Lawrence • Eudora • Baldwin City • Lecompton
Creating a naturally beautiful smile designed specifically for you!
Fine Arts Unique • Affordable • Functional
family feel at home!” g bi r ou es ak m ce offi r’s ba “Dr. Ranj
-The Zicker Family
Featuring the original handmade works oF over 300 local, regional and national artisans. • Pottery • Blown Glass • Jewelry • Woodwork • Textiles and much more
Contact us for a complimentary consultation today!
“The most wonderful part of our practice is when your family becomes part of ours.” – Ranjbar Orthodontics
Making Lawrence Families Smile for Over 15 Years.
Visit us in beautiful downtown Lawrence, Kansas! 825 Massachusetts street Lawrence Ks - 785.843.0080 Also shop at:
www.phoenixgalleryks.com
www.ranjbarorthodontics.com 4828 Quail Crest Place | 785-832-1844 Lawrence’s only Premier Preferred Invisalign Provider
st e b e th Only rm fres h in fa Oduce pr es h r f & meat Lawrence, KS
checkersfoods.com “Like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter @checkersFoods!
welcome behind the cover Jack Adams, Hobbs employee, demonstrates the proper approach to shopping in Downtown Lawrence.
The Douglas County Newcomers Guide, the region’s top guide for newcomers, is released annually by: Sunflower Publishing 645 New Hampshire St. Lawrence, KS 66044 (888) 497-8668 www.sunflowerpub.com Editor
Nathan Pettengill Graphic Designer
Jenni Leiste Photography
Jason Dailey Shauna Swanson, Hobbs co-owner, prepares her store window for the cover photo shoot.
“Gone to Kansas”—
that’s the phrase used in some of my family history chronicles to explain the family branches that left Maine and Massachusetts in the mid-1850s to go West. And, just to be clear, it wasn’t an expression of admiration. “Gone to Kansas” was the same as “kaboom and kaput.” More than 100 years later, we realize some people still feel that way. Believe us, we’ve heard the “Wizard of Oz” jokes, the “flyover state” references, etc. It’s OK. All is forgiven. After all, how were they to know? But you know better—or we hope you will. Douglas County—the one in Kansas—is a collection of vibrant, inclusive, forward-thinking, education-orientated communities rooted in a progressive, professional heritage with, yes, distinctly Midwest overtones. Think of it as the intersection of savvy and just-plain-nice. It’s a combination that we tried to convey with our cover shoot of the window display at Hobbs, a downtown Lawrence shop and literal cornerstone of the local business community that is as hip as it is friendly. Our guide hopes to be an introduction and reflection of that spirit. Here, you will find needed references and contact information to smooth your initial transition into the region, as well as sections on the quirky and delightful aspects of Douglas County. Obviously, there’s a lot more to the communities than can be covered in one guide. But we think you’ll gain an understanding of the region’s spirit. We’re glad you are considering or have already “gone to Kansas”—and we want to help you discover and explore the best spot in the state. Welcome to Douglas County. — Nathan, Editor
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
contributing writer
Darin M. White Copy Editors
Lauren Beatty Deron Lee Kate Simons account executive
Joanne Morgan Coordinator
Jenni Leiste Publisher
Bert Hull
REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED The Douglas County Newcomers Guide strives to help new residents adapt to and enjoy their new hometown. Our recommendations and listings are not comprehensive. This guide will refer you to outside publications and websites for additional information. All data and listings are subject to change. The Douglas County Newcomers Guide cannot assume responsibility for outside information, errors or omissions. Any inaccuracies, changes or additions can be directed to Sunflower Publishing.
5
LMH
contents
table of contents Lawrence
map
24
VERITAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL MCDONALD DR
13
KASOLD
8
DEERFIELD ELEMENTARY
Post Office/Libraries Hospitals City Government Museums
AVE
Schools/Universities
LAWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
CE
Golf
BURC PARK
LAWRENCE COUNTRY CLUB & GOLF COURSE
FREE STATE HIGH
Info Transportation
CLINTON PARK
EN
INDOOR AQUATIC CENTER
Points of Interests
LA WR
Hiking
SIXTH STREET
POST SKATE PARK
Old West Lawrence
DISC GOLF COURSE
East Lawrence Oread
CENTENNIAL PARK
QUAIL RUN PARK
HILLCREST ELEMENTARY
MONTESSORI CHILDREN’S HOUSE
ST. JO CATH SCH SPENCER MUSEUM OF ART NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
ST
ORCHARDS EXECUTIVE GOLF COURSE
BOB BILLINGS PARKWAY LIED CENTER DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS ALVAMAR COUNTRY CLUB
I
CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL
QUAIL RUN ELEMENTARY
D RIVE
W A K A R U S A D RIVE
LAWRENCE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
WATKINS MUSE OF HISTORY
WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
DAD PERRY PARK
CENTUR SCHOO NINTH STREET
SUNSET HILL ELEMENTARY
West Lawrence
LANGSTON HUGHES ELEMENTARY
PINC ELEM
SIXTH STREET
GREYHOUND BUS LINES
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE HIGH
ALVAMAR GOLF CLUB ALVAMAR LAKE
SCHWEGLER ELEMENTARY
RAINTREE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
BISHOP SEABURY ACADEMY
SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX
23RD ST
C L I N T O N PA R K W AY
LAWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SOUTH
SUNFLOWER ELEMENTARY
HOLCOM SPORTS COMPLEX
NAISMITH VALLEY PARK
HOLCOM PARK
BROKEN ARROW ELEMENTARY
HOLCOM PARK RECREATION CENTER
27
31
EAGLE BEND GOLF COURSE
10
43
POST OFFICE 31ST ST
CLINTON STATE PARK
CLINTON LAKE
8 Visions of Douglas Co. Three artists share their view of Douglas County through their work and life.
13
24
LAWRENCE VIRTUAL SCHOOL
27
SOUTH LAWRENCE TRAFFICWAY MULTISPORT PATH
31
the community spots
lawrence map
Douglas County Voices
finding your spot
Community overviews to help you find your own best spot in Douglas County.
An annotated pullout map of Douglas County’s capital and largest city.
Read about Douglas County through the voices of people who share your interests.
An introduction to local food, Your spot in the parade, Essential resource guide.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
43 Our Spot in History … A cursory overview of selected events in the history of Douglas County.
7
Arts
Story by Darin M. White • Photography by Jason Dailey
Visions of Douglas County
“We come and go, but the land is always here. And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it—for a little while.” -- Alexandra Bergson in Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! What does Douglas County look like? Darin M. White visited with three fellow regional artists to view the land through the eyes of people “who own it—for a little while.”
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2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
Arts
Name:
Debra Clemente Hometown:
Lawrence
Years in Douglas County:
36
Originally from:
Ottawa, Kansas Specialty:
Bold, vividly colorful oil paintings Website:
www.artistdeb.com
Debra Clemente Stole My Heart Oil on Canvas
Debra Clemente’s dad was a county agent, so she spent much of her childhood being driven around and looking at the land. Decades later, she continues these drives, still with an eye on the land. For example, during a recent excursion with her husband, Clemente saw grasses with light shining through and was so inspired she had to stop. Having worked and owned two businesses, Clemente returned to painting full-time after her children left for college.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
She describes her landscapes as a good “excuse to play with and express color.” Through experimentation, some due to health issues, such as food allergies (ironically including wheat, which she paints over and over), Clemente developed a style based on using a large palette knife to apply oil paint to large canvases and scrape off as much, if not more, than she applies. It is an approach that facilitates Clemente’s self-described goal of capturing “the essence” more than the details. But the details of the land continue to inspire. At the root of her images, she says, are her memories of the numerous times “when I stop and look.”
