Kansas PreservationKansas PreservationNewsletter of the Cultural Resources Division !" Kansas State Historical Society

July - August 2003 !" Vol. 25, No. 4

Article on page 3

Thirteen county courthouses were recently listedon the National Register of Historic Places.These second- and third-generation courthousesreflect three common styles: RichardsonRomanesque, Classical Revival, and Modern.

3Study Examines Thirteen

Historic County Courthouses

8Changing Tides in Historic

Preservation

13Tudor Revival Reaches

Popularity Peak in 1920s

15Collection Raises More

Questions Than Answers

1

Contents

KANSAS PRESERVATION

Published bimonthly by the Cultural ResourcesDivision, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 S.W.Sixth Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099.

Please send change of address informationto the above address or e-mailcultural_resources@kshs.org.

Third-class postage paid at Topeka, KansasMary R. Allman,

State Historic Preservation OfficerRichard Pankratz, Editor

Virginia Wulfkuhle, Associate EditorTracy Campbell, Editorial & Design Services

Partial funding for this publication is provided by theNational Park Service, Department of the Interior.The contents and opinions do not necessarily reflectthe views or policies of the Department of theInterior, nor does the mention of trade names orcommercial products constitute an endorsement orrecommendation by the Department of the Interior.

This program receives federal funds from theNational Park Service. Regulations of the U.S.Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawfuldiscrimination in departmental federally assistedprograms on the basis of race, color, national origin,age, or handicap. Any person who believes he orshe has been discriminated against in any program,activity, or facility operated by a recipient of federalassistance should write to: Office of EqualOpportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C StreetNW, Washington, DC 20240.

2004 HistoricPreservationFund GrantsAnnounced

Application materials for the fiscalyear 2004 round of the Historic Preserva-tion Fund (HPF) grant program are nowavailable from the Kansas Historic Preser-vation Office (KHPO).

The Historic Preservation Fund is afederal grant program from the NationalPark Service (NPS), Department of theInterior. The NPS passes funds throughstate preservation offices to assist localorganizations and governments in imple-menting activities that will contribute toplanning for the preservation of our builtenvironment and archeological resources.Eligible activities include surveys ofhistoric structures and archeologicalsites, the production of nominations tothe National Register of Historic Places,the development of historic preservationplans, and historic preservation-relatededucational programs. Activities financedby the HPF should be directed towardproviding individuals and organizationswith the information and means to sup-port preservation efforts in their owncommunities.

Historic Preservation Fund grants areawarded to organizations such as histori-cal societies, universities, regional plan-ning commissions, non-profitcorporations, and city and county gov-ernments. Up to 60 percent of the projectcosts may be financed by the HPF. Theother 40 percent must be furnished by theproject sponsor and can be provided incash or in-kind services and materials.

The KHPO expects to have approxi-mately $100,000 to award for projects in2004. A minimum of approximately$60,000 is reserved for projects proposedby Certified Local Governments (CLG). Infiscal year 2004 applications for thefollowing activities will be given a higherpriority: surveys in Kansas Main Streetdesignated program areas and in MainStreet Partnership cities; multiple propertynominations to the National Register ofHistoric Places, i.e. thematic or historicdistrict nominations; downtown historicdistricts; surveys in areas facing develop-ment pressures; and projects that havethe potential for increasing knowledgeand awareness of historic resourcesconcerning minority populations inKansas. (Since the statewide preserva-

tion conference for 2004 will be hosted bythe City of Wichita with a 2003 HPF grant,additional applications are not beingsolicited for conferences.)

Proposed HPF projects are evaluatedaccording to several criteria. Theseinclude the need for the project to ad-dress historic preservation issues in thestate, the soundness of the proposedproject, the administrative ability of theapplicant, and the educational potential ofthe project. Well developed grant pro-posals that address priorities establishedby the KHPO will have a competitiveadvantage in the evaluation process.

Potential applicants may submitpreliminary applications for staff review.The preliminary application deadline isOctober 1, 2003.

Applications for the Historic Preser-vation Fund grants must be postmarkedno later than November 14, 2003, ordelivered in person to the KHPO in itsoffice at 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, by5 p.m. on that date.

For more information on this pro-gram, please contact the grants managerat (785) 272-8681 Ext. 216 or cultural_resources@kshs.org.

Heritage TrustFund GrantApplicationsAvailable

The Kansas Historic PreservationOffice announces the availability ofapplications for the 2004 round of Heri-tage Trust Fund (HTF) grants in earlySeptember. The HTF is a state programthat provides matching funds for thepreservation of properties listed on theNational Register of Historic Places or theRegister of Historic Kansas Places. Thisis a competitive grant program, in whichapplications compete for the funds avail-able for that year.

The deadline for applications in thisround of grants is March 1, 2004. To beeligible for funding, applications must becomplete and postmarked by the stateddeadline. If an application is hand deliv-ered, it must be received no later than 5p.m. at the Kansas Historic PreservationOffice on March 1, 2004. Final selectionof projects will be made at the springmeeting of the Kansas Historic SitesBoard of Review.

Preliminary applications, which ourstaff will review and comment on, must besubmitted by 5 p.m., January 15, 2004.

2

Preliminary applications are not requiredbut are highly encouraged.

HTF grant workshops will be held inlocations around the state. The firstworkshop will be held in Topeka at theCenter for Historical Research on Friday,September 19, at 2 p.m. Other dates andlocations are included in the calendar onthe back cover of this issue.

Additional information about theHeritage Trust Fund grant program maybe found on our newly-revised web site atwww.kshs.org under “Preserve,” “ Build-ings,” “Find Funding.”

To request an application packet,please contact the Kansas Historic Pres-ervation Office at (785) 272-8681 Ext. 216or cultural_resources@kshs.org or writeHeritage Trust Fund, Kansas HistoricPreservation Office, Kansas State Histori-cal Society, 6425 SW Sixth Avenue,Topeka, Kansas 66615-1099.

Review Board toMeet August 23

The Kansas Historic Sites Board ofReview holds its regular quarterly meetingon Saturday, August 23, 2003, in Topeka.The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the class-rooms at the Kansas Museum of History,6425 S.W. Sixth.

The board’s principal business at thismeeting is the evaluation of 15 nomina-tions to the National Register of HistoricPlaces. The list will include the Battle ofBlack Jack site in Douglas County, a mainstreet district in Wilson, an adobe barn inPratt County, a fair pavilion in Onaga, astadium in Newton, the city hall in Colby,and residences in Hays, Lawrence, andTopeka.

The next meeting of the review boardis November 8, 2003.

National RegisterTutorial Available

The Kansas State Historical Societyhas available a Power Point presentationentitled “National Register of HistoricPlaces: Preparing a National RegisterNomination” for anyone undertaking theprocess of nominating a property.

The presentation includes fortyslides and breaks down the steps requiredto prepare a nomination. It can be sent asan e-mail attachment for use as a tutorialon the computer screen.

For more information or to request acopy, please contact Martha Hagedorn-Krass at (785) 272-8681 Ext. 213 ormkrass@kshs.org.

Kansas radio stations are airing public service announcements as part of anational campaign that encourages individuals to recognize the important rolehistoric places play in people’s lives. The National Trust for Historic Preserva-tion, in conjunction with the Ad Council, produced “History is in Our Hands,”the national series of print ads, posters, and radio and television PSAs.

Nationally-recognized broadcaster Bill Kurtis and KIND Radio 102.9 inIndependence, Kansas, donated time and production costs to add Kansas-specific information and distribute the PSAs to Kansas Association of Broad-casters member stations statewide. The spots encourage persons interested inlearning more about preservation in Kansas to contact the Kansas State His-toric Preservation Office.

For more information about the campaign, or to hear the PSAs, go to ourwebsite at www.kshs.org/resource/preservation_psa.htm.

