Chase County Living 2018

2018

INSIDE

Beautiful burn Right at Home

Chase County teen plans to build life, business in the Flint Hills

Lasting Legacy Remembering Boyce Baumgardner

The Beat Goes On Homegrown music for 20 years continues

Your wedding IN THE HEART OF

THE FLINT HILLS discover unique

V E N U E S | L O D G I N G | C AT E R I N G | R E S TA U R A N T S

CloverCliffRanch.com | AdAstraFoodandDrink.com | GrandCentralHotel.com

TheLarkInn.com | SpringStreetcwf.com | PioneerBluffs.org

24/7 Fitness Center with key card accessability!

STRONGER

THAN YESTERDAY

1722 B 210 Rd | Cottonwood Falls, KS

620-481-1320 | Find us on

SPECIALIZING IN RURAL PROPERTIES & SMALL TOWN LIVING

all across the Kansas Flint Hils

3 0 5 B R O A D WAY, C O T T O N W O O D F A L L S , K S

(620) 273-6421 | GriffinRealEstateAuction.com Rick Griffin, Broker • Cell 620-343-0473 | Nancy Griffin, Associate Broker • 620-343-5212 Chuck Maggard Sales & Auctioneer • 620-794-8824 | Heidi Maggard • 620-794-8813

2018 PUBLISHER

Chris Walker M AG A Z I N E D I R E C TO R

Kelsey Barker CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ryann Brooks Melissa Lowery Jessie Wagoner P H OTO G R A P H Y

Jason Dailey Mark Feiden Dave Leiker D E S I G N & L AYO U T

Picante Creative A DV E RT I S I N G S TA F F

Ronda Henery Taylor Hofeling Cassi Olinger Leann Sanchez A DV E RT I S I N G D E S I G N

Dan Ferrell Margie McHaley Phillip Miller Katie Potter C O P Y E D I TO R

26

TABLE OF 24 CONTENTS Chase County 7

Letter from the Chamber

8

Lodging

38

Lasting Legacy Remembering Boyce Baumgardner

14

14

Day Trip Destinations Explore five historical places in Chase County

26

Beautiful Burn

Burning of the Flint Hills told through photographs

Zach Hacker For more information, please contact: 306 Broadway P.O. Box K Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845-0436

38

Chase County Living Magazine is a publication of Chase County Leader-News

On the Cover: Photo by Mark Feiden.

4 | CHASE COUNTY Living

The Beat Goes On Homegrown music for 20 years continues

48

Chase County Calendar

2018-2019 Calendar of Events

Right at Home

Chase County teen plans to build life, business in the Flint Hills

42

42

Serving families of the Flint Hills since 1881

Gourmet Burgers ★ Kansas Grown Steaks Entrée Salads ★ Local Craft Beers on tap ★ Seafood C AT E R I N G A V A I L A B L E Thurs. 5-9pm | Fri. 11am-10pm | S at. 11am-10pm | Sun. 11am-10pm 318 Cot tonwood St. | Strong City, KS | 620-273-8440 www.adastrafoodanddrink.com

Susan D. Alexander

Funeral Director - Grief Facilitator Certified Celebrant

Tel: 620-273-6311 Fax: 620-273-6312 E-mail: bbafh@hotmail.com

201 CHERRY ST. • COTTONWOOD FALLS

www.brown-bennett-alexander.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX Ad Astra Food & Drink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside cover & 5

Flint Hills Technical College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

All in Fitness Twenty 4 Seven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Grand Central Hotel & Grill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside cover & 21

Brown Bennett Alexander Funeral Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Griffin Real Estate & Auction Service, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Butler Community College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Kansas Graphics, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Chase County Accommodation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Matfield Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chase County Chamber of Commerce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back cover

Newman Regional Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Chase County Leader-News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Pioneer Bluffs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside cover

Citizen State Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Prairie PastTimes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

City of Cottonwood Falls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Spring Street Retreat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside cover & 6

Clover Cliff Ranch Bed & Breakfast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside cover

The Lark Inn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside cover

Emporia State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside back cover

Woodfest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Welcome to the Chase County Living Magazine!

Jennifer Laird Economic Development & Tourism Director Chase County Chamber of Commerce

The Chase County Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to have partnered with the Chase County Leader-News to bring you the second edition of Chase County Living.

Our rich traditions and ranching heritage provide the foundation of Chase County and are enriched with the vibrant diversity of historical sites, boutique stores, art galleries, restaurants, museums and outdoor activities — all set within our breathtaking landscape.

Chase County Living provides a beautiful glimpse into the local treasures, inspirational residents and world famous events that exemplify just how lucky we are to live here.

We invite everyone to relax … restore … and revive your soul as you enjoy the stories and images that are so artfully showcased in this second edition.

Chase County Living would not be a possible without the incredible support of our local proprietors. Woven within, you will find advertising contributed by the hard-working, dedicated entrepreneurs, visionaries and passionate community members we call friends and family. The Chase County Chamber of Commerce is honored to underwrite this publication and encourages everyone to Shop Local, Eat Local, Spend Local and Enjoy Local.

