Category: Gallery
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Alma Portland Cement Works
Photographer Tom Parish visited the site of the Alma Portland Cement Works, a late-19th century manufacturing enterprise, located near Alma, Kansas. Parish photographed the remains of the large kiln where ingots of limestone aggregate were fired into cement clinkers. Closed in the early 1900s, the cement works remains a monument to the work of the…
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Number Please: The History of the Telephone in Wabaunsee County
In the history of Wabaunsee County, June 25, 1898 is a date of historical significance when the McMahan Telephone Exchange opened for business in Alma, Kansas with twelve subscribers. The telephone company opened an office at 224 Missouri Street where an operator managed the switchboard which connected the callers on various lines. The lines began…
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History of the Manhattan, Alma & Burlingame Railway
The history of Wabaunsee County, as well as the history of Kansas, cannot be told without paying tribute to the role of the American railroad industry. At the time of Wabaunsee County’s creation in the late 1850s, not only were there no railroads in Wabaunsee County, there were none in Kansas. The United States government…
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Gasoline Gallery
Before the development of the convenience store and the concept of self-service gasoline pumps, there were thousands of small gas stations across Kansas that pumped fuel, washed the customer’s windows, checked the oil, repaired tires, sold sandwiches and soda pop, and provided a venue for local men to loaf. Architecturally, the stations were often tiny…
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Rodeo Memories
Ranching has deep roots in Wabaunsee County, and the sport of rodeo has deep roots in ranching. After the workday was done, men and women would compete in various ranching skills from bronc riding to roping and bull riding to barrel racing. Not only did Wabaunsee County host several rodeo arenas, but a good number…
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Dover, Kansas
Dover, Kansas is located on Kansas Highway 4 in the southwest corner of Shawnee County, just a half-mile east of the Wabaunsee County line. Dover has long been a trading center for residents of southeast Wabaunsee County.
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The Barns of Wabaunsee County
Wabaunsee County enjoys a rich ranching heritage which is reflected in the many expansive barns which adorned the landscape. All of late 19th century and early 20th century barns had large hay lofts to accommodate the storage of loose hay. Later, the loft provided storage for small bales of hay. Barns which had cupolas attached…
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Under Construction
Few things have changed more in our lives than construction techniques for buildings and bridges. These photographs capture the construction of Wabaunsee County’s infrastructure, including the building of commercial buildings, churches, schools and bridges.
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Construction of the Wabaunsee County Courthouse, 1931
In 1931 Wabaunsee County constructed a new courthouse on the block bordered by 2nd Street, and 3rd Street, Iowa Street to Kansas Avenue in Alma, Kansas. The county had levied a one-mill property tax beginning in 1928 to raise the money for the courthouse construction. The building cost $148,357.57 to build, but no indebtedness was…
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Volland, Then and Now
Photographer and graphic artist, Tom Parish has created a collection of Volland, Kansas “re-photographs” which merge the images from historic photos with those taken today. Parish uses early Otto Kratzer photos from the Wabaunsee County Historical Society’s collection and then photographs the exact location today, from the same angle and point of view. Then, Parish…