“Our Local History” Craft – Fri. Aug. 21
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Share your thoughts about Blackjack Battlefield and Nature Park with online survey!
Survey link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/VQwAWq5xzi
This survey is open thru August 31.
The Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park was jointly purchased in November 2025 by Baldwin City and Douglas County. These two groups are working together to stabilize, protect, and enhance the property. An Advisory Board was formed with members from Baldwin City and Douglas County. This group is developing the short- and long-term vision and goals for the battlefield and park.
The Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park Advisory Board is looking for public input to help shape the vision and make recommendations for the future of the park. Your feedback on this survey will help develop a planning framework to support this important historic site.
- Find more information about the park, Advisory Board, and survey at dgcoks.org/hcc (scroll halfway down)
- The survey will also be available at Third Friday, August 21, at the Santa Fe Trail Historical Society booth, in front of 705 8th Street.
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Did You Know? – (Local History)
Baldwin and Baker U graduate Emil Liston created the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)! He was a primary founder of the NAIB (National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball) in 1937, created so smaller universities had a national platform on which to compete. Liston created and ran the national basketball tournament. The NAIA gives an annual scholarship in Liston’s honor.
Learn about Emil Liston’s background, his important effects of the athletes he coached, and his roles in the development of these institutions in a wonderful paper titled “Emil S. Liston and the Creation of the NAIA” written by a current BU student and basketball player.
Click on this link: Liston, Emil
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“Our Local History” Potluck Dinner & Presentation: Sat. Sept. 12
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Did You Know? – (More Local History)
Baldwin’s own, Dr. A.T. Still, founder of osteopathy, also invented a better butter churn! Read all about it in Daryl Callahan, D.O.’s latest article about Dr. Still at https://thedo.osteopathic.org/2026/08/what-a-butter-churn-reveals-about-the-mind-that-discovered-osteopathic-medicine/
Daryl has extensively researched Dr. Still for many years now and will have a book published in 2027! He will make a presentation at the BC Library so watch here for information. And be sure to attend our Fall Potluck Dinner to here Daryl speak about one of Still’s acquaintances.
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“Our Local History” Craft – Fri. Sept. 18
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Local Historic Site Open On Sundays!
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“Our Local History” & America 250 Celebration on Display at Baldwin City Public Library!
Information about each of these women is presented in “The Spirit of Kansas Women” display. Further information, including biographies, can be found on this website by following this link America 250: “The Spirit of Kansas Women” Display
NEW!! The short biographies from the display have been added to each page!
- Kansas In the 1850s – description of KS life
- Bahnmaier, Carolyn Wezstein – Pioneer
- Bell, Anna Maria – Business Owner
- Brooks, Anna – Waitress, Maid, Ex-Slave
- Dillard, Mary Jane – Teacher
- Fish, Eudora – Shawnee Tribe Member
- Gill, Martha Cutter Kelley – Library Founder
- Hall, Olive Willey – First College Graduate
- Harvey, Rebecca Brooks – Midwife, Ex-Slave
- Hitchcock, Florence Mann – Early Pharmacist
- Leonard, Elizabeth Perkins – First Professor
- Lister, Mary Graham – Pioneer
- Lovejoy, Julia Hardy – News Reporter
- Magoffin, Susan Shelby – SF Trail Reporter
- Miller, Dr. Mary McQuiston – Early Doctor
- Nottingham, Roberta – Teacher
- Pendleton, Genevieve Lingard – Poet, Banker
- Prentiss, Annie Soule – Library Founder
- Robinson, Sara – Political Activist
- Simmons, Elmira Dodder – Business Owner
- Sullivan, Lucy Sweet – Early Mayor
- Taylor, Lucy Hobbs – First Dentist
- Weldon, Angeline – Civil War Army Nurse
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Click this link to Join Us! (Membership)
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