday in February 1876:

“As we came down the street in the morning everything had blood in its eye. First, our “devil” printer wanted a leave of absence to attend a wedding. Recognizing the fact that his majesty always manifested an interest in such things, the request was granted.

“We said everything had blood in it’s eye, that was the matter. There was not a man in town that did not act as if his opinion was worth more than that of all the world . . .

“Dr. Gephart had started armed and equipped as the law directs to capture the handsomest young lady in Jackson County, it was discovered that he had left the very necessary requisite, the marriage license at home and ‘Caspar’ ever ready to do a kindness, was dispatched post hast with the missing paper.

“Meritt McDole went into the Michigan Lumber Yard to load his wagon when, at the rattle of a board, his team started to jump, the wagon was distributed over town but was gathered up, taken to the shop and mended. Returning to the lumber yard the same trick was played again and this time the horses dragged their driver several yards before getting loose and when under good headway turned to suddenly that the hind wheels broke loose and sent jumping like a rabbit into Dr. Northrup’s handsome fence.

“Rev. Gill was in the way of the wheels and though he makes no claim to agility, it would have excited the envy of the most experience acrobat to have seen the ease with which he dodged the issue.

“A gentleman from Tippinville persusaded himself he needed just one more glass of lager, so he left his team in the street while he went to interview Stevins, but that buck in the beer or something else startled the team. Prunes, sugar, coffee, etc. were scattered and sifted for two squares, and by the time the wagon gets fitted up with three new springs and other repairs, that glass of lager will prove rather expensive. For a wonder nobody was hurt, and if another town in the state can show a livelier record for the day, we want to see it.”

The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will be closed Saturday.

Museum celebrates Kansas Day with diplays

by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

Adopted in May 1861 by the Kansas Legislature — the Great Seal of Kansas. A colorful replica of the official seal of the state dominates the January window display of the Valley Falls Historical Society Museum.

“Ad Astra Per Aspera,” translated “To the Stars Through Difficulty” is the state slogan. The seal features a half circle and a prairie landscape design with a settler’s cabin a river with steamboat, and buffalo pursued by Indian hunters. Thousands of American Buffalo roamed the Kansas prairies during the state’s Territorial Days. The animal was designated the official animal of Kansas in 1955. A painting of a Western Meadowlark overlooks the Kansas scene. The bird won the distinction of official state bird in 1937. The cottonwood tree gained fame as official state tree the same year. “Home on the Range” was selected as the state song by the 1947 Legislature.

A scattering of history books, maps, and travel brochures surrounded by the box turtle, a reptile, and honey bee have been added to the window scene. The last three were later designated official state wildlife. Travel pamphlets document the history and versatility of the state. Bunches of sunflowers, the native wildflower designated official state flower in 1903, serve as reminders that known worldwide as the Sunflower State, Kansas was admitted to the union as the 34th state Jan. 29, 1861. Happy Birthday, Kansas!

Sharing birthday remembrances, the Veterans’ window features a portrait of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. centered among American and service organization flags, followed by the words, “I Have a Dream” immortalized by the renowned activist and civil rights leader.

The historical society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, weather permitting. Call 785-945-3576, Betty Jane Wilson, for group or individual tour information.

1929 Delaware Township directory

by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

The 1929 directory and land list of Delaware Township, property of the Valley Falls Historical Society, is a veritable history and geneology of the city for that year.

The directory gives the name, address and phone number of practically every man, woman and child in the township and of those who live in the country.

The listing of businesses and services are historically priceless with names and streets appropriately cross referenced.

An example: 310 Broadway (now the VFHS museum address) 2 story stone, C.B. Gillispie prop., Maurice Coleman, clerk. Strawn, Samuel M., attorney, insurance, real estate. (ed. note: Samuel Strawn, great uncle of the late Arthur Strawn, historian, occupied the southeast second floor room of the society museum.

Streets are defined and located and named in order from the north side of town. Road addresses are given those living in the country according to a new road plan featured in the directory.

Included in the directory is a list of schools by district number, name, board members and teachers. The 116-page directory is a complete township history.

Call 945-3576 for information on museum hours and tours.

Society's logo tells a story

The Valley Falls Historical Society was incorporated Jan. 10, 1968, as a nonprofit educational institution.

On that date the articles of incorporation were received, signed and filed by the Secretary of State. The corporation is chartered for a term of 100 years.

The seal of the historical society is an adaptation of the seal of the Kansas territory. The grasshopper on the shield commemoriates the original name of Valley Falls (Grasshopper Falls on the Grasshopper River in Grasshopper Township) and also denotes the great grasshopper plague which devastated the community.

The lower portion of the shield contains a representation of the old mill and the falls on the river, the reason for the town being established. The tree is the old white maple that stood on the west side of the river just east of the old “wagon bridge.”

The tree to which, tradition tells us, Isaac Cody was tied and beaten by proslavery men.

The male and female figures looking in opposite directions represent the past and the future. The female, who is Ceres, Goddess of Agriculture, looks into the past with head held high in pride of what has been. The male figure in homespun and buckskin, looks toward the future with an alert and determined countenance. relaxed, but his gun in his hand if needed.

The log and ax are symbolic of the crude beginning with log cabin and equipment hewed from the cottonwood, walnut, and sycamore, which grew along the streams and up the draws. Elsewhere the native priairie grass stretched to the horizon. (From the Valley Falls Vindicator, Jan. 25, 1968.)

The society’s museum will be closed Saturday, Jan. 9, due to weather conditions. For information on tours, call Betty Jane Wilson, society president, at 945-3576.