New Public Service AnnouncementsPromote Preservation

3

Thirteen twentieth-century Kansascounty courthouses were listed on theNational Register of Historic Places inApril 2002. As a group, they are signifi-cant for their associations with the sec-ond- and third-generation courthouseserected in a wave of new courthouseconstruction that occurred in the first halfof the twentieth century. In fact, nearlyhalf of the state’s county courthousesdate to the period between 1900 and 1930and second- and third-generation court-houses comprise a majority of the state’ssurviving historic courthouses.1

Kansas’ historic county courthousesare tangible symbols of the Americanlegal tradition of local self-governmentand, over their period of use, serve asphysical links to important persons andevents. Those erected as the county’ssecond or third courthouse are represen-tative of designs and plans for up-to-datefireproof buildings. They replaced obso-lete facilities or those destroyed by fire ornatural calamity. As such, they reflect adistinct stage in the evolution of thestate’s county courthouses. Moreover,their common plan and different stylesrecall distinctive periods in history andthe national and regional events thatproduced different designs.

In Kansas, an agrarian state with adecidedly rural population, the countycourthouse served as the center of publiclife. Its judicial, administrative, andcommunal roles formed the foundation forthe development of an ordered societythroughout the state’s settlement periodand its evolution as a national agriculturalcenter.

Study ExaminesKansas’

Second- andThird-

GenerationCounty

Courthouses

In addition to its functional role, thecounty courthouse also had an impact byvirtue of its substantial physical presence.A cultural icon, the county courthousewas, more often than not, the dominantbuilding in the county seat.

The first county offices and court-rooms were often crowded quarters in theupper stories of commercial buildings orsimple frame or log structures. Beginningwith their first permanent courthouse,elected officials endeavored to erect abuilding that projected both a prosperous

image and a conservative but modernoutlook. During the courthouse buildingprocess, such phrases as “. . . a safe andsensible building,” “. . . a fine monumentof the prosperity of the county . . .” and“. . . up-to-date in all details” were com-monplace.2

Architectural StyleThe design of Kansas courthouses

reflected popular architectural taste andfunction. Most county commissionersdid not understand the aesthetic of the

Historic Courthouses

Butler County Courthouse, El Dorado

4

Richardsonian Romanesque style or thatthe courthouse they wanted designed“. . . along simple, graceful lines entirelyabsent of any of the ‘gingerbread’effects. . .” reflected designs first used inthe Renaissance.3 Nor did the fact thatthey hired academically trained architectsmean that they wanted the latest inarchitectural styling. Financially conser-vative and traditional in their tastes,county officials usually selected a stylesimilar to other new courthouses ratherthan establishing an avant-garde ap-proach to their own seat of justice.

Beginning when Kansas became aterritory in 1854, the architectural stylesused in courthouse construction fall intofour distinct stylistic periods. The firstera featured a two-story square woodframe or masonry courthouse buildingwith a hip or gable roof.

The second phase in courthouse

architecture began in the 1880s andincluded masonry courthouses with ahigh ornamental tower over the centralfront entrance.

The third period began around 1910when reinforced concrete and steelconstruction guaranteed that most newcourthouses were completely fireproof. Aflat roof with no projections above thefirewall line replaced the tower and the hipor gable roof. Most courthouses erectedduring this period were adaptations ofclassical styles of architecture, featuringornamental columns or the arrangement ofvertical bays created by windows.

The final stage in courthouse designis in the pre- and post-World War IIperiod and includes buildings executed inthe Modern styles as defined by well-proportioned, simple, vertical and hori-zontal lines. All utilized reinforcedconcrete or steel frame construction with

stone or brick veneers or concrete exteriorsurfaces.4

The thirteen recently listed court-houses fall into the second and thirdperiods of courthouse design and reflectthe three common styles for courthouseserected in the late nineteenth and earlytwentieth century: Richardsonian Roman-esque, Classical Revival, and Modern.

By far the most popular style forpublic buildings in the late nineteenth andfirst decades of the twentieth century inKansas was the Richardsonian Roman-esque style. Its solid rusticated stone-work, massive proportions, pointeddormers, round arches, towers, andturrets provided an ideal design treatmentfor the county courthouse as the domi-nant building in the community.

The style utilized both traditional andnew materials in a variety of combinationsto create a rich and dramatic effect. Typi-

Republic County Courthouse, Belleville

Kansas’ historiccounty courthouses

are tangible symbolsof the American legaltradition of local self-government and, over

their period of use,serve as physical linksto important persons

and events.

GENERATIONCOUNTYDATEARCHITECTSTYLEThirdOsborne1907-1908J. C. Holland and SquiresRichardsonian RomanesqueThirdButler1908-1909George P. Washburn & SonsRichardsonian RomanesqueThirdRice1910-1911J. C. Holland and SonRichardsonian RomanesqueSecondLeavenworth1912William FethClassical RevivalSecondRooks1921-1924Frank C. SquiresClassical RevivalSecondCheyenne1924-1925Thomas Williamson and Co.Classical RevivalThirdWyandotte1925-1927Wight and WightClassical RevivalSecondComanche1927-1928Routledge and HertzClassical RevivalThirdGrant1929-1930Smith and EnglishModern Movement/Art DecoThirdMontgomery1886, 1931Cuthbert and SuehrkClassical RevivalSecondWabaunsee1931-1932W. E. GloverModern Movement/Art DecoThirdJewell1937Radotinsky & MertzModern Movement/Art DecoThirdRepublic1939-1940Mann & CompanyModern Movement/Art Deco

5

cal of these juxtapositions was the use ofsmooth, hard, dark red or dark brownbrick with crisp, icy-toned limestone andsmoky slate roof tiles. Other techniquesutilized both rough-hewn ashlar andpolished stone treatments–brownstone,dark granite, and limestone–to enhancevisual and tactile appeal.5

The name of the style indicates thebroad influence of the Boston firm ofarchitect Henry Hobson Richardson andhis distinctive Romanesque design idiom.Although the passage of time broughtabout greater andgreater dilution ofhis style,Richardson’s influ-ence lasted at leasttwo decades be-yond his death in1886.6

One result ofthe continued useof the RichardsonRomanesque stylefor courthouseslong after it ceasedto be used in resi-dential and commer-cial buildings wasthe advent ofstylistic hybridsthat became almosta form of historiceclecticism. Per-haps the mostnotable examples ofthis phenomenon inKansas are the courthouses designed bytwo of the state’s most prolific court-house architects, George P. Washburnand J. C. Holland, which combine Classicand/or Colonial Revival features withRichardsonian Romanesque styling.7

In the late nineteenth and earlytwentieth centurie, a return to classicaldesign idioms occurred in the UnitedStates. The exposure of the generalpublic to the Neo-classical style (ClassicalRevival) and the more elaborate BeauxArts style at the widely popularColumbian Exposition of 1893 profoundlychanged the nature of public architectureand landscape design.

Incorporating the disciplines ofarchitecture, planning, and landscapedesign, the Beaux Arts Movement wasloosely based on classical Greek andRoman architecture as defined and delin-eated by the academicians of Paris’“Ecole des Beaux-Arts,” which trained anentire generation of architects and de-signers.

While the influence of the Beaux ArtsSchool should not be minimized, it is no

coincidence that the popularity of varia-tions of classical styles had links to theturn-of-the-century social ProgressiveMovement and also reflected a generalconservatism on the part of both architectand client.

One result of these forces was theemergence of monumental, symmetrical,well-appointed public buildings andstructures. As applied to the countycourthouse, the Neoclassical style re-flected various Greco-Roman influences,often including a portico with triangular

pediment, a cornice with Greek motifproviding a horizontal contrast to thevertical emphasis of the columns, anddistinct horizontal zones. TheLeavenworth and Wyandotte countycourthouses reflect this treatment.

