Kansas Explorers Club
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HOWARD
Explorers came from Olathe, Kansas City, Wichita, Overland Park, Emporia, Inman, Burlington, Humboldt, Fredonia, Piqua, Pomona, Goddard, and even Arkansas. Greeters were economic development director Laura Fry and her husband Zach.
Before and after the lawn chair meeting, Explorers toured and shopped throughout Howard, the county seat of Elk County.
At 2:30 p.m., Explorers were invited to meet at the Elk Falls Pottery Shop in Elk Falls and from there we were taken to a 1930s homestead. For more than 50 years the house and yard had been abandoned. Vegetation had covered a host of concrete and stone fountains and sculptures made by local artists in the 1930s. Five years ago Steve and Jane Fry purchased the homestead and are gradually clearing it and bringing it back to life.
DAMAR
Ninety people from around the state sat in lawn chairs on Damar's main street to hear local leaders describe numerous projects that have kept their town of 150 viable.
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The mayor, the elementary school principal, several citizens, and the county economic development director related how they've accomplished numerous projects from a playground to improving city infrastructure. They've restored one of the most beautiful churches in the state and have started construction on a community building. They've kept a cafe open by selling community shares. A group of women spearheaded an effort to paint a blocks worth of buildings with a French motif and have opened a gift store called Fleur de lis. The elementary school has increased enrollment every year for the last five years.
After the hour-long lawn chair meeting, the crowd dispersed to shop, eat in the cafe, tour the church, and buy stamps.
The Kansas Sampler
Foundation organizes "Bring Your Own Lawn Chair" events as a means to educate
the public about the value of rural communities. The next event will take place in Howard in
Saturday, June 7, 2008, 10 a.m.
We learned so much!
Kansas Explorers and Glasco locals listened on Main Street
Architecture: Re-use for Three Historical Buildings
The local dog met customers at the door at the Hodge Podge where Faye Minium of Morland enjoyed a cool treat prepared by Lynda Huffer (in blue Explorer shirt) behind the counter. Colorful murals of Glasco life were showcased at the Community Center.
After the meeting, Explorers did what they do best -- explore the town. We ate at the Pepper Pot, had milk shakes at the Hodge Podge soda fountain, shopped in several stores, checked out the new Internet cafe, as well as the local museum. They also were treated to a tour of the second story above "The Corner Store," an amazing space where dances used to be held. "The Corner Store" was formally the grocery store and now is home to the Glasco Community Foundation and is used as a community center.
MORLAND, Graham Co., pop. 155
ISSUE
Cuisine: Restaurant Importance
B.Y.O.L.C.
Graham County Economic Development director Kirk Schweitzer announced that a small mill may be choosing Morland as a site to set up their mill.
County extension agent Christopher Petty told about how he and his wife chose to live in Morland.
After the group conversation people toured the open buildings, including the bank with its framed comic book collection. They ate at the antique-decorated Prairie Junction restaurant that served fried chicken and fixings, homemade pie and homemade ice cream. Kansas Explorers Club members purchased over $100 worth of stamps at the post office.
Saturday, August 30, 2008, 10 a.m.
What a great time we had!
For additional pictures of our day in Stark, CLICK HERE!
The locals and visitors alike can enjoy fresh coffee, homemade baked goods and yummy sandwiches and quiche. Everything is creatively displayed including the apples and peaches!
ISSUE
Commerce: Sustaining a small town grocery store
B.Y.O.L.C.
The lawn chair audience of about 100 people included Kansas Explorer Club members, the public, and Stark citizens. Lawn chairs spilled into the street.
We heard from Portia Murphy about her dream to open Murphy's Mercantile and how she did it. We heard Stark history from William Cook and about a local artist Vera Ungles from her grandson Scott.
Locals told us how good it was for Stark to have a friendly store like Murphy's and how much they loved their hometown.
We shopped at the old-fashioned Murphy's Mercantile and the fabric store; we ate at Cherokee's Grill, as well as Murphy's; we bought plants and flowers out of a pick-up; and we broke the Stark post office best revenue day. The record in recent memory was $250. We bought over $500 in stamps! Some Explorers biked around town.
The made-from-scratch portions at Cherokee's Grill were giant!
Everyone was so friendly to the Explorers and we are pretty sure we made a difference to each other on that day.
ISSUE
Art: Sesquicentennial sunflower logo, a project of the Kansas Barn Alliance.
B.Y.O.L.C.
More than a hundred people sat in lawn chairs or on the grassy slope to watch Augusta artist Kerry Unrein finish the first official barn logo honoring the state's sesquicentennial. The barn logo is a project of the Kansas Barn Alliance. The painting included the required sunflower, word Kansas and years 1861-2011 but Grady and Shannon Martin's barn (1/2 north of Dexter on K-15) also featured the faces of Dwight Eisenhower, Amelia Earhart, Bob Dole, and Robert Docking. Former Governor Docking lived and worked in nearby Arkansas City for many years. The Martin's and Cowley County Tourism funded the painting that can be seen on the south side of the tin roofed barn.
Conversation took place about how other counties might also participate in the barn logo project. The Kansas Barn Alliance encourages all counties to have at least one barn with the logo by the sesquicentennial year of 2011.
Explorers also enjoyed eating at The Gathering Place, shopping at Creek Water Wool Works, strolling through Helium Park, and driving the country roads to look for stone bridges and see the Flint Hills scenery. The Martin's Stone Barn Mercantile, corn maze, and pumpkin patch were also open. A ribbon cutting and open house took place for four new Log Cabin lodging facilities near the barn.
Phone: 620-585-2374