9
Arts
Story by Darin M. White • Photography by Jason Dailey
Name:
Karen Matheis Hometown:
Lawrence
Years in Douglas County:
29
Originally from:
Overland Park, Kansas Specialty:
Expressive, colorful, abstracted paintings Website:
www.woodcuts.org
Karen Matheis Untitled
Oil on prepared paper As she commutes through Douglas County to her job, Karen Matheis witnesses a landscape that is “different every day.” So, naturally, each of her paintings of this land becomes a different patchwork quilt of color and geometric shapes. “Memory,” “familiar,” “vivid,” “instinctual,” “known” and “empty” are all words Matheis uses to describe the places she has passed since beginning her daily drive in 1991. Over these years, Matheis has seen the landscape change and will often remove new manmade structures to depict the land as she remembers it—and to emphasize the broad swathes of sky. “Isn’t the sky just amazing?
10
I have such a thrill for the sky,” she explains. Matheis says she paints abstracted, adjusted compositions, filling in the empty space with her saturated impressions of complementing colors— allowing the sky and the land to form a duet in the final work as well as in the process of creation. Having studied printmaking with John Talleur and painting with Richard Dishinger while earning her undergraduate degree at Kansas University, Matheis also cites Willem de Kooning and Richard Diebenkorn as two artists who have influenced her work from a conceptual approach. “If the feeling is captured, I consider it a successful painting,” she says. “I want my work to be accessible.”
2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
Arts
Mick Braa
Wakarusa Valley (before Clinton Lake) Dyes and water based pigments on canvas
Having lived in rural Eudora since 1974, Mick Braa merges memory, imagination and the current-day vista to depict a colorful valley of wildflowers and native grasses before the region was intentionally flooded to create Clinton Lake. The result is a landscape that Braa describes as “pulling memories into form” and “not quite divorcing yourself from the past.” Braa, who keeps a walking path through the prairie on his property, has an interest in the land that goes back to his high school days and his love of science. The details of how the world works translates into his paintings as he dissects, deconstructs and reconstructs. Braa’s landscape also reflects the influence of his mentor, Tom Russell (himself a student of Thomas Hart Benton), not only in the finished product but also the process. “Use the landscape instead of rendering it” is a slogan he, in turn, has passed to a younger generation of students in Douglas County.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
Name:
Mick Braa Hometown:
Eudora
Years in Douglas County:
39
Originally from:
Northwestern Colorado Specialty:
Fantastically strange and complex dye-painted fabric wall hangings Website:
www.braahausstudio.net
11
the community
spots
Community overviews to help you find your own best spot in Douglas County
Interior of a private home northeast of Lawrence.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
13
The community Spots
Douglas County Essential Newcomer Contacts: Westar Energy www.westarenergy.com (800) 383-1183
Black Hills (Gas) www.blackhillsenergy.com (888) 890-5554 Douglas County Government www.douglas-county.com (785) 832-5268 Sheriff’s Office www.dgso.org (785) 841-0007 County Health Dept. www.ldchealth.org (785) 843-0721 Douglas County Senior Services www.dgcoseniorservices.org (785) 842-0543 Lawrence Memorial Hospital www.lmh.org (785) 505-5000
lecompton
K an
r sas Rive
lawrence eudora
Clinton Lake
douglas county
Signal Hill, north of Baldwin, commands beautiful autumn views of Douglas County. (Top) A private barn north of Lawrence is made from the area’s natural limestone rock.
Baldwin City
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2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
The community Spots
KANSAs By the Numbers*
By the Numbers* Population: Persons per square mile: Percentage of adults with high school diploma: Percentage of adults with bachelor’s degree or higher: Average household income: Average home value:
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Essential Newcomer Contacts:
Newcomers can register to vote through the Office of the County Clerk at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., Lawrence. (785) 832-5167. Out-of-state newcomers can file for a Kansas driver’s license, vehicle registration and vehicle license plate at the Douglas County branch of the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles at 1035 N. 3rd St. Suite 122, Lawrence. (785) 843-9593.
the case for kansas...
Safe cities, strong public schools, clean air, affordable housing, local foods, extensive system of parks, recreational areas and scenic byways … plus, being a Kansan automatically grants you permission to wear that cowboy hat and those cowboy boots you’ve always desired.
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Fun Facts Home state of: U.S. President
Dwight D. Eisenhower, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, aircraft designer Clyde Vernon Cessna, jazz legend Charlie Parker, Saturday Night Live cast member Jason Sudeikis, country singer Melissa Etheridge and Clark Kent (Superman).
also adopted by the Spanish Air Force, cities in Brazil, Canada and the Netherlands, and Star Trek Fleet Command (in the 2005 Star Trek: Enterprise television series). Lawrence honors the motto with a beer Ad Astra Ale (Free State Brewery) and the indie rock band Ad Astra per Aspera.
History: Kansas officially Motto: Ad astra, per aspera (to Long became a U.S. state in 1861, but the stars, through difficulties)—is a tribute to pioneers and simply, in our opinion, one of the best state mottos. Apparently we aren’t alone in favoring the phrase,
nomadic regional settlements are believed to date to 7000 B.C. The name “Kansas” comes from the Kansa Indians, whose name means “people of the southwind.”
Road Trip!
Moving to Kansas allows you to take short day trips within the state to: tour a working buffalo ranch, ride a horse across the Flint Hills, become inspired at one of the nation’s largest space exploration museums, feel the roar of NASCAR races, hear one of several award-winning symphonies, examine works by Georgia O’Keefe, Claude Monet and other world artists … and even witness Truckhenge! See www.travelks.com for endless ideas.
2013/2014
Wayne Copp runs Tall Grass Bison Ranch near Auburn, Kansas. (Above) Exhibits at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum focus on the former president’s military and political career, as well as his connections to Kansas.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
The community Spots
Lecompton By the Numbers* Population:
Population in 1850-1860:
Number of panels in the Lecompton Quilt:
Years of operation, Kroger’s Country Meats:
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Bald Eagle (Lecompton Historical Society)
Essential Newcomer Contacts: Lecompton Police Department (785) 887-6407
Lecompton Fire/EMS (785) 887-6991 Lecompton City Hall www.lecompton.org (785) 887-6407
must-see:
The town’s history and its role in “Bleeding Kansas” is told through three historic landmarks open to the public: Territorial Capitol, Constitution Hall and Democratic Headquarters. www.lecomptonkansas.com
Read More:
For information about new community events, see the grassroots Lecompton site www.lecomptoncommunitypride.org or look for the organization on Facebook.
Scenic River Road near Lecompton offers one of the region’s best fall drives. (Right) Lecompton’s Constitutional Hall saw witnessed political battles between Free-State and pro-slavery delegates in the late 1850s.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
lecompton Must-See: Nature:
One of the region’s most scenic autumn drives goes through Lecompton. Begin at Lawrence, traveling north on Kasold Drive until it ends. Turn left (west) on North 1800 Road and then right (north) to East 1150 Road (or Scenic River Road) into Lecompton. In Lecompton, turn right on County Road 1029, then left onto County Road 1023. Once through Lecompton, turn right on East 500 Road and follow it along the river bluff.
History, History, History:
Lecompton figures prominently in the history of Kansas statehood as the territorial capital from 18551861. Here, politicians drafted the infamous Lecompton Constitution, a document that would have allowed for slavery in Kansas. It was passed to the U.S. Congress, where it was rejected largely through the political efforts of Senator Stephen A. Douglas—for whom Douglas County would be named.
17
The community Spots
BALDWIN
CITY By the Numbers* Population:
Population of city during annual Maple Leaf Festival:
Median household income:
Median house value:
Public school average student/teacher ratio:
Distances for Maple Leaf Triathlon, Youth Division:
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau and City of Baldwin City
Essential Newcomer Contacts: Baldwin City Police Department (785) 594-3850
Baldwin City Fire Department (785) 594-3678
Midland Railway runs excursion trains from the Baldwin station, including special dinner trains (upper right).