The light palette of the designsemanating from the Beaux Arts Schoolwas a noticeable departure from the useof contrasting dark and light materials inthe late Victorian period. White, cream,and light gray marble, limestone, or caststone and buff-colored brick came intovogue. Ornamental detail shifted to awider range of materials such as bronze,steel alloys, copper, and brass.8

The end of World War I and a returnto prosperity ushered in a wave of newcourthouse construction in Kansas.During this period, the classical idiombecame more streamlined as courthousesbegan to grow in size in response toincreased economic activity and adminis-trative functions.9

The restrained classical references,such as the designs for the Cheyenne andComanche county courthouses, reflect

the blurring of the City Beautiful Move-ment and a shift from the idealistic andgrandly conspicuous classical interpreta-tion of Roman architecture to a conserva-tive “modern” approach to design. Thesestreamlined buildings still tended to besimilar to the self-contained, low, axiallyarranged civic buildings that capitalizedon a grand approach.

In the 1930s private construction ofarchitect-designed buildings essentiallyceased due to the economic depressionand a prolonged drought. During the

period from 1931 tothe entry of the UnitedStates into World WarII in 1941, only eightKansas countieserected new court-houses. The designof the courthousesreflects defined stagesin the merging oftraditional classicalforms with streamlinedmodern design. Thecourthouses erectedin Jewell and Republiccounties reflect thistransition as well asthe influences of theArt Deco style. Bothcourthouses can beclassified as part ofthe modern movementin American architec-ture, representing theshift to new accepted

architectural forms. Each courthouse, inits form and arrangement of masses andfenestration, retained classical referencesin the arrangement of its stylistic ele-ments. Kansas architectural historiansaptly term this hybridization as “modernclassical eclecticism.”10

During the 1930s the Works ProgressAdministration (WPA) stimulated thespread of modern architectural stylesthroughout the country during a periodwhen architects worked almost exclu-sively on government-funded projects.These simple and cost-efficient designsresulted from the new structural principlesbased on the use of reinforced concreteand steel frame construction.11

The Courthouse PlanWhatever their style or even their

size, second- and third-generation court-houses seemed imposing. Courthousearchitects capitalized on the generouspiece of landscaped park set apart from,but adjacent to, the county seat’s com-mercial area. Using a basic plan, usuallythree or four stories in height and incor-

Cheyenne County Courthouse, St. Francis

6

porating space for the specific functions of county govern-ment, the architect added tower, portico, and/or colonnadeto give weight and focus to the edifice. Almost always, thedesign featured an elevated entrance accessed by a grandstaircase. Inside, wide halls and grand stairways led to thecourtroom, the focal point of the building.12

This layout continued in use until after the end ofWorld War II. The ground floor was at grade or slightlybelow and housed auxiliary functions such as the boilerroom, janitor’s office, toilets, sitting and meeting rooms, andstorage areas. Erected at a time when a journey to thecounty seat could consume an entire day, courthouses hadspecial rooms that accommodated travelers’ needs. The“farmer’s assembly room” (men’s room) and the ladies restroom, each with their own lavatories, toilet facilities, andsitting rooms, were a fixture in every courthouse erected inthe first half of the twentieth century. The Howard Countynewspaper commented about these amenities in the pro-posed 1907 Elk County courthouse, “These warm apart-ments will always be open to those who may have longdrives from the outside districts, especially with children.”Some suggested that the new Harper County courthouse’sladies rest room have a record player and John Philip Sousarecords for the pleasure of the weary. The 1919 PawneeCounty courthouse’s women’s sitting room seated fifty andhad upholstered reed furniture.13

The first (main) floor usually sat well above grade.Approached via an exterior staircase, the first floor housedthe offices most frequently used by the public: the countyclerk, register of deeds, treasurer, engineer, and electedcommissioners.

The second floor held the circuit courtroom (and some-times, a probate courtroom), judge’s office, jury room, andthe sheriff and county attorney’s offices. The courtroomwas usually opposite the central grand staircase rising fromthe building’s primary entrance. Of grand proportions, thecourtroom often was one-and-a-half or two stories in height.

The third story historically housed the county jail. Theornamentation of the cornice, parapet, and/or balustrades

Erected at a time when a journeyto the county seat could consumean entire day, courthouses had

special rooms that accommodatedtravelers’ needs.

The original floor plans of the Cheyenne County courthouse arerepresentative of courthouse design in the early twentieth century.

Ground Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

7

along the roofline hid the jail windows.Three excellent examples of the exteriordesign treatments that disguised thethird-floor jail function are the 1907Richardsonian Romanesque courthousein Osborne County, the 1924 ClassicalRevival courthouse in Cheyenne County,and the 1939-1940 Art Deco courthouse inRepublic County.

End of an EraThe impending end of World War II

stimulated the Kansas legislature toapprove enabling laws to meet the pent-up need for new public facilities. By 1945,twenty-one counties passed specialbuilding fund levies for courthouses andjails.14 The decade that followed was thegreatest period in construction of countybuildings since the turn of the century.15

Constructed for utility and featuringthe “structural expressionism” of thePost-World War II American ModernMovement, these buildings reflect anoticeable absence of historical architec-tural references.16 They not only de-parted from the second- andthird-generation courthouses built in theearly twentieth centuries in their exteriordesign, they also had a different alloca-tion of interior spaces.

Changes in the role of local govern-ment and technological improvements inpost-World War II Kansas rendered thetraditional county courthouse obsolete.Improved road systems reduced the timenecessary to travel to the county seat,and the facilities created to accommodatethe needs of rural families disappeared.The advent of central heating and airconditioning made high ceilings, largewindows, and broad, open stairwaysunnecessary. Eventually movies, radio,and television replaced trials and courtsessions as popular forms of entertain-ment; as a result, courtrooms were smaller.The traditional location of courtroomsand jails on the upper floors with noelevator service created accessibilityissues for the aged and disabled. Secu-rity issues and the growth in inmatepopulation further challenged the countyjail’s traditional location on the upperfloor of the courthouse.17

At the same time, urban and subur-ban growth increased the size of adminis-

trative agencies of county government.The growing demand for expanded socialand governmental services and the needfor new equipment brought about bytechnological change required new orexpanded facilities.

As a result, designers of the post-warcounty courthouse abandoned traditionalcourthouse plans. In 1958, the KansasGovernment Journal assessed the state’snewest courthouses, finding that theywere “much like any other modern officebuilding.”18 The traditional features andmaterials that made the courthouse avisible monument and distinguished itfrom commercial or institutional buildingsdisappeared. Even the site changed. Off-street parking for employees and thepublic replaced the traditional spaciouscourthouse lawn. The county jail andsheriff’s offices, more often than not, nowwere in adjacent facilities that were part ofa municipal/county complex.

On the inside, interrelated work tasksand new equipment defined the arrange-ment of spaces. Large, well-illuminatedworkrooms for records replaced airlessvaults. The grand exterior stairway andvast open axial hall disappeared. Eleva-tors provided access to expanded non-judicial agencies located on the upperfloors.19

What the post-World War II countycourthouse did share with its nineteenth-and early-twentieth-century predecessorswas an economical, functional, up-to-datedesign. Each of the remaining seventy-five courthouses in Kansas constructedbefore World War II reflects designsintended to facilitate the efficient conductof county business. (Note that five of theseventy-five have been replaced by newcounty courthouses and are now used forother purposes.) The thirty-five countycourthouses erected after 1941 reflect thesame goals. All represent the ideal ofmodernity for their time.

End Notes1 The courthouses dating from 1900-

1930 in Anderson, Clay, Doniphan, Douglas,Harper, Kingman, Lincoln, Marion, Mitchell,Reno, and Thomas counties were previouslylisted on the National Register.

