Photography by Nick Krug
A Century and a Half of Kansas History: The Story of Kansas State Historical Society
This year marks a monumental milestone for the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS)—its 150th anniversary. Over the past century and a half, the KSHS has become an enduring pillar of Kansas’ heritage, carefully preserving the stories and events that have shaped our state. As we commemorate this milestone, it’s fitting to reflect on how a humble bookshelf in the statehouse evolved into one of the most comprehensive historical institutions in the nation.
The KSHS was first proposed in 1875 during the Kansas Editors’ and Publishers’ Association convention in Manhattan. At this gathering, state auditor Daniel Wilder proposed forming a committee to create a state historical society to save present and past records. The first meeting was held in December of that year, and the KSHS was born.
While Wilder stayed on as a director, F. P. Baker, editor of the Topeka Commonwealth, served the first couple of months as the organization’s secretary until Franklin Adams—a Free State advocate, teacher, attorney and publisher—was eventually elected secretary. When KSHS memberships were a tough sell, Adams solicited newspaper publishers to donate issues of their publications in exchange for a KSHS membership. (Those who weren’t in the publishing world paid an affordable annual membership fee of just $2.) This idea established an important tradition that would build one of the most comprehensive collections of state newspapers.
“Adams was a fascinating and tireless secretary who served until his death in 1899,” says KSHS director of communications Bobbie Athon, who is currently working on a book commemorating KSHS’ history. “His dedication to building relationships with influential individuals across the state and his commitment to preserving Kansas’ past laid the foundation for the society’s long-term success.”
At first, the historical society’s one bookcase in Wilder’s office was enough to store its small collection of newspapers and manuscripts. When the state enacted legislation in 1879 that recognized the KSHS as the “trustee of the state” to maintain its history, its collections quickly outgrew Wilder’s bookcase. A mere 10 years later, the society had amassed 16,000 books and pamphlets and more than 3,700 bound volumes of newspapers and periodicals.
The KSHS continued to grow in both scope and significance, thanks to a number of innovative Kansans committed to preserving history. In 1894, Adams launched an early form of oral history by capturing the voices of governors with the new Edison wax recorder. Kirke Mechem, KSHS secretary from 1930 to 1951, implemented a microfilm program that preserved and stored documents, allowed public access and created an interlibrary loan service. More recently, Pat Michaelis, state archivist and director of the state archives division at the KSHS, envisioned an online archive that became KansasMemory.org. This website has increased public access to digital artifacts and files.
Over the years, the KSHS has continued to expand its collections, create educational programs, acquire historical sites and build museums. “The KSHS is really a one-stop shop for Kansas history,” says Patrick Zollner, KSHS executive director. “Many people think of us as the Kansas Museum of History, one of our public-facing services. We administer 16 state historic sites in different parts of the state for visitors to explore important places in history. Our collections of newspapers, photographs, manuscripts, maps, and state and local records are popular with students, historic homeowners, authors, genealogists, and academic researchers conducting their work in person in the research room, online, or via email.”
As we celebrate 150 years of the KSHS, we reflect on the extraordinary contributions of all those who have been part of this journey—from the dedicated staff and volunteers to the passionate members and donors who have helped preserve Kansas’ rich history. We invite all Kansans, past and present, to engage with the KSHS, whether through visiting its museums, exploring its archives, or supporting its ongoing mission to protect and share Kansas’ history.