Baldwin City Hall www.baldwincity.org (785) 594-6427 Baldwin City Recreation Commission www.baldwinrec.org (785) 594-3670
18
Fall colors line the roads outside of Baldwin City during the annual Maple Leaf Festival.
2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
Midland Railway Historical Association 1515 W. High Street Baldwin City, KS 66006-0005 Phone (913) 721-1211 Depot (785) 594-6982 www.midlandrailway.org
Railway operates excursion e originally constructed in des feature an over 20p from Baldwin City via ansas” to Ottawa Junction, ing through scenic Eastern and and woods via vintage ment. The Midland Railway y volunteer-staffed, non-profit 501c3, common carrier ated to preserve and display transportation history as an emonstration railroad. Join us for a train ride – bring the We are in easy reach of Kansas City, Overland Park, wa and Lawrence, Topeka, and nearby communities. rmal excurions trains June-October every year.
Baldwin City Must-See:
Operations Beginning Late 2012!
1) Downtown Walk: Walk around the historic city square, grab a
lunch and stroll across the grounds of Baker University (founded in 1858, it is the state’s oldest). You can also catch a special exhibit at the Lumberyard Arts Center (www.lumberyardartscenter.org)
2) All-Aboard: Whether it’s a special run of Thomas the Tank Engine or a dinner mystery theatre, the historic Midland Railway offers pleasure rides for families, couples or groups. www.midland-ry.org or www.kansasbelle.com
Special Events Include; Easter Bunny Train Thomas the Tank Engine Haunted Halloween Train Santa Express
Midland Railway Historical Association Join us for a train ride -bring the whole family! Normal excursioN traiNs Midland Railway Historical JuNe Association - october
special events include:
1515 W. High Street Baldwin City, 66006-0005 • RailKSFest Phone (913)Halloween 721-1211 Train • Haunted Depot (785) • Santa594-6982 Express www.midlandrailway.org
• Easter Bunny Train
The Midland Railway operates excursion trains on a line originally constructed in 1867. Train rides feature an over 20mile round trip from Baldwin City via “Norwood, Kansas” to Ottawa Junction, Kansas, traveling through scenic Eastern Kansas farmland and woods via vintage railway equipment. The Midland Railway is a completely volunteer-staffed, non-profit 501c3, common carrier railroad operated to preserve and display transportation history as an educational demonstration railroad. Join us for a train ride – bring the whole family! We are in easy reach of Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Ottawa and Lawrence, Topeka, and nearby communities. Normal excurions trains June-October every year.
1515 High St. Baldwin City, KS Phone (913) 721-1211 Depot (785) 594-6982 www.midlandrailway.org
Special Events Include; Easter Bunny Train Thomas the Tank Engine Haunted Halloween Train Santa Express
A long running tradition of 24 yeras is 3) Go Maple: Held on the third full weekend in October, Baldwin coming to Baldwin City, KS Operations City’s Maple Leaf Festival is the town’s largest celebration, with parades, concerts and other events to celebrate the fall colors surrounding the city. www.mapleleaffestival.com
Beginning 5-course evening Dinner Meals & casual Sunday 3-course meal 2012! Guide Reminisce cars 19 our 1940’s Era decoratedLate Douglas County Newcomers 2013/2014 as you travel in A long running tradition of 24 yeras is coming to Baldwin City, KS
See Kaw Valley Bank for your home loan needs. Kaw Valley Bank is pleased to announce that we are now offering Mobile Banking and SMS Text Banking Check us out @
739 Main, Eudora Ks. 66025
www.kawvalleystatebank.com
(785) 542-4200
Your locally owned hometown bank established 1899.
Established in 1899
“More Than Bankers...We’re Your Neighbors”
The community Spots
eudora
You’re Invited:
The city boasts two large annual festivals. The EudoraFest, held in early October, features parades, musical performances and historical reenactments. The CPA Picnic, held each July, is a 111-year-old annual celebration of the town’s history.
By the Numbers* Population:
Percentage of adults with high school diploma:
Percentage of adults with bachelor’s degree or higher:
Home ownership rate:
Median household income:
Median house value:
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Essential Newcomer Contacts:
fun facts Cure-all: Founded near the confluence of the Wakarusa and Kansas (or “Kaw”) rivers, Eudora was also briefly the home of a mineral-springs resort in the 1880s whose owners promised waters that were “warranted to cure all diseases arising from bad blood, rheumatism, gout, liver complaints, disease of the kidneys, dyspepsia, indigestion, general debility, nervous and female diseases and all other chronic diseases.” (Source: Cindy Higgins’ www.eudorakshistory.com )
Trail reminders: Both the Santa Fe and the Oregon trails passed through Douglas County, and the Oregon Trail ran very close to Eudora, crossing over the Wakarusa at “Bluejacket Crossing.” Reminders of the pioneer heritage are found in the contemporary Bluejacket Crossing Vineyard and Winery (www. bluejacketwinery.com) and the B’nai Israel Cemetery south of Eudora, reflecting the town’s strong heritage of Jewish families among its earliest settlers.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
Eudora Police Department (785) 542-3121 Eudora Township Fire Department (785) 542-2800 City of Eudora Fire Department www.eudorafire.org (785) 542-3653
In Honor of: Eudora is
named after the daughter of a Shawnee Indian leader who sold the land to a German settlement organization in 1857. A copy of the deed and the only known portrait of Eudora are displayed at the Eudora Community Museum, Church and 15th streets. (785) 690-7900
Eudora City Hall www.cityofeudoraks.gov (785) 542-2153
Eudora honors Paschal Fish and his daughter, Eudora, with a statue in the town’s center.
Eudora Public Library www.eudorapubliclibrary.org (785) 542-2496
21
The community Spots
lawrence By the Numbers* Population:
Percentage of adults with high school diploma:
Percentage of adults with bachelor’s degree or higher:
Veterans:
Median household income:
Median house value:
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Essential Newcomer Contacts: City Offices www.ci.lawrence.ks.us (785) 832-3000
Fire & Medical Department www.lawrenceks.org/fire_medical (785) 830-7000 Police Department police.lawrenceks.org (785) 830-7400 Department of Utilities www.lawrenceks.org/utilities/home (785) 832-7878 Public Library www.lawrence.lib.ks.us (785) 843—3833 Lawrence Transit System www.lawrencetransit.org (785) 864-4644 Parks & Recreation www.lawrenceks.org/lprd (785) 832-3450 Lawrence Convention & Visitor Bureau www.visitlawrence.com (785) 865-4499 Lawrence Journal-World www.ljworld.com (785) 843-1000
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Lawrence Must-See: Downtown district:
Lawrence boasts one of those rare exceptions—a historic downtown district that remains the heart of a city. Centered on Massachusetts Street (or “Mass. Street”), the area features local-owned boutiques, bookstores, restaurants and music venues as well as several offices and city departments. If you are coming by car, look for the city parking garage on the 900 block of Vermont Street (across from the Arts Center) and spend the day exploring downtown.
The Levee: Lawrence’s early development was tied to the Kansas (or “Kaw” River) and it continues to be a focal point of recreation for residents. Joggers and bikers love the levee trail along the river’s north side while families and the university crew teams often gather at Burcham Park, along the south side of the river.
Booth Family Hall of Athletics: Catch up on the University of Kansas Jayhawk sporting history at this on-campus museum (some might call it a “shrine”) open to the public.
Tri-athlete competitors rush into Lawrence’s Clinton Lake.
Lawrence Loves …
Lawrence’s pet community is huge, with volunteer organizations and numerous pet-centered retail businesses. Dogs will love the city’s off-leash dog park at 1330 E. 902 Road; in all other locations, Lawrence has a leash law. The city also has a pet excrement law, and pets must wear a collar with a current tag indicating they have been vaccinated for rabies.