2 Julia A. Wortman and David P.Johnson, Legacies: Kansas’ Older CountyCourthouses (Topeka: Kansas State HistoricalSociety, 1981), 19, 20.

3 Ibid., 24, referring to the 1911Leavenworth County Courthouse.

4 Thomas W. Williamson, “The Evolu-tion of Courthouse Building in Kansas,”Kansas Government Journal (June 1946).Vertical File. Kansas State Historical Society.

5 Carole Rifkind, A Field Guide toAmerican Architecture (New York: TimesMirror New American Library, 1980), 194.

6 Albert J. Larson, “From VernacularThrough High-Style: The Ubiquitous Ameri-can County Courthouse,” Purposes in BuiltForm & Cultural Research. Proceedings ofthe 1986 International Conference on BuiltForm & Cultural Research: Purposes inUnderstanding Socio-cultural Aspects of BuiltEnvironments, November 1986, at the Univer-sity of Kansas (Lawrence: University Press ofKansas, 1986), 58.

7 Williamson, 25.8 Rifkind, 218.9 Larson, 58.10 Wortman and Johnson, 53.11 Rifkind, 218.12 Jorbe Burchard and Albert Bush-

Brown, The Architecture of America: A Socialand Cultural History (Boston: Little Brownand Company, 1951), 136–137; Larson, 58–59; and Wortman and Johnson, 33.

13 Wortman and Johnson, 26.14 “Kansas Courthouses,” Kansas

Government Journal, June 1946, 12. VerticalFile. Kansas State Historical Society.

15 “Modernistic Trend Replaces Ornatein New Courthouse Buildings,” KansasGovernment Journal. n.d. Vertical File.Kansas State Historical Society. 446.

16 Larson, 59.17 Wortman and Johnson, 2-3.18 Ibid., 53.19 Ibid., 20.

Sally Schwenk of Historic PreservationServices, LLC, prepared this article undercontract to the Kansas State HistoricalSociety for a county courthouse survey andnomination project. Ms. Schwenk alsoprepared the “Historic County Courthousesin Kansas” National Register of HistoricPlaces Multiple Property Submission.

Courthouse Booklet Still Available for PurchaseIn 1981, staff of the Historic Preservation Office prepared a 70-page booklet entitled

Legacies: Kansas’ Older County Courthouses. The publication featured two sections ofphotographs by Dave Johnson, then an assistant professor of journalism at the University ofKansas; an essay on courthouses by Julie Wortman, then the architectural historian in thepreservation office; and an introduction by the late Paul E. Wilson, then Kane Professor of Law atthe University of Kansas.

The publication was the result of a two-year summer project conducted by staff of thepreservation office. The booklet contains many photographs of the state’s courthouses, includingarchitectural details that often go unnoticed, as well as human interest views of the people whowork and do business in them.

A number of 1982 reprints are still available for $3 each (plus tax and shipping) from theMuseum Store, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 S.W. Sixth Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099; (785) 272-8681 Ext. 413. By mid- to late-August mechanisms should be in place toenable customers to make online purchases at www.kshs.org/store.

8

To movie reviewers, the 2002 movie Two Weeks Notice(Warner Brothers) was a mindless romantic comedyabout whether or not it’s ever too late to say “I love

you.” To me, it was about a historic building . … Building isthreatened by multi-million dollar development . … Building issaved by big-shot developer who, like most leading men inromantic comedies, has a change of heart.

Two Weeks Notice pits economic development and preser-vation against one another as mutually exclusive (the buildingwas used as a community center) and the leading female char-acter was the stereotypical tie-herself-to-buildings activist. Theplot was, however, less frustrating than the 1998 romanticcomedy You’ve Got Mail (Warner Brothers), which pitted a big-box retailer against a quaint, historic, locally-owned bookstore.Unfortunately, although the guy gets the girl, the small book-store becomes a casualty of “progress.”

Whether or not movie critics notice, preservation themesare pervading the American media. Since the National HistoricPreservation Act of 1966, historic preservation has been statednational public policy; however, it is only recently that historicpreservation occupied the public consciousness. The media–from the entertainment industry to news outlets–both recordsand drives an increased public interest in preservation topicsincluding historic property research, smart growth,and landmark protection.

Even kids are being hit withthe preservation message.The pint-sized heroes in the2002 movie Hey Arnold! (Para-mount Pictures) save theirneighborhood from a developerwho plans to demolish it to con-struct a mall-plex. The movie’sofficial website (www.nick.com/all_nick/movies/heyarnold) offerskids tips on making a difference intheir neighborhoods. In addition, itfeatures a link to the website for theNational Neighborhood Coalition, anorganization whose mission includesthe promotion of smart growth.

Preservation is popping up in thenews media as well. This spring I openedthe March 17, 2003, issue of Newsweek toan article entitled “Tools of a House Detec-tive.” The article provided readers with the “basic how-tos” ofhistoric home research. In November 2000, ABC’s BrianRooney reported on the recent landmark designation of theMonterey Trailer Park in Los Angeles.

Not all the news is good though. USA Today reported onMarch 12, 2003, that the Chicago Cubs are fighting National

Historic Landmark status for Wrigley Field because they be-lieve it will hamper plans for a 2,300-seat expansion. Althoughthe Wrigley Field story demonstrates that not everyone is play-ing on the preservation team, the simple fact that USA Todayfound it newsworthy demonstrates a perceived public interestin historic preservation.

Recent world events provide a new backdrop for preserva-tion. News outlets first introduced the American public to the

Taliban in February and March 2001 with ac-counts of the Afghani regime’s destruction ofpre-Islamic cultural resources, including2000-year old Buddhist statues. To some,this act demonstrated that one differencebetween totalitarian and democratic gov-ernments is their treatment of culturalresources. These devastating eventstook on new meaning after September11, 2001, when many Americans ex-plored their patriotism through a newinterest in American history andcultural resources. President Bushreflected public mood with thewartime signing of ExecutiveOrder 13287, urging the protec-tion of federally-held historicproperties and the promotionof heritage tourism.

Whether or not preserva-tionists agree with the approaches of the

administration or media, the attention is creating amore preservation-savvy public. (After all, there is no such

thing as bad publicity.) If art imitates life, recent developmentsindicate that the public is generally supportive of preservationideals. This is good news for preservation professionals andadvocates. It is much easier to educate citizens and govern-ment officials about the benefits of historic preservation whenthe media has opened their minds to its values.

The Changing Tides of PreservationFrom Public Policy toPublic Consciousness

This article was written by Christy Davis, assistant divisiondirector in the Cultural Resources Division.

9

Have you ever heard the lifetimeguarantees and unconditional satisfactionclaims made by vinyl siding companiesand wondered if they were true? Haveyou ever groaned over the peeling painton the exterior of your home and seri-ously considered giving those companiesa call? Most homeowners have probablyconsidered replacing the exterior siding oftheir homes to reduce maintenance orgive their property an updated look. It isnot an unreasonable consideration.However, most homeowners do not knowall the facts about replacement sidingmaterials and the damage they can cause.The concerns are the same for buildings20 years old or 200 years old. The originalsiding materials are usually the bestmaterials for any building. Below arefacts on just a few of the serious prob-lems that can be caused by replacementsiding.

Original exterior materials contrib-ute to the overall historic character of abuilding. Be it wooden clapboards,shingles, metal panels, brick, or stucco,the original skin of any building is one ofthe biggest elements of its character. Thesize of the clapboards, their texture, andspacing are visible to even the mostcasual viewer. This is why buildings withnon-historic siding are usually deemednon-contributing in historic districts.Replacement siding spoils that characterand can destroy the physical integrity ofa building. Replacement siding materialsrarely have the same profile as historicwood clapboards. The simulated woodgraining found on some vinyl sidingproducts does not even closely resemblewood siding. Wood does not have arough raised surface graining unless it isseverely weathered or sandblasted.

