Picture Me Kansas  

Posted by Renee in , ,

I'm not stepping away from my posts on research. Not really. But isn't it pretty? I took this picture over the weekend.

So, it's near the end of June. My current manuscript is dated in June 1868, yes there is a reason for June, but that is another blog for another day having to do with trains.


And I've set out to prove that Eastern Kansas isn't flat. Well, I know it looks flat, but stick with me for a bit and you'll see. For now this picture was taken on the way home. See the train tracks in the side mirror? I'm headed west, the camera is pointing south. Pauline, is north about two miles, Wakarusa is about three miles south, and Carbondale is about seven miles south.



The following pictures are all from Territorial Kansas Online. It's a wonderful resource, especially if you're researching Kansas History. If you click on the films you'll get a closer look at the simple architecture and a glimpse at their clothing. There was a picture, which I misplaced among the links, that showed a lady wearing a much fuller skirt than the simple black ones shown.



Kansas Avenue, Topeka 1860





Another view of Kansas Ave



Fourth Street and Kansas Ave



Methodist Church



The First Congregational Church

This entry was posted at Wednesday, June 24, 2009 and is filed under , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

7 comments

Brynna  

The flower is beautiful, a hibiscus right? And I love photos that capture the history of a place. They're terrific starting points for my imagination. As for Kansa, flat is relative isn't it? ;)

June 25, 2009 8:36 AM
Brynna  

That would be KANSAS and not Kansa. (And I even thought I should preview for that very reason. Gah!) :)

June 25, 2009 8:37 AM
Renee  

LOL, Bryn, do you know how many times I had to retype Kansas while typing this blog post? Every time. Anyway, I heard there are like fifty some different spellings for Kansas, so no biggie.

That flower is one of my lilies. I haven't ventured into the hibiscus yet, they are a bit expensive for me to test my green thumb on.

As for Kansas being flat, we have the most beautiful green hills and valleys. Most pictures you see of Kansas are flat, and like the old pictures, dusty looking. Our Flint Hills are beyond compare and when you drive south toward the OK border where the Flint Hills and the Ozarks but up together, it's amazing. Nothing like the painted desert, or the Grand Canyon, but still a beauty all of its own.

June 25, 2009 9:49 AM
Brynna  

Oooo a lily. It's beautiful. I can only grow really hardy stuff. Luckily, hibiscus thrive in our climate, so they're not very expensive here.

Your description of Kansas is beautiful. I think I drove through there with my mom a hundred years ago (I'd have been about 11), but I don't remember much about the scenery. We have family in Arkansas and I do remember driving on VERY scary roads in the mountains. :)

June 25, 2009 11:05 AM
Renee  

Yes, mountain roads can be scary. When I was 19, dh and I went to Texas with some friends. On the way back I was driving and some how instead of ending up in Kansas I ended up in the Ozarks in Arkansas. I guess I had decided to take the scenic route.

June 25, 2009 11:07 AM
Anastasia St. James  

LOL. For scary mountain roads, try Albania. Curvy, narrow, no barriers, drivers too rushed to wait for a straight stretch to pass and no ambulance service for a few hrs in case of need...

Great pic, Renee! Loved the flower too!

June 25, 2009 12:30 PM
Renee  

Oh, Ana, I can only imagine. And I thought the roadways here could be tiny. ;)

June 25, 2009 3:33 PM

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