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
23
Lawrence KASOLD
map
DEERFIELD ELEMENTARY
Post Office/Libraries Hospitals City Government Museums
AVE
Schools/Universities
INDOOR AQUATIC CENTER
Points of Interests
FREE STATE HIGH
Info
LA WR
Hiking
EN
CE
Golf
LAWRENCE COUNTR CLUB & GOLF COURS
THEATRE LAWRENCE SIXTH STREET
Transportation
GREYHOUND BUS LINES
SKAT
Old West Lawrence
DISC GOLF COURSE
East Lawrence Oread
CENT PARK
SUNSET HILL ELEMENTARY
West Lawrence QUAIL RUN PARK
W A K A R U S A D RIVE
LAWRENCE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL
WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
DAD PERRY PARK
QUAIL RUN ELEMENTARY
D RIVE
LANGSTON HUGHES ELEMENTARY
MONT CHILDREN’S
ORCHARDS EXECUTIVE GOLF COURSE
BOB BILLINGS PARKWAY LIED CENTER DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS ALVAMAR COUNTRY CLUB
ALVAMAR GOLF CLUB ALVAMAR LAKE
RAINTREE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
BISHOP SEABURY ACADEMY
C L I N T O N PA R K W AY
LAWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SOUTH SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX
SUNFLOWER ELEMENTARY
HOLCOM COMPLE HOLCOM PARK
HOLCOM PARK RECREATION CENTER EAGLE BEND GOLF COURSE
10 CLINTON STATE PARK
CLINTON LAKE
LAWRENCE VIRTUAL SCHOOL
31ST ST
PRAIRIE MOON SCHOOL LAWRENCE M U N I C I PA L AIRPORT
MCDONALD DR
VERITAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
RY SE
N SECOND ST
BURCHAM PARK
LAWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
CLINTON PARK
TE PARK
CITY HALL
POST OFFICE
DOUGLAS CO. SENIOR SERVICES
TENNIAL K
WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY KANSAS RIVER LEVEE TRAILS
PINCKNEY ELEMENTARY
SIXTH STREET
LAWRENCE VISITOR CENTER
LAWRENCE TRANSIT SYSTEM/ CITY PARKING GARAGE NEW YORK ELEMENTARY
WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY
CE R IV E R FR
HOBBS PARK MEMORIAL
ONT
PA R K KA NS A
S R IV
ER
HOBBS PARK
HILLCREST ELEMENTARY
COURTHOUSE ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL
LIBERTY MEMORIAL CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
ST I UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
LAWRENCE ARTS CENTER & PRESCHOOL
SOUTH PARK MASSACHUSETTS ST
SPENCER MUSEUM OF ART NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
BOOTH FAMILY HALL OF ATHLETICS
EAST LAWRENCE REC CENTER
19TH ST LOUISIANA ST
SCHWEGLER ELEMENTARY
KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
DOUGLAS COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
Services Hospitals
HASKELL CULTURAL CENTER & MUSEUM
SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL BROKEN ARROW PARK
City Government
H A S K E L L AV E
NAISMITH VALLEY PARK
R
LAWRENCE COMMUNITY SHELTER
10
23RD ST
BROKEN ARROW ELEMENTARY
15TH ST
CORDLEY ELEMENTARY
LAWRENCE HIGH
M SPORTS EX
REN
PUBLIC LIBRARY
CENTURY SCHOOL NINTH STREET
TESSORI S HOUSE
L AW
AMTRAK STATION
Museums Schools/Universities
PRAIRIE PARK NATURE CENTER
PRAIRIE PARK
Golf
PRAIRIE PARK ELEMENTARY
Selected Hiking
Points of Interest neighborhoods Info
Transportation Neighborhoods Old West Lawrence
POST OFFICE
East Lawrence Oread West Lawrence North Lawrence Pinckney Sunset Hills Quail Run Indian Hills
SOUTH LAWRENCE TRAFFICWAY MULTISPORT PATH
Prairie Park
Automotive Serving Lawrence for over 35 years!
Main Location 23rd & alabama
Service DepartMent 23rd & alabama
new Quick Lane tire & auto center 23rd & alabama
coLLiSion repair 814 w. 23rd St.
new HyunDai 2829 iowa St.
2 pre-owneD LocationS 23rd & alabama and 2829 iowa St.
Quick Service 2829 iowa St.
Nobody beats a Laird NoLLer deaL Largest seLections
of new & Pre-owned Vehicles
exceLLent
customer service
exPerienced staff
Quick LANe Tire & AuTo ceNTer
at 23rd & Alabama
New and
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23rd & Alabama • 843-3500 • www.LairdNoller.com
Douglas County
Voices Who speaks for Douglas County? Nobody. After all, no one voice should represent a region this diverse. But many voices might make a good start. Get up to speed on community news and themes by sampling the musings of these Douglas County personalities. Whether it’s local sports, town hall discussions or a rockin’ movie review, there’s a theme worth reading from a source in your new home county.
katy
ibsen
flint Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
Colorado transplant Katy Ibsen wears multiple hats in her work as a magazine editor, including her roles as managing editor for Kansas! magazine, editor for Discover Eudora magazine and editor for Kansas Outdoors guide. It’s a profession that calls on her to make contacts across the state and become an expert in everything from where to find the region’s best fishing spots to who makes Eudora’s best homemade pie. From her home in Lawrence, Ibsen is involved in many nonprofit groups, including the Lawrence Humane Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters. You may catch her running around town with her fur child, Flint the whippet. “The thing about Douglas County is that it is still authentic. Midwestern values abound, creativity is nurtured, food is grown locally and activities are fostered by the community,” writes Ibsen. “Where else can you find that kind of presence in a hometown?” Follow her travels at: www.kansasmag.com
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jessica jen
eric
sarah
They are “really onery.” They “have never met a fence that they won’t test.” Those are just two of the endearing characteristics of boar goats that Jessica Pierson and Jen Humphrey have learned since starting Red Tractor Farm in 2008. Their Baldwin City farm is named in honor of Pierson’s father and, in particular, one of his red tractors that she inherited and had repaired after his death. Since that time, Pierson and Humphrey have become experts in raising meat goats and a variety of vegetables. They also have added a flock of chickens whose eggs are sold to a local cupcake bakery. Pierson and Humphrey post occasional news from their farm—look for photographs of incredibly cute baby goats each spring at: www.theredtractorfarm.com
How’s this for a resume combo: marketing manager, rock-band drummer, television movie reviewer and U.S. Air Guitar Championship Hall of Fame inductee. Dynamite? Ubër-dynamite. As a movie critic, Eric Melin, says his Midwest background and friendships with local filmmakers shape the snark-free tone of his reviews. “I try to delve into what made the movie work, and if I thought it didn’t work—rather than being a jerk—I try to explain what I don’t like about it.” For newcomers, Melin recommends viewing modern local classics like Patrick Rea’s Nailbiter and Kevin Willmott’s C.S.A. or Jayhawkers. Melin’s reviews appear in several locations, but his comments on the local film scene are included at: www.lawrence.com/weblogs/scenestealers
When Sarah Henning returned to Kansas after a career spell in Florida, she rediscovered the depth of locally grown food at farmers’ markets. A newspaper reporter at the time, Henning explored recipes for the seasonal produce available from local growers and community supported agriculture services (CSA). Her blog, “Eat Your Vegetables” at www.lawrence.com, includes a weekly recipe using food she receives from her Douglas County CSA provider, with everything from green smoothies to local-veggie stir fry. Her column “Delicious/Nutritious” at www.ljworld.com pairs Henning with dessert specialist Megan Stuke. They take the same ingredient to provide the core for two recipes—one sweet, the other health-savvy. Whether it’s kale, kohlrabi, Italian frying peppers or something else fresh and local, Henning has a recipe for you. Read more of her latest food updates at: www.theunprocessedlife.wordpress.com
Pierson&Humphrey Melin
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Henning
2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
chad
Lawhorn
Fighting bulls, herding cats, lining up ducks— choose any metaphor and chances are it applies to Chad Lawhorn’s work as the Lawrence JournalWorld’s city correspondent. In fact, Lawhorn might have already used that metaphor in one of his columns. The Eudora resident balances facts-only reporting with a popular series of folksy columns and “Town Talk” reports featuring local personalities. “It’s a good town because it’s a small town still in a lot of ways, so you have a chance to meet a lot of people,” says Lawhorn. The award-winning journalist says there are many regions where people care about the future, “but we maybe go the extra step because we have a lot of folks who definitely aren’t shy about expressing their thoughts and concerns.” Read his latest at: www.ljworld.com/staff/chad_lawhorn Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
julia
Good Fox
An instructor at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Good Fox’s academic work focuses on identity and decolonization. The Pawnee Nation citizen also touches on the history of Lawrence before European settlement, Native cinema perspectives and local politics. Her writings balance the American Indian community’s need to preserve its heritage with a mission of fostering contact in the national culture. The history of the Douglas County region, Good Fox says, has a “whole complexity and mess of contradictions—you have abolitionists settling the area and yet this handling of Haskell from an anti-Indian perspective. There is still that underlying tension, but we move forward.” Good Fox’s writing can be found at a variety of locations, but she is most prolific at: www.twitter.com/goodfox
matt
tait
Basketball is big—no, huge—in Lawrence. After all, this is where the sport’s inventor, James Naismith, coached the first University of Kansas team and where the KU men’s squad makes an annual bid for the national NCAA championship title. But there’s room in the universe for other sports, and Matt Tait bears much of the responsibility for raising the region’s interest in football through his reporting at the Lawrence Journal-World. “It’s been an awesome challenge to try to generate the same kind of interest for a program that has typically lived in the shadows of basketball,” says Tait. “Everyone wants to root for a winner, but even when they aren’t a winner, the football fans keep that support and hunger.” You can read Tait’s football news and follow other seasonal collegiate sports at: www.kusports.com
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Finding your spot
finding your
spot!