The installation of replacement sidingoften involves the removal of a building’sexterior character-defining features.These include door and window trim,porch detailing, and even the originalsiding itself. When features are notremoved, they are often cut so the newsiding lies evenly or they are hammeredfull of nail holes during the installationprocess. This type of damage is irrevers-

Vinyl is Not Final

This article was prepared by Katrina L.Klingaman, a historic preservationspecialist with the Cultural ResourcesDivision. Katrina’s principal responsibilitiesare the federal and state tax incentives.

ible. Even when installation is carefullyundertaken to avoid the removal ordestruction of character-defining features,they are usually wrapped in new sidingand hidden from view. In these cases, thenew siding and wrapped trim projectbeyond the plane of doors and windows,giving them a recessed appearance. Thecharacter of the building is not the sameas it was before.

And one mustremember that theissue is not entirelyabout the appearanceof a building. Even ifreplacement sidingmaterials can be made to look exactly likethe original materials, they will never bethe historic materials. “If these wallscould talk, imagine what they’d tell us,” isan old saying that reflects this idea.Replacing the original materials reduces

the overall physical integrity of anybuilding. When original materials arelost, so is the evidence of past craftsman-ship, quality of materials, and the connec-tion those materials had to the peoplearound them.

Replacement siding does not correctexisting problems, it only hides them.Often property owners decide to add

vinyl or aluminumsiding because theydislike having topaint every coupleof years. Whatmany people do notrealize is that a good

paint job on a properly maintained andprepared surface should last 5-10 years.There are a host of reasons why a paintjob may only last a year or two on abuilding. Some reasons include excessmoisture from poor guttering or drainage,

Replacement siding spoils abuilding’s character and candestroy its physical integrity.

The originalclapboard siding isrevealed as thevinyl siding isbeing removed.

This photographshows the warpedvinyl siding on therear of the WarrenWesley FinneyHouse in Emporia.

10

leaking roof, leaking foundation, or evenhumidity from everyday activities likeshowers and laundry. This excess mois-ture causes paint to peel and fail as themoisture seeks an escape from the wood.If moisture problems are corrected prior torepainting, the paint adheres to thesurface longer. Other reasons for paintfailure include poor preparation of thesurface and incompatible paints. Failureto remove all of the loose paint from asurface means that the new paint doesnot get a good anchor. Likewise, usingprimers and paints that are not compatibleor trying to paint too quickly can lead to apoor result.

Installing replacement siding overproblem areas, especially those involvingmoisture, only exaggerates the deteriora-tion. Vinyl and aluminum are not vaporpermeable. Any moisture that becomestrapped behind the siding cannot evapo-rate. Without proper venting, condensa-tion develops, which in turn can lead tomold and mildew growth and acceleratewood rot. In the end repairs may cost thehomeowner much more than if the prob-lems had been addressed at the outset.

Replacement siding also preventsproperty owners from seeing new prob-lems. If a roof leak develops and moisture

gets into the walls, peeling paint wouldquickly give a visible cue that somethingis wrong. Replacement siding hides theproblem until it becomes severe.

Similar problems can occur withproducts known as “liquid vinyl.” Theseelastomeric paints also tend to hideproblem areas and exaggerate moistureissues. Since they are relatively new onthe market, no long-term studies havebeen conducted to determine the effectsafter 15-20 years. Their lifespan is un-known, whereas we know that thelifespan of properly maintained woodclapboards typically exceeds 100 years.

Is replacement siding really costefficient? We have all seen the adsclaiming that replacement siding means

you’ll never have to paint again, reducesenergy bills, has a lifetime guarantee,increases your property value, and savesyou money in the long run. However,there are several things that these ads donot share. Vinyl siding has a realisticlifespan of about 15 years before it needsrepair or replacement. As stated before,wood clapboard lasts from 50 to 100 yearsand beyond with proper maintenance.

Vinyl siding can warp with high heat,including hot summer days, and becomesbrittle through exposure to UV rays andcold winter weather. Aluminum sidingcan dent and scratch. Damaged piecescost more to repair than wood siding.When pieces are beyond repair, they canbe replaced, but new pieces rarely matchthe old. This is because the color of thesiding fades over time. There is also arisk that siding manufactured will nolonger be in business.

Aluminum and vinyl siding can bepainted if they fade or you get tired of themanufactured color, but the paint willhave to be maintained just as if it hadbeen applied to the original siding. Evenwhen aluminum or vinyl siding does notneed to be painted, it must be thoroughlywashed down twice a year to keep itlooking fresh.

Replacement sidingalso prevents property

owners from seeingnew problems, hiding

the problem until itbecomes severe.

Shown here are “before” and “after”photos of the house at 315 Woodlawn

in Topeka, which became acontributing structure in the Potwin

Historic District with the removal of thenon-historic siding.

11

There is no evidence that replace-ment siding adds any significant insula-tion value to your building. Most heat islost through the roof of a building. Sincesiding materials are so thin, they really donot help lower energy bills. Even ifinsulating panels are installed beneath thesiding, they rarely make a significantchange. In fact, installing insulation ormoisture barriers on the exterior sides ofwalls can actually cause more problems.Interior moisture from everyday activities,such as showers and laundry, can betrapped within the house, causing mildewand mold growth if not properly vented.

A close look at the long-term warran-ties on replacement siding may show thatthese are very limited. Most manufactur-ers’ warranties rarely cover problemsassociated with installation since localdistributors install most replacementsiding. Improper installation is a majorcause of problems with replacementsiding. Also, most warranties are only for20 years or they are prorated after 20years to cover only a reduced amount ofrepair or replacement costs. While manyreplacement siding products have beenon the market for decades, newer prod-ucts have not been through long-termtests to really gauge their life expectancy.

Replacement siding can be veryexpensive. The cost is generally all upfront or possibly financed out overseveral years. Closely comparing theinitial costs, finance charges, and pos-

sible future replacement against tradi-tional maintenance of the original sidingshould always be done prior to commit-ting to replacement siding. Take intoconsideration how long you expect toown the building, how many paint jobsyou can expect in that time period, andhow the costs for maintenance of theoriginal siding will be spread out overthose years.

Replacement siding does not neces-sarily make a building more attractive topotential buyers. Buyers seeking historicproperties, especially those in historicdistricts, will not appreciate a new sidingjob. The charm and character of originalexterior material–whether it is brick,shingle, clapboard, or stucco–is usuallypreferred to aluminum or vinyl.

The Kansas State Historical Society

has helped fund the removal of non-historic siding from some properties withthe aid of the Heritage Trust Fund grantand State Rehabilitation Tax Credit pro-grams. Vinyl siding was removed from therear of the Warren Wesley Finney Housein Emporia after it warped and came loosefrom the house. The few damaged clap-boards beneath were replaced to restorethe historic appearance of the house.Asbestos shingle siding was removedfrom the Runyon House in Manhattan toreveal the original cedar clapboardsbeneath. Another project at 315Woodlawn in the Potwin Place HistoricDistrict of Topeka involved removal of thenon-historic siding to reveal the originalclapboards beneath. The house waspreviously listed as non-contributing tothe district, but has since been reevalu-ated due to the removal of the siding.

What are some other concerns?Some other concerns include impacts tohealth and the environment. Studies haveshown that the PVC materials used tomake vinyl siding release toxic chemicalswhen burned in a fire and may releasepotentially harmful gases throughouttheir lifespan. That “new car” smell we alllike is actually the off gassing of plasticsand PVCs similar to vinyl siding materials.The replacement siding materials them-selves are not the only sources of healthconcerns.

