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Kansas Historical Society
(KSHS)
Seal of Kansas.svg
Kshs non logo.jpg
Agency overview
Formed 1875
Jurisdiction Kansas
Headquarters 6425 SW 6th Avenue
Topeka, Kansas
Agency executives
  • Patrick Zollner, Executive Director
  • Matthew Chappell, Divisions Director
Parent agency State of Kansas
Website KSHS

The Kansas Historical Society is the official group that helps keep track of Kansas's past. It's like a special team that collects and shares stories, objects, and facts about the state's history.

Based in Topeka, this society works to preserve Kansas's heritage. It runs the Kansas Museum of History, the Kansas State Archives and Library, and the Kansas State Capitol Tour Center. It also looks after 16 historic places owned by the state. The society helps schools teach history and social studies by providing useful programs.

Discovering Kansas History

The Kansas Historical Society was started in 1875. Newspaper editors and publishers created it to save important records from the past and present. In 1879, the Kansas Legislature (the state's law-making body) officially recognized the society. They called it "the trustee of the state" for keeping Kansas's history safe.

Since then, the society has received strong support from newspaper publishers. It has built one of the best collections of newspapers in the entire country.

A Growing Collection of History

For almost 40 years, the Historical Society moved between different offices in the statehouse. Its collections of historical items grew steadily. In 1914, all these collections moved to the large, new Memorial Building in downtown Topeka.

Later, in 1984, the Kansas Museum of History moved to a new site. This new location was an 80-acre area in west Topeka. The historic Stach School also joined this complex. In 1995, the huge collections of books, old documents, and archaeological finds moved too. They went to new facilities at the State Archives and Library. This brought all parts of the Historical Society back together in one place.

How the Society Works

The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency. This means it's part of the Kansas state government. It has a partner organization called Kansas State Historical Society, Inc.. This partner is a non-profit group that people can join.

More than six million people use the Historical Society's programs every year. The non-profit group and the Historical Society's six main departments manage all activities. These departments include Administration, Cultural Resources, Education and Outreach, Historic Sites, Museum, and State Archives & Library.

The state agency gets about six million dollars each year from the state government. It has about 100 employees. The executive director leads the Historical Society. This person is chosen by the governor and approved by the state legislature. The non-profit group offers memberships to the public. It also helps manage grants for the state agency. It runs the Museum Stores and supports various programs. These programs include the society's magazine, Reflections, and its scholarly journal, Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains.

Expanding Its Role

Over the last 100 years, the Historical Society's role has grown. It still collects items and publishes research. But it has also added many educational programs. These programs help people understand and value Kansas's heritage. They include exhibits, historic site visits, and helpful services.

Online History Resources

The Kansas Historical Society launched its first website in 1993. It was created by Steven Chinn and Lynn H. Nelson. The website was first hosted at the University of Kansas. Several other history-related websites were also part of this early online effort.

In 1998, the Historical Society started hosting its own website. Its address became www.kshs.org. This website has won many awards over the years for its helpful content.

Kansas State Historic Sites

The Historical Society manages 16 historic sites across Kansas. These sites help people learn about important events and places in the state's past.

Register of Historic Kansas Places

In 1977, the Society created a special list called the Register of Historic Kansas Places. This list includes important historical sites within the state. All Kansas sites on the National Register of Historic Places are automatically added. However, many other important places are only on the state's own registry.

Awards and Recognition

The Kansas Historical Society has received many awards. These honors come from different groups and associations that focus on history.

  • 1998 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 1999 - Santa Fe Trail Association
  • 2001 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2001 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2002 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2002 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2003 - Travel Industry Association of Kansas
  • 2004 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2006 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2006 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2007 - Family Tree Magazine Award
  • 2008 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2008 - American Association for State and Local History
  • 2008 - Western Writer's Association of America
  • 2009 - Oregon-California Trail Association
  • 2011 - United States Department of the Interior Partners in Conservation Award

See also

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