An introduction to local food Your spot in the parade Essential resource guide
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
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Douglas Co.
We all love a parade, right? Discover your perfect parade match with this FindYour-Douglas-County-Parade Flow Chart.
Loves a Parade! start here
animal human
A horse, of course.
Turtle
Horse? Turtle? Pet? Farm Animal?
Animal
Then you’ll be the star of the parade at Lawrence’s annual Old-Fashioned Christmas parade. Held each December and featuring riders, wagons and dozens and dozens of horses, it is the premier horse parade of the Midwest. www.lawrencechristmasparade.org
or
Pet Make like a rabbit and win the annual Box Turtle race at the Vinland Fair in August. www.vinlandfair.blogspot.com
Farmin’ & I Love It
Human
From show pigs to well-dressed llamas, the annual Douglas County Fair is the place to strut your stuff if you’re a groomed and beautiful farm animal. www.dgcountyfair.com
Just checking, are you elvis?
Neither
I am. Are you lonesome tonight?
Marching Bands
No.
Then you must come to the Elvis Ends Polio charity run/walk. Held in June at Lawrence. www.elvisendspolio.org
play or watch?
ok, then what speaks to your soul?
Nature Watch
National
Championship
Community
Stars & Stripes It’s hometown hospitality at its best as nearly the entire town comes out for these parades: Eudora CPA held in late July (www.facebook.com/ EudoraCPA), Lecompton Territorial Days held in late June (www.facebook.com/ lecomptonterritorialdays), and Baldwin’s Maple Leaf Festival held in mid-October (www.mapleleaffestival.com).
Low-key but elegant. Children wave flags and parade under a canopy of trees in the Old West Lawrence Fourth of July Parade.
Play
Mother Nature’s top choice for you: Lawrence’s Earth Day parade https://lawrenceks.org/wrr/earthday
It doesn’t happen every year, but it might. When KU’s men’s basketball team advances in the NCAA tournament, thousands of fans parade through the streets of Lawrence. Raucous but civil.
then what are you?
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2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
Zombies of all ages shuffle through Lawrence each October. www.lawrencezombiewalk.blogspot.com
Join wheeled spaceships, surfboard bicycles and other wacky things on wheels for Lawrence’s annual vroom-vroom mobile art parade held in early summer. www.arttougeau.org
There’s always room in the band for one more player at the Lawrence Mardi Gras day parade.
Listen to dozens of bands march through Lawrence for the annual KU Band Day parade. www2. ku.edu/~kumband/ band-day
Photographs: Jason Dailey for Sunflower Publishing, Shutterstock and Kevin Anderson, Richard Gwin, Nick Krug and Mike Yoder for Lawrence Journal-World.
Of course you are, my wee magical one. And Lawrence has the big St. Pat’s party parade just for you. www.lawrencestpatricksdayparade.com
Dogs lead off the parade at Lawrence Humane Society’s annual Mutt ’n’ Strut each summer. www.lawrencehumane.org If you’re a cat, let’s be honest— you’d rather stay home and nobody is going to get you to march in line—but there is an annual parade of feline beauties at the annual ACFA cat show held at the Douglas County Fairgrounds each summer. www.acfacat.com
Hot rods. Rat rods. Muscle cars. Oh, yeah! Lawrence’s annual Rev It Up Hot Rod Hullaballo held in September. www.revitupcarshow.com
Zombie Speed (with beauty)
Leprechaun Beauty (with speed)
Beauty on Wheels
Santa Claus
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
Get jolly with your own kind, boss elf! It’s Lawrence’s annual parade/pub crawl for St. Nick. www.santaconlawrence.com
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Red Russian Kale from Mellowfields Urban Farm
Give ’em! Downtown Lawrence Farmers’ Market The producer-only, granddaddy-of-them-all featuring more than 90 vendors. 800 New Hampshire St. / April-November / Saturday 7-11 a.m. (8-11 a.m. for November) 800 Rhode Island St. / May-October / Tuesday 4-6 p.m.
www.lawrencefarmersmarket.com
Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market
kale!
Regional growers with live music and local Free State Brewery beer on tap. 1832 Massachusetts St. (back lot) / May-October / Thursday 4-6:30 p.m.
www.cottinshardware.com/farmersmarket
Baldwin Farmers Market Home-baked goods and fresh produce. 720 High Street / June-September / 7:30 a.m.-noon
BBQ Sauce
from Cooks BBQ
It’s true—Douglas County farmers didn’t invent the word “localvore,” but that’s only because they were too busy working the land. Even before it had a name, the culture of local food has always been an integral part of a region hosting the state’s longest continually operating farmers’ market, several fresh-food subscription co-ops (CSAs), a thriving urban chicken community and an annual farm tour as well as pick-your-own fruits and vegetables venues. Here’s a guide to the regional growing season, with a few tips for finding the perfect spot to fill your food basket.
Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance One of the state’s oldest and biggest networks of farmer-to-consumer delivery co-ops, with a heavy emphasis on vegetables from organiccertified or sustainable/organic-practicing farms. www.rollingprairie.net
Common Harvest Farms A newer CSA with three regional farms and multiple delivery points; growers also emphasize organic and sustainable farming.