Cases have been cited of insects andother small animals living between the

The Runyon House at 400 Osage in Manhattan isshown first with its asbestos siding and secondlyafter the removal of the asbestos and repair of theoriginal clapboards.

While improperinstallation is a majorcause of problems with

replacement siding,manufacturers’

warranties rarely coverproblems associated

with installation.

12

original siding and the new. The wasteproducts of those animals can cause avariety of health concerns.

Also, the manufacturing of PVCs hasbeen linked to environmental concernsacross the globe. This is in addition tothe adverse effect that all of the old sidingmaterials and failed replacement sidingmaterials are having on landfills. Someoriginal siding materials and replacementsiding materials, such as aluminum orsteel, can be recycled, but the vast major-ity are not. You can learn more about theconsequences of PVCs atwww.bluevinyl.org

No matter the age of the building orthe type of original exterior material on abuilding, repairing and maintaining thatexterior is nearly always preferable toreplacing it with an incompatible sidingmaterial. The siding is the skin of thebuilding. Proper care and treatment willpay for itself in time.

Please contact the Cultural Re-sources Division of the Kansas StateHistorical Society for information oncorrecting moisture problems in historicbuildings, proper surface preparation forpainting, as well as the care treatmenttechniques for other types of sidingmaterials such as brick and stucco.

Bibliography

Craven, Jackie. “What you need to know aboutvinyl siding.” What you need to knowAbout…Architecture.www.architecture.about.com/library/weekly/aavinyl (June 18, 2003)

Cunningham, Jan. Vinyl Siding: The Real Issues.West Haven, CT: Kramer Printing Company,Inc., 2002.

Lattinville, Ann, and Carol DiNinno. “Techni-cal Assistance Tips: Vinyl Siding.” PreservationAdvocate. Massachusetts Historical Commis-sion, Spring 2003: 4-5.

Leeke, John. “Q&A 3 at Historic HomeWorks” Historic Home Works.com,www.historichomeworks.com/hhw/Q&A/qa03(June 18, 2003).

Myers, John H. (revised by Gary L. Hume).Preservation Brief #8: Aluminum and VinylSiding on Historic Buildings. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Department of the Interior, National ParkService, Technical Preservation Services, USGPO, 1984.

Park, Sharon C. Preservation Brief #16: TheUse of Substitute Materials on Historic BuildingExteriors. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Departmentof the Interior, National Park Service, Preserva-tion Assistance Division, Technical Preserva-tion Services, US GPO, 1988.

Polson, Mary Ellen. “Debugging in Deland”Old House Journal, November/December 1998:20-24.

A new page on the KSHS web site (www.kshs.org/diners) explores thehistory of Valentine Diners, a brand of pre-fabricated enameled steel build-ings manufactured in Wichita beginning in the 1930s. Valentines were smalleight- to twelve-seat diners with a limited menu, making them ideal for a one-person operation. Thesebuildings were designedto provide customers withaffordable meals, andowners with an indepen-dent living.

At the web site, youcan read about the his-tory of the Valentinecompany, view photo-graphs of diners, find locations of the buildings throughout the state, andlearn about the character-defining features of the buildings.

If you would like to share information about a Valentine Diner in yourcommunity, please contact Blair Tarr at (785) 272-8681 Ext. 427 orbtarr@kshs.org.

Valentine Diners Featured on KSHS Web Site

Valentine’s Little Chef Diner. (Photo Courtesy American Diner Museum.)

Do YouRemember?

13

The following publications mayhelpful for determining and describ-ing style:

Blumenson, John. Identifying Ameri-can Architecture (American Associa-tion of State and Local History,Nashville, 1977).

Harris, Cyril. Dictionary of Architec-ture and Construction (McGraw-Hill,New York, 1975).

McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A FieldGuide to American Houses (Alfred A.Knopf, Inc., New York, 1984).

Poppeliers, John, and S. Allen Cham-bers. What Style is It? (PreservationPress, Washington, DC, 1983).

Whiffen, Marcus. American Architec-ture Since 1780: A Guide to the Styles(M. I. T. Press, Cambridge, 1969).

The Tudor Revival style is associ-ated with the building boom Kansasexperienced in the mid-1920s. One of thedominant residential movements duringthis period, Tudor Revival is often usedas a composite term to capture a varietyof medieval English revival styles. Newlyestablished suburban enclaves featuredversions of the EnglishCotswold Cottage; theedges of college cam-puses were dotted withJacobethan Revivalsorority houses; andbuildings from gardenapartments to mansionsfeatured Tudor Revivaldetailing. While pre-World War I and post-Great Depressionexamples of the TudorRevival exist in Kansas, most of thearchitecture associated with this stylewas constructed during the 1920s.

Brick veneer with stone trim appliedover a wooden frame is the most commonbuilding construction employed for thisgroup. A much smaller percentage ofTudor Revival houses employed cement-based stucco applied over frame con-struction.

Tudor Revival ReachesPopularity Peak in 1920s

Throughout the state there areexamples of post-World War I neighbor-hoods that were developed using theTudor Revival style as a defining element.From small cottages to larger homes, thestyle provided an elegant Europeaninspired motif for home owners of allmeans. Curvilinear, picturesque subdivi-

sions were uniquelysuited to accommodatethe Cotswold Cottageand the JacobethanManor. Excellent ex-amples of this trend existin Topeka’s Collins Parkand Westboro neighbor-hoods. The Tudorinfluence was also ap-plied to apartment build-ings, such as StackmanCourt in Wichita.

Kansas features an array of landmarkTudor Revival properties, including theChi Omega sorority house (c. 1925) at theUniversity of Kansas campus inLawrence. Designed by Topeka architectWalter Earl Glover, the building is anexample of the Jacobethan Revival style.Incorporating parapetted, projectingwindow bays accentuated with quoin-likestones, casement windows, and Tudor

Brick veneer with stonetrim applied over awooden frame is the

most common buildingconstruction employed

for this group.

The Chi Omega Sorority House (c.1925) at the University of Kansas campus is an example ofthe Jacobethan Revival style, exhibiting parapetted, projecting window bays accentuated withquoin-like stones, casement windows, and Tudor arches over the doors and lower levelwindows. (Photo courtesy of Chi Omega Sorority)

This is the second in a

series of architectural

style articles that will be

published in Kansas

Preservation. The

articles are designed to

provide general

background information

about architectural style

and also may be used as

context statements for

National Register

nominations.

ArchitecturalStyle in KansasArchitectural

Style in Kansas

14

This article was prepared by MarthaHagedorn-Krass, the architecturalhistorian with the Kansas State HistoricalSociety. Electronic versions of the articleare available by contacting her atmkrass@kshs.org.

arches over the doorsand lower levelwindows, the buildingartfully recalls theElizabethan era.

In addition tooffering a palette fornew construction, theTudor Revival was astyle selected for substantial remodelingsof older homes. Kansas City basedarchitect Louis Curtiss completely re-vamped Atchison’s 1873 Victorian GothicGlick-Orr House with a Tudor Revivalfacade in 1913. The overall form of thehouse was maintained, with the steeplysloped roof on the entry tower being

replaced with a castel-lated parapet. Stucco,half-timbering, andmulti-paned diamond-shaped windows werekey additive featuresthat helped to trans-form former GovernorGlick’s residence into

his son-in-law’s castle.Although noted for its distinctive

and unique architect designed buildings,the Tudor Revival style offered designelements that were incorporated into mailorder design books. Using an eclectic mixof features, homes could achieve thesemblance of the Tudor Revival. Half-

(Above) Stackman Court (1928-1929) in Wichita is a brickeight-unit Tudor style garden apartment designed by GlenThomas. The apartments were advertised as adding a “bitof old England” to the Riverside area while still providingultra-modern appointments.