Regina dei Ghiacci lettuce from Mellowfields Urban Farm
www.commonharvestfarms.com
Maggie’s Farm A different type of CSA, this one for knitters. Membership brings you an invitation to the farm’s annual wool harvest where you can greet the sheep that will provide you with yarn throughout the year. Bonus—join a knitting circle at Lawrence’s Yarn Barn to improve your craft. www.maggiesfarm-ks.com
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In addition … Look for signs at local groceries indicating their commitment to Douglas County farmers and regional producers. Tour many of the region’s farms and enjoy the chance for one-on-one discussions with the owners (or, in some cases, even their alpacas) at the annual Kaw Valley Farm Tour held in early October. www.kawvalleyfarmtour.org 2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
Snap peas from Johannes family farms
Cookie from Queen of Tarts
Radishes from Central Junior High Garden
Cucumber from MAD Farm Stawberries from Wohletz Farm
Garlic scapes from Coal Creek Farm
Rainbow chard from Johannes family farms
Garlic from Coal Creek Farm
Blueberry Jam
from The Yeast We Can Do
Think seasonal. Many farms host guests for holiday or seasonal events such as the Schaake’s Pumpkin Patch for Halloween, Chestnut Charlie’s for the onset of winter (www.chestnutcharlie.com), Pendleton’s Country Market for asparagus season (www.pendletons.com), or Prairie Elf Christmas Trees for Christmas (www.elftrees.com). Or … visit year-round. Arrange in advance for personal or group tours at many farms. See a beehive exhibit at Blossom Trail Bee Ranch, taste wine at BlueJacket Crossing Vineyard and see a quilting demonstration at Vesecky Family Farms. For a listing of regional farms, go to www.visitlawrence.com/attractions/lawrence-area-farms
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
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spotlight
education • health
Fifth-grade teacher Megan Whitebread pulls out the puppets for special lessons in her Eudora classroom.
EDUCATION Baker University www.bakeru.edu (785) 594-8325 Baldwin City Public Schools USD 348 www.usd348.com (785) 594-2721 Eudora Public Schools USD 491 www.eudoraschools.org (785) 542-4910 Lawrence Public Schools USD 497 www.usd497.org (785) 832-5000 Perry-Lecompton Public Schools USD 343 www.usd343.org (785) 597-5138 University of Kansas www.ku.edu (785) 864-2700
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Kansas State Department of Education Professional Learning Communities (State Board of Education) and home school resources 120 S.E. 10th Ave., Topeka (785) 296-3201 www.ksde.org Bishop Seabury Academy 4120 Clinton Parkway (785) 832-1717 Grades 6 through 12, college preparation www.seaburyacademy.org Century School Inc. 816 Kentucky St. (785) 832-0101 Ages 3 to 12, secular with individualized academics www.CenturySchool.org Corpus Christi Catholic School 6001 Bob Billings Parkway (785) 331-3374 Grades Pre-K through 7 www.corpuschristilks.org Lawrence Arts Center Preschool 940 New Hampshire St. (785) 843-2787 Ages 3 through 6 www.lawrenceartscenter.org/preschool
Lawrence Montessori School 5005 Legends Drive (785) 840-9555 www.lawrencemontessorischool.com Prairie Moon Waldorf School 1853 E. 1600 Road (785) 841-8800 Pre-K through 6 www.prairiemoon.org Raintree Montessori School 4601 Clinton Parkway (785) 843-6800 Toddler through sixth grade www.raintreemontessori.org St. John Catholic School 1208 Kentucky St. (785) 843-9511 Pre-K through 6 www.saint-johns.net/school Veritas Christian School 256 N. Michigan St. (785) 749-0083 Grades K through 12 www.veritaschristianschool.org
HEALTH Lawrence Memorial Hospital www.lmh.org (785) 505-5000 County’s health and emergency services hospital. CLO (Community Living Opportunities) 2113 Delaware St. (785) 865-5520 www.clokan.org Nonprofit services for those with developmental and intellectual disabilities Douglas County AIDS Project United Way Center for Human Services 2518 Ridge Court, Suite 101 (785) 843-0040 www.douglascountyaidsproject.org HIV/AIDS education and prevention services Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association & Hospice 200 Maine St., Suite C (785) 843-3738 www.kansasvna.org Home health care and hospice Haskell Health Center 2415 Massachusetts St. (785) 843-3750 www.ihs.gov Outpatient health services for American Indian community
2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
health
Health Care Access Clinic 330 Maine St. (785) 841-5760 www.healthcareaccess.org Health care for uninsured/low-income individuals Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department 200 Maine St., Suite B (785) 843-0721 www.ldchealth.org Community health program center Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center (785) 843-9192 Lawrence: 200 Maine St., Suite A Eudora: 1310 Winchester Road www.bertnash.org Mental health services Community Developmental Disability Organization (CDDO) Cottonwood Inc. 2801 W. 31st St. (785) 842-0550 Connecting people of all ages with developmental disabilities to area services www.cwood.org DCCCA Inc. 3312 Clinton Parkway (785) 841-4138 www.dccca.org Prevention/treatment of alcohol and drug problems Tim Byers takes on one of the region’s best hill workouts— Peterson Road in Lawrence.
GaDuGi SafeCenter 2518 Ridge Court, Suite 202 (785) 843-8985 www.gadugisafecenter.org Domestic crisis; prevention and support
Jim Whittaker cycles uphill to the campus of the University of Kansas.
Headquarters Counseling Center 211 E. Eighth St., Suite C (785) 841-2345, (888) 899-2345 in Baldwin City www.hqcc.lawrence.ks.us Trained crisis counseling
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
spotlight
KU Child & Family Services Clinic 2021 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Ave. (785) 864-4416 www.ku.edu/~kuclinic Affordable mental health care for children and families KU Psychological Clinic 340 Fraser Hall, 1415 Jayhawk Blvd. (785) 864-4121 www.psych.ku.edu/psych_clinic/clinic/ overview.shtml Affordable mental health care The Willow Domestic Violence Center (785) 843-3333, (800) 770-3030 www.willowdvcenter.org Safe house for battered women and children Community Health Resources Douglas County Senior Services (DCSS) 745 Vermont St. (785) 842-0543 www.dgcoseniorservices.org Senior health, social and resource information Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC) 913 Tennessee St., Suite 2 (785) 842-3088 www.kabc.org tiny-k Early Intervention 2619 W. Sixth St., Suite B (785) 843-3059 www.douglascountytinyk.org Services for young disabled Independence Inc. 2001 Haskell Ave. (785) 841-0333 www.independenceinc.org Independent living resources for disabled
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spotlight
Transportation
TRANSPORTATION Lawrence Transit System – the “T” (785) 864-4644 www.lawrencetransit.org Citywide bus system partnering with University of Kansas transport services
Angelo Ruiz and Adam Pousson cruise through Lawrence on the city’s bicycle lanes.
38
Giles Thompson and Trent Sorensen enjoy some winter standup paddleboarding at Clinton Lake.
Lawrence-Douglas County Bike Plan Resource guide, info and maps to commuter/recreational cycling http://www.lawrenceks.org/mpo/ bicycle_planning GTS (taxi/shuttle) (785) 842-8294 www.gtslawrence.com Kansas City International Airport (MCI) 45 miles northeast of Lawrence via Interestate 70 East and Interstate 435 North (816) 243-5237 www.flykci.com
Lawrence Municipal Airport Hettrick Air Services Inc. 1930 Airport Road (785) 842-0000 www.lawrenceks.org/airport Senior Wheels (785) 865-6925 www.dgcoseniorservices.org Low-cost transport for residents 60 and older Independence, Inc. (785) 841-0333 www.independenceinc.org Wheelchair accessible door-to-door weekday transport Greyhound Bus Lines (785) 843-5622, (800) 231-2222 2447 W. Sixth St., at the Conoco station www.greyhound.com Amtrak Passenger Station (800) 872-7245 413 E. Seventh St., at the Santa Fe Railway Station www.amtrak.com Jayhawk Taxi (785) 843-8294 www.jayhawktaxionline.com
2013/2014
Douglas County Newcomers Guide
recreation
RECREATION Lawrence Parks & Recreation 947 New Hampshire St., Suite 200B (785) 832-3450 www.lawrenceks.org/lprd Baldwin City Parks and Recreation 715 High St. (785) 594-3670 www.baldwinrec.org Eudora Parks and Recreation 1630 Elm St. (785) 542-1725 www.eudoraparksandrec.org Lawrence Pools List of public pools/lap swimming www.lawrenceks.org/lprd/calendar/ aquatics City has four public pools, including 2 year-round locations Red Dog Days University of Kansas Memorial Stadium and various locations www.reddogsdogdays.org A massive, free community workout program
spotlight
Lawrence Trail Hawks Clinton Lake, Kansas River trails and various locations http://lawrencetrailhawks.com Community of trail and ultra-marathon runners Lawrence Bicycling Club www.lbc-cycling.com Cycling enthusiasts and riding groups Lawrence Mountain Bike Club www.lawrencemountainbikeclub.org For casual and serious mountain bikers; weekly trail rides Kansas Canoe & Kayak Association www.kansascanoe.org A statewide organization with resources and links to local expedition providers and river launch sites
Bruce Liese, owner of Lawrence-based Kansas City Sailing, catches a Kansas breeze.
Free State Fly Fishers www.freestateflyfishers.org Fishing organization with resources for local spots Jayhawk Audubon Society www.jayhawkaudubon.org Local chapter with programmed walks/ outings Alvamar golf course 18-hole courses, one for members and one for public www.alvamar.com
Lawrence Country Club 18-hole course for members www.lawrencecountryclub.com/pages/ Golf/golf-overview.html Eagle Bend Golf Course 18-hole city-owned golf course for public http://lawrenceks.org/lprd/eaglebend
CRITICARE Home Health Services, Inc.
Locally owned & operated for over 25 years.
dining • shopping regions • arts • religion
spotlight
Marisco’s of Lawrence North Lawrence shopping district Lawrence Arts Center gallery Services at the Ninth Street Missionary Baptist Church in Lawrence
DINING
Lawrence Art Guild Gallery Gallery featuring local artists www.lawrenceartguild.org Final Fridays Monthly tour of galleries and art venues www.facebook.com/FFLawrence
Lawrence Originals Organization of local-owned, original restaurants http://www.lawrenceoriginals.com Lawrence Marketplace Comprehensive listing of area restaurants by category www.ljworld.com/marketplace/ categories/food-and-dining/restaurants
Lumberyard Arts Center Baldwin’s home for traveling/local exhibits www.lumberyardartscenter.org
Lawrence.com food columns Reviews of unusual dishes at area restaurants, plus local food recipes www.lawrence.com/news/living/food Lawrence Magazine’s Restaurant Guide Listing and profiles of area restaurants www.sunflowerpub.com/guides Lawrence CVB Restaurant Guide Full listings by categories www.visitlawrence.com/dining
SHOPPING REGIONS Downtown Lawrence Plethora of trendy, local and delightful shops www.downtownlawrence.com
ARTS
RELIGION
Lawrence Arts Center Galleries, classes and performances www.lawrenceartscenter.org
Since the mid-1800s, Douglas County has been a refuge for a multitude of religious communities. While the majority of faith communities are Christian Protestant and Catholic, strong communities of Old German Baptist Brethren, Baha’i, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist and other believers thrive. For a full religious directory with contact information and worship days/ times, see the Saturday editions of the Lawrence Journal-World.
Lied Center of Kansas Live performances by national/world musicians and performers www.lied.ku.edu North Lawrence New center for antiques and rare home goods, centered on 500-800 blocks of Locust Street South Iowa Street (Lawrence) Big-box national chain stores 23rd Street (Lawrence) From Massachusetts to Iowa Street, blend of national chains and local-owned mall stores
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
Theatre Lawrence Community theatre venue www.theatrelawrence.com Spencer Museum of Art University collection of world art, open to public www.spencerart.ku.edu Lawrence ArtWalk Annual tour of artist studios in Douglas County www.lawrenceartwalk.org
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Our Spot in
history A cursory overview of selected events in Douglas County (from 87 million years ago to the present) Lawrence residents pose near the city’s first streetcar, circa 1909. Photograph courtesy: Watkins Community Museum of History
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
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87 million – 82 million years ago
the shootout takes its name for the town of Black Jack which was just east of present-day Baldwin City. The site, which some consider the first true military battle of the Civil War, is now designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Beach Party! Douglas County region borders, and at some times is covered by, the Western Interior Sea, home of mososaurs.
1.8 million – 10,000 years ago Ice age Glaciers cover much of North America. During its largest expansion, a glacier covers northeast Kansas with its southern boundary running approximately halfway through Douglas County. Present-day North Lawrence would have been freezing under ice while Baldwin City would have been—well, still freezing—but not under ice.
Approximately 7,000 years ago This looks like a good spot! Nomadic peoples move into central North America and areas that include Kansas.
Approximately 1750 Elbow room Responding to white settlements in the lower Ohio valley, the Kansa people create settlements in what is now Douglas County. They will remain in the region, forced out by the United States government in 1872.
1821 Westward! A wagon route is charted that becomes the Santa Fe Trail; the trail will operate until the late 1870s and cross through land that is currently Baldwin City.
1830 Temporary quarters Indian Removal Act forces American Indian groups such as the Delaware into Douglas County region—the Delaware are given territory in what is now Northern Lawrence and portions of Douglas County. They won’t have it for long.
Learn about mososaurs, dinosaurs, evolution and much more at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Located on the KU campus at 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard, the museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. with free admission (donations accepted). Perfect for young, curious minds and family outings. For adults, the museum sponsors a series of talks known as “Science on Tap,” where researchers share their work with an audience inside a pub. To find the next event or for more information about the museum, call (785) 864-4450 or go online www.naturalhistory.ku.edu
Water hole Big Springs, a watering stop along the Oregon Trail, becomes the first city in Douglas County. Its anti-slavery residents would host the first free-state convention one year later. Equal and opposite reaction The town of Bald Eagle—later known as “Lecompton”—is founded. It becomes a center for pro-slavery forces. Land rush Emigrant Aid Society in Massachusetts, sponsors settlement in Douglas County region. Growing numbers of free-state forces gather in Lawrence (then still known as “Wakarusa”).
1855 New Capital Lecompton is designated as the capital of the Kansas Territory; it will officially hold that title until 1861.
Meet the Fishes A group of Shawnee Indians, including leader Paschal Fish, arrives into area that becomes Eudora.
Wakarusa War A dispute between free-state and pro-slavery settlers leads to a shooting. The acting territorial governor puts out a call for a militia to put down a “rebellion” in Lawrence. But before an assault is made, the governor negotiates a peace. It doesn’t last long.
1854
1856
Early 1840s
Whites only United States government opens newly created territory of Kansas to settlement, more particularly “white” settlement as various European ethnic groups settle the region. The question of whether or not slavery would be allowed in the territory triggers bloodshed along the KansasMissouri border.
44
First sacking of Lawrence The Douglas County sheriff leads some 800 men into Lawrence to destroy free-state newspapers and blow apart the free-state headquarters. Remember that “equal and opposite reaction”? Abolitionist John Brown and his forces turn the tables on a group of Missourians who arrived to bring him into custody. Known as the “Battle of Black Jack,”
1857 Might as well get some money for it … Shawnees sell land to German settlement society; the town is incorporated in 1858 as “Eudora,” the name of Paschal Fish’s daughter More of the “equal and opposite reaction”… Answering drafts of free-state constitution, pro-slavery forces gather in Lecompton to produce a territorial constitution that would allow slavery into Kansas—it will eventually be rejected by the U.S. Congress and defeated in a statewide vote in January 1858 by a margin of nearly 6:1.
1858 As war looms … Baker University is founded in Baldwin City
For more on Eudora’s history, including info. on surrounding towns that did not survive to the present day, visit the Eudora Community Museum. Established and run by the Eudora Area Historical Society, the museum at 1450 Church Street is free and open TuesdaySaturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, call (785) 690-7900.