(Left) The Glick-Orr House (1873, 1913) in Atchison is atwo-and-a-half-story Tudor Revival style house. Con-structed of brick on a stone foundation, the house has hada veneer of half-timbering, stucco, and brick applied forstylistic purposes. The house was substantially altered in1913 when it was changed from High Victorian Gothic styleto Tudor Revival.

timbering, white nogging, diamondmullions, decorated chimney pots, or asimulated thatched roof added decora-tion and an element of the Tudor Revivalstyle to mail-order bungalows andfoursquares. The picturesque styleremained popular in this country until thesecond world war. During its period ofdominance it was only rivaled by theColonial Revival style.

Glossary

Castellated - ornamented withbattlements or crenelated pattern.

Mullion - vertical member separatingwindow, doors, or panels.

Nogging - filling of brickwork be-tween timber quarters or framework.

Parapet wall - part of a wall risingabove the roof.

(Top) The Mattie Elliot House (1927-1928) in Manhat-tan is a two-story brick, limestone, and stuccoCotswold Cottage designed by Floyd Wolfenbarger.(Photo courtesy of Riley County Historical Society)

15

In 1987 the Kansas State HistoricalSociety received a collection of prehis-toric Indian artifacts from the NebraskaState Historical Society (NSHS) that werereported to have originated at the Chinalisite in Lane County, Kansas. Unfortu-nately, the Society has no record of a sitein Lane County, or anywhere else in thestate, by the name of Chinali. In an effortto identify the provenience of the collec-tion and to develop a context by which toidentify the cultural and temporal affilia-tion of the collection, historical researchwas undertaken by Society staff. As aresult, background information wasdeveloped regarding A. T. Hill, the manassociated with the collection, but littlenew information was uncovered regardingthe source of the collection itself.

Asa T. Hill was born in Cisne, Illinois,in 1871 and as a child moved with hisparents to Phillips County, Kansas, wherethe family set up a homestead in 1878.Tired of the struggles of farm life, Hillmoved to Hastings, Nebraska, in 1912 towork in the automotive sales industry. Inthe early 1920s Hill became interested in

Collection Raises More Questions than It Answers

This article was prepared by JenniferEpperson, a project review archeologistin the State Historic Preservation Office.

the prehistory of the Great Plains region,particularly that of Kansas and Nebraska.He pursued his interest as an amateurarcheologist and soon excavated a num-ber of sites in the region with methodsthat attracted the attention of profes-sional archeologists at the SmithsonianInstitution and the University of Califor-nia. In 1925 Hill was elected a member ofthe NSHS board and in 1933 was ap-pointed as the NSHS Director of FieldArcheology. In 1933 and 1934 Hill and

Provenience or Provenance: according to Webster’s Dictionary,“origin, source.”

For archeologists or collectors of historic objects and antiquities, prove-nience includes not only the date an object was made, but the context ofthe object or collection; the background history that makes the itemsignificant or gives it a place within a larger framework.

For archeologists, provenience also means the exact spot, both horizon-tally and vertically, where the item was located in the site.

Waldo Wedel of the University of Califor-nia organized extensive field explorationson behalf of the NSHS during which theyexcavated prehistoric sites in Nebraska,Kansas, and North and South Dakota.The primary objectives of these explora-tions were to assemble representativecollections from the larger surface sites inthese states and to establish a culturalchronology for the area. Sometime duringthis period Hill apparently came intopossession of an archeological collectionfrom Lane County, Kansas. How he cameto possess the collection and where in thecounty the corresponding site is locatedis currently unknown; however, theChinali site collection catalogue appearedin Hill’s ledger book in 1934.

Asa T. Hill and theChinali Archeological

Collection

Figure 1. The fiveprojectile points (a-e)and two stone drills (f-g)present in the collection.The majority of the itemsare flaked from SmokyHill Jasper; item (d) is ofbasalt.

f

edcba

g

16

Figure 2. A variety of flaked stone scrapers from the Chinali site. Scrapers are typically interpreted as beingused in the preparation of skins or hides for use as clothing items or for shelter. Most of these items are endscrapers, although a small number of side scrapers are also present in the collection.

Figure 3. Three examples of alternately beveled knives from the Chinali collection. Item (a) is quartzite and(b-c) are Smoky Hill Jasper.

a cb

17

No site record or map accompaniedthe collection when it was transferred tothe Society. The artifact collection con-sists of 260 items and is dominated byflaked stone tools, including projectilepoints (dart and arrow points), drills, sideand end scrapers, edge-modified flakes,alternately beveled knives, and bifaces(Figures 1-3). Although the collectioncontains items predominantly made fromSmoky Hill jasper, there are also items ofsandstone, quartzite, and petrifiedwood—all materials that would have beenavailable from the Ogallala gravel depos-its present in Lane County and the west-ern part of Kansas. The collection alsoincludes ground and battered stone tools,including six handstones and onehammerstone (Figure 4). Pottery, in theform of very small cord-marked and sand-tempered sherds, is strangely limited toonly four items. Artifacts that may indi-cate subsistence remains are also repre-sented by only four items: one bonefragment identified as cow or bison, onetooth believed to be elk, and two musselshell fragments.

The collection, as it currently existswithout specific provenience other thanLane County, does provide some clues as

to its cultural affiliation andtime period, information thatis available solely from analy-sis of the artifacts them-selves. It appears thatartifacts from more than onetime period are mixed togetherin this collection.

The presence of potteryfragments in the assemblageindicates that the collectioncame from a site whoseresidents made or traded forpottery, helping to place it within one ofthe Ceramic periods of Kansas prehistory(post A.D. 1). The characteristics of thepottery—sand temper, thinness, andcord-marked surface treatment—hint at anaffiliation with a later Ceramic culture, onethat had a history of pottery manufacturerather than one in the initial trial stages.However, due to the small size of thepieces and their scarcity in the collection,this is somewhat speculative. In a collec-tion of this size and from this general timeperiod, pottery should be more abundant.

The collection also contains small,reworked dart points and one arrow point.This leads to some temporal confusion, asdart points of these styles are associated

with Early Ceramic cultures, while theunnotched triangular arrow point istypical of the Middle or Late Ceramicperiod, some time after A. D. 1000. Thepresence of alternately beveled knivesand an abundance of finely flaked scrap-ers, both associated with the processingof large game animals, along with a sig-nificant number of grinding stones,indicates a subsistence economy associ-ated with hunting as well as processing ofplant foods.

Taking into account this evidence, itseems likely that the collection representsat least two cultural components, oneEarly Ceramic and the other Middle orLate Ceramic. Alternatively, the collection

Figure 4. Ground and battered stone objects from the Chinali collection. Item (a) is a handstone fragment,item (b) is a hammerstone, and item (c) is a complete handstone. These items would typically be used inthe processing of seeds and plant foods. The battering on the hammerstone can be seen in the shatteredwhite crystals on the edges of the tool.

a b

c

18

Cultural ResourcesDivision Welcomes

New StaffThree new staff members joined

the Cultural Resources Division thissummer.

Anne Bauer, fee fund archeolo-gist, began working for the archeol-ogy office in June. She takes theplace of Tod Bevitt who left KSHS inMay. Bauer, who holds a BA inhistoric preservation from SoutheastMissouri State University and amasters in anthropology from theUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln, willproduce archeological reportsthrough contractual agreements withthe Kansas Department of Transpor-tation and Natural Resource Conser-vation Service.

Elizabeth Smith and Bill Grotheach provide part time technicalassistance for the Heritage TrustFund grant program. BruceWrightsman, the former grantsarchitect, resigned in May. Smith,who joined the staff in June, holdsan architecture degree from KansasState University and is pursuingjoint master’s degrees in planningand architecture. She will be in theoffice on Tuesdays and Thursdays.Groth, a licensed architect, bringsdecades of architectural knowledgeto the position. For years he servedas Statehouse Architect for the Stateof Kansas. Groth will be in theoffice on Wednesdays and Fridays.