1884 Coercive curriculum … Students arrive in Lawrence for the United States Indian Industrial Training School; effectively an institution to root out Native culture among young American Indians, the school would slowly adapt its mission and focus; in 1993, it became Haskell Indian Nations University, and it continues as a school for American Indians dedicated to education and preserving American Indian heritage
1896
1863 As war wages … Kansas governor signs a law placing the state university in Lawrence. Commencement was not held until 1873, the same year that the university’s first female graduate received her degree. Lawrence Massacre Some 300400 Confederate sympathizers under the command of William Quantrill raid Lawrence and kill as many as 200 people.
1867 Laying tracks …The Leavenworth, Lawrence and Fort Gibson Railroad Company (LL&G RR Co.) begins construction on a line from Leavenworth to the south border of Kansas, running through Lawrence and Baldwin.
1874 New enemies Veterans are home, railroads are expanding and families concentrate on farming without fear of war, and then a grasshopper plague strikes Douglas County and much of Kansas.
1878 Life’s good! Let’s not have a drink! The National Temperance camp is held on the grounds of Bismarck Grove, northeast of Lawrence.
Well behaved women … University officials cancel women student fencing drills reportedly in response to the students’ plans to wear bloomer suits; though Kansas women had won the right to vote in school district elections in 1861, they would not win full state voting rights until 1912.
1898 The original Dr. B-Ball … James Naismith, inventor of basketball, arrives as a faculty member of the University of Kansas; he begins coaching the men’s basketball team in 1899.
1902 We got horses and a party! Eudora holds its first CPA picnic; festivities include a “fat man’s race” and a contest for the biggest moustache on a kid younger than 17. Needless to say, a party this great continues to be an annual celebration to the present day.
1903-1915 Childhood Hughes … Literary giant Langston Hughes spends much of his childhood in Lawrence.
1905 But birthday parties were never the same … KU professors Hamilton Cady and David MacFarland are the first to extract helium from natural gas.
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Douglas County Newcomers Guide
1951
1975
1995
Ahead of its time … Lawrence expands its electric streetcar system, bringing service to University of Kansas.
The last big flood? The Kansas River floods Lawrence and Eudora; 28 lives were lost in the costliest regional flood to date.
1917
1952
War again … KU graduate William T. Fitzsimons becomes the first American casualty in World War I.
Champions! The University of Kansas men’s basketball team wins its first NCAA national title; they will reclaim the title in 1988 and 2008.
New tradition … Constitution Hall in Lecompton is designated a national historic site—after this year, the annual summer picnic gathering is turned into “Territorial Days,” a community holiday celebrated to the present.
Rainbow ruling … The city of Lawrence passes an amendment, making it the first city in Kansas to ban sexualorientation-based discrimination for housing, employment or public accommodation.
1983
1996
“Is there anybody there?” Lawrence, Kansas, becomes ground zero in The Day After, a film about life after a nuclear war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
Naked honors … Lawrence resident William S. Burroughs is honored with a KU symposium. Burroughs is joined by Alan Ginsberg and other Beat Generation artists.
1986
2004
“Today the pond, tomorrow the pond …” Douglas County commission elections capture national attention after a group of activists stage a wildly successful write-in campaign … for a frog.
Google me … Delighted residents discover that a Google programmer and former Lawrence resident has set the default pinpoint location on Google Earth to Lawrence.
Explore the history of Haskell University with a visit to the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum at 155 Indian Avenue on the Haskell Campus. The center chronicles the transformation of the university and includes exhibits such as rare portraits of tribal leaders from the late 1800s. The center is free and open to the public, with group tours available if advance notice is given. If weather permits, you might also wish to visit the Haskell Medicine Wheel on the south end of campus. The center’s hours change during the year, so it is best to call ahead at (785) 832-6686 or go online at www.haskell.edu/cultural
1955 And one big champion … Wilt “the Stilt” Chamberlain arrives in Lawrence to play basketball—and dominate the game—with the University of Kansas.
1957 Beloved Baldwin tradition … Baldwin City holds its first Maple Leaf Festival, an annual celebration of community and autumn colors that continues to this day.
1962 Creepy cinema … Independent film producer Herk Harvey creates a lowbudget cult hit, Carnival of Souls, filming key scenes in Lawrence.
1918
1966
And plague … Spanish flu strikes Douglas County.
All, hail! … Deborah Bryant, former Eudora resident and KU graduate, becomes Miss America.
1935 And storms … Dust Bowl storms strike Douglas County.
1942 And war again … Sunflower Ordnance Works is built south of Eudora to supply munitions for World War II.
1943 What are we fighting for? German prisoners of war are held at an internment camp just east of Lawrence; the prisoners are loaned out to local farmers for harvests. Their presence at a local movie theater causes protests from black war veterans—the U.S. soldiers are expected to sit at the back of the movie house under the city’s unspoken segregation rules while the enemy combatants are escorted to the front seats.
1967 Pool for all … Civil rights activists push city of Lawrence to construct municipal swimming pool, ending what was effectively racial segregation by private swimming clubs.
1969-1972 Can you feel it? Against a background of national civil unrest, Lawrence becomes a key location in the counter culture movement; in 1972, the group “February Sisters” stages a sit-in on KU campus and wins, among other things, the establishment of a campus childcare program still in place.
1972-1980 Flood now, dry later … To prevent future flooding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clears small towns in the Wakarusa valley to construct a large dam, flood the area and create Clinton Lake Reservoir.
1987 On the rails again … Not for profit Midland Railway Historical Association reactivates the rail lines from Baldwin south to Ottawa for pleasure excursions.
1989 Fresh brew … After state liquor laws change, Free State Brewery in Lawrence becomes the first Kansas brewery in more than 100 years. Learn more about the communities that are now covered by Clinton Lake— their early settlement, their ties to the underground railroad and their farming heritage up to the 1970s—at the Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum. Located on the west side of Clinton Lake, the museum is open weekend days, 1-5 p.m. from MaySeptember. Bring a packed lunch and your swimming suit, because the museum is near the playground, picnic tables, beach and swimming area of Bloomington Beach. For directions and more information, call (785) 783-4420 or go online www.wakarusamuseum.org
2005 In the spirit … Lawrence mayor garners national attention as he honors Dadaism by decreeing the city’s official International Dada month as Feb. 4, April 1, March 28, July 15, Aug. 2, Aug. 7, Aug. 16, Aug. 26, Sept. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 1, Oct. 17 and Oct. 26.
2012 Dial-in stardom … Eudora native Jason “Wolf” Hamlin becomes a finalist on the television show American Idol.
Photography from: KU Natural History Museum, Eudora Community Museum, Haskell Cultural Center, Kansas State Historical Society and Lawrence Magazine
1910
The history of Douglas County, with an emphasis on the 100-year fight for freedom and civil rights, is one of the main exhibits at the Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts Street. Operated by the Douglas County Historical Society and free to the public, the museum is open TuesdaySaturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with additional hours on Thursday until 8 p.m. from April-November. For more information, call (785) 841-4109 or go online www.watkinsmuseum.org
2013 New History Watkins Museum opens new permanent exhibit on Douglas County history.
Sources: Kansas Territorial Reader (Virgil Dean, editor, 2005); back issues of Bald Eagle (Lecompton Historical Society); This is America? The Sixties in Lawrence, Kansas (Rusty Monhollon, 2004); Oceans of Kansas (Michael J. Everhart, 2005), Eudora Timeline www.eudoraks.history.com (Cindy Higgins, 2010); Glacial Stratigraphy and paleomagnetism of late Cenozoic deposits of the north-central United States (Roy et al, Geological Society of America Bulletin Jan/Feb 2004); Kansas Geological Survey CIP #28 (Shane Lyle, 2009); exhibit material from Watkins Community Museum of History; www. kuhistory.com Kansas University, 2013; and oral interviews from the archives of Lawrence Magazine
Douglas County Newcomers Guide 2013/2014
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