For historic preservation techni-cal assistance, or to schedule aHeritage Trust Fund site visit, con-tact Bill Groth or Elizabeth Smith atthe following numbers and emailaddresses:

Bill GrothArchitect(785) 272-8681 Ext. 227bgroth@kshs.org

Elizabeth SmithHistoric Preservation Specialist(785) 272-8681 Ext. 227esmith@kshs.org

You may reach Anne Bauer atthe number and email address below:

Anne BauerFee Fund Archeologist(785) 272-8681 Ext. 254abauer@kshs.org

may represent a transition betweenperiods, a fact that would in itself makethe collection valuable as a research tool.Because a significant amount of informa-tion is missing from the collection, itsvalue is diminished.

While significant facts can begleaned from the individual artifacts (thesize, shape, form, material, and method ofmanufacture of the objects, as well as thenumbers and relative abundance of theartifact types), it is unclear what informa-tion may be missing or skewed due to thestrategy by which the artifacts werecollected. Put another way, it is impos-sible to know if the existing collection is arepresentative sample of the artifactspresent on the Chinali site or if certaintypes of artifacts, such as stone tools orscrapers, were preferentially collected andother types of artifacts are missing alto-gether.

Much information that would helppin down the site’s cultural and temporalaffiliation and put it into a larger frame-work comes only from knowledge of thesite context. The following are some ofthe questions that need to be answered:Was the site located in a setting whereagriculture may have been part of thesubsistence strategy? Was it located inan upland setting away from a reliablewater source? What was the size of thesite? Were houses, pits, or hearth fea-tures present? How many and what wasthe distribution of these features? Whatwas the settlement pattern of the peoplewho resided at the site; that is, did thesite represent a permanent or semiperma-nent village where the population coa-lesced or a smaller, more temporary campused only on an infrequent basis? Duringwhat seasons was the site used?

Further lacking is information regard-ing the natural resources available at thesite or in the immediate vicinity. Thesemay have taken the form of stone out-

crops that were exploited for material usedin the manufacture of tools; local wet-lands that provided aquatic resources,such as fish and turtles; clay depositsthat were used in pottery making; or localplants and animals that served as foodsources.

It is provenience that gives anarcheological collection value. Theartifacts themselves, although they allowindividual analysis and speculation as tocultural and temporal affiliation, arediminished in worth when devoid ofprovenience. A collection without con-text can provide only a shadow of itsinformation potential.

Archeologists and individuals in-volved in historical research and even inantiquities collecting focus on prove-nience to assist them in interpreting theirfinds. In his avid pursuit of archeology,A. T. Hill probably did maintain recordsregarding the location of the Chinali siteand any work conducted there. Unfortu-nately, at least at the present time, therecords are separated from the collection.An ongoing search for Hill’s personalrecords one day may produce the infor-mation needed to provide the context forthe collection. In the meantime the collec-tion has been catalogued and entered intoSociety records, which are available toarcheologists as a source of additionalresearch regarding the prehistory of LaneCounty, Kansas.

Bibliography

Sheldon, Addison E. (editor)1933 Nebraska History Magazine

14(2):81-82.

Hofman, Jack (editor)1996 Archeology and Paleoecology of

the Central Great Plains.Research Series No. 48. ArkansasArcheological Survey, Fayetteville.

Kansas Culture SequencePaleoindian PeriodArchaic PeriodEarly CeramicMiddle CeramicLate CeramicHistoric

11,000 - 6000 B.C.6000 B.C. – A.D. 1A.D. 1 - 1000A.D. 1000 - 1500A.D. 1500 - 1541A.D. 1541 - present

Happenings in Kansas

NONPROFITORG.

U.S. POSTAGEP A I D

Topeka, Kans.Permit No. 299

KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETYCultural Resources Division6425 S.W. Sixth AvenueTopeka, KS 66615-1099

Return Service Requested

Montgomery Ward BicycleThrough August 31, 2003Kansas History Center6425 S.W. Sixth AvenueTopeka, KansasEnjoy the story of Hiram Dickson andhis 1934 Hawthorne Flyer bicycle.

Barn Yesterday:Remembering Kansas BarnsThrough August 31, 2003Center for Historical ResearchKansas History CenterKansas barns remind us how we valueour past, and restored and renovatedbarns are a point of pride in manycommunities. This small travelingdisplay features images of these endur-ing symbols of rural life.

Kansas Historic SitesBoard of ReviewAugust 23, 20039 a.m.Kansas History Center Classrooms

Hand-Painted ChinaSeptember 2 - October 26, 2003Kansas History CenterA collection of more than 100 pieces ofbeautiful hand-painted china createdby a single artist, Gertrude AndersonArmantrout of Topeka.

Heritage Trust Fund WorkshopSeptember 19, 20032 p.m.Koch Education Center, 2nd FloorKansas History Center

Heritage Trust Fund WorkshopOctober 3, 2003

10:30 a.m.City Hall455 N. Main, 10th FloorWichita, Kansas

Heritage Trust Fund WorkshopOctober 16, 200310:30 a.m.Mine Creek Battlefield StateHistoric Site20485 Kansas Highway 52Pleasanton, Kansas

Plains Anthropological ConferenceOctober 22-25, 2003Fayetteville, Arkansas

Heritage Trust Fund WorkshopNovember 7, 200310 a.m.City/County Building, Room 107B300 West Ash StreetSalina, Kansas

Kansas Historic SitesBoard of ReviewNovember 8, 20039 a.m.Kansas History Center Classrooms

Heritage Trust Fund WorkshopDecember 4, 200310 a.m.Finney County Historical Society403 S. 4th Street, Finnup ParkGarden City, Kansas

Heritage Trust Fund WorkshopJanuary 8, 20042 p.m.Koch Education Center, 2nd FloorKansas History Center

Teens TackleTedious Tasks

The KSHS Archeology Lab was buzzingwith morning activity this summer. Lab supervi-sor Chris Garst had the assistance of six teenagevolunteers. By the end of July, they had contrib-uted over 140 hours to a variety of tasks. Theteen volunteers were Matt Meyer, 17, Topeka;Sierra Garst, 16, Topeka; Jennifer Green andLauren Bornstein, both 16, Lawrence; GregStadler, 14, Topeka; and Joe Wrobel, 14,Carbondale.

Some of the assignments included screen-ing soil samples from several Cowley Countysites, cleaning historic-period artifacts from FortHays, cleaning prehistoric artifacts from anumber of donated collections, helping withpreparations for the Kansas Archeology TrainingProgram field school, and helping with mainte-nance of field equipment after the field projectwas completed. While the professional archeo-logical staff recognized that all these thingsneeded to be done, it might have taken monthsor years for these tasks to reach the top of thepriority list.

Stadler and Wrobel were part of the Sum-mer Youth Volunteers. This program at theKansas History Center marked another success-ful year with 40 young people, ages 13 through16, volunteering for a wide variety of projects.

In reflecting on their summer lab experi-ences, Greg, whose favorite job was screeningdirt, said, “It’s a lot harder than I thought itwould be—not at all like the movies.”

Joe, who preferred cleaning glass, observed,“There’s a lot more left in the ground to findthan I ever imagined.”

Throughout the year Garst relies on adevoted core of adult volunteers to makeprogress on cleaning and cataloguing artifactcollections produced by both KSHS fieldworkand donations. The group of teenagers hasprovided an accelerated-pace experience.

Garst commented, “The energy and enthu-siasm displayed by these young people is phe-nomenal. No matter what task is assigned tothem, they willingly and cheerfully set to it. Ihope that they have enjoyed being here in theArcheology Lab as much as I have enjoyed work-ing with them.”