Our utmost appreciation goes to the Chase County Leader-News, the photographers, writers, advertising staff and production team for bringing our story to life.

I hope you find inspiration, pride and a new sense of wonder in the pages of the second edition of Chase County Living.

We look forward to many more editions to come.

8 | CHASE COUNTY Living

Right at

HOME Chase County teen plans to build life, business in the Flint Hills In a lot of ways, Luke Wessel is a lot like other 18-year-old kids.

Tall and shy, Luke greets me with a nervous smile the first time I meet him, he doesn’t seem too excited about talking about himself.

That is, until I ask him about his love for Chase County.

“I grew up here,” he grins.

“My mom’s from Wichita, but my dad’s from Chase County, and I grew up in Chase County.

I like to go fishing on the river.

I live right by the Cottonwood River and I love going fishing, and I like to ride four-wheelers and we have racing fourwheelers and dirt bikes and that kind of stuff. I like to go ride a

lot, and that’s what I do most of the time. When I’m not working on something mechanical in my shop, or farming and ranching.”

This is where Luke, a senior at Chase County Junior/Senior High School, is a little different than his peers: He purchased his own shop in Cedar Point last year and put himself to work.

WRITTEN BY RYANN BROOKS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON DAILEY

SUMMER 2018 | 9

10 | CHASE COUNTY Living

“When I first started high school, I always told myself, ‘I’m not gonna be that guy. I’m not going to be that guy that’s like, what are you doing next year?

I’ve got no idea,’” he said. “I said I was going to hit it full-tilt and by the time I graduated, I was going to have a foothold somewhere” Luke enrolled at Flint Hills Technical College in the automotive technology program while in high school, and said he’ll just have one more year after high school before he will earn his Associate’s degree. It was a pretty natural move for him, since he’s always liked working with his hands.

“I used to take apart my toys,” he laughed. “I ruined a lot of my toys that way. Sometimes you can’t get it back together, or a lot of times they’d have rivets that were glued together.”

As he grew older, Luke progressed into fiddling around with bigger toys.

“When I was 16, I got an old three-wheeler and fixed it up and got it running,” he said. “And then after that I started working

on four-wheelers and started working on those for people around where I live in Cedar Point. I do a lot of small engine things for people. You know, work on a lawn mower here and there. And then I bought my shop last year and started doing odd jobs for people there.”

The shop in Cedar Point is a 15,000-square-foot building that was once home to a Heckendorn Equipment factory where lawnmowers were built.

Originally built in the 1920s, additions were made to the building up to the 50s or 60s.

After the factory was shut down in the early 1990s, the building sat empty.

SUMMER 2018 | 11

“The guy that owned it kind of lived out of town, and pretty far away from there,” Luke said.

“We wanted a place to store the stuff I’ve been working on, and I’d mostly worked on stuff outside and gravel, but we were kind of looking at maybe getting it for a place to put our boat to keep it sheltered. I didn’t really have any ambition of buying it, but once we talked to the guy that owned it and took a look inside and I thought maybe I could have a place to work on my own stuff and maybe start doing jobs for people. So we negotiated a price and I couldn’t let the opportunity go.”

Luke said he knows most people his age aren’t ready to make an investment like that — especially on an old building and in a town like Cedar Point.

With just a few homes left in the area, he said he thought for a while that the only way he’d make something of himself would be to leave after he graduated.

12 | CHASE COUNTY Living

But not anymore.

“Everyone always has to pound it into your head during high school that you need to get a degree and you need to go away because there’s nothing here for you here and I disagree,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t need to leave. I knew I’d want to stay around because I also farm and ranch cattle. I just got some cattle and I started getting some farm ground. I’m going to do that and I want to further my education.”

For now, Luke is focused on finishing his degree at FHTC and learning all he can about the technology behind it.

“It used to be that you could be a mechanic and you could just look at something and start pulling bolts out and get it done and probably get it back together,” he said. “But nowadays that’s not the case.

The case is knowing how to look it up and diagnose the problem based on service bulletins and other things. And once you have

diagnosed the problem is the biggest thing nowadays, because everything is very finely-tuned and with computers and all that kind of stuff.”

While Luke is still weighing options for his future, the one thing he knows for sure is he isn’t leaving the Flint Hills.

“I’m not leaving Chase County, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I’ve done some planning on expanding on the farming and cattle side and plan on doing more mechanic work and maybe even starting my own mechanic shop. It depends. If I like custom diesel, I’ve thought about maybe starting a diesel shop, kinda like a high-performance diesel shop, custom tuning and that kind of stuff.”

While Luke is still weighing options for his future, the one thing he knows for sure is he isn’t leaving the Flint Hills.

SUMMER 2018 | 13

5

DayTrip

DESTINATIONS

in Chase County

14 | CHASE COUNTY Living

WRITTEN BY

Melissa Lowery PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Dave Leiker

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Strong City Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but within a generation the vast majority was developed and plowed under. Today, less than 4 percent remains, most of it located in the Kansas Flint Hills. The preserve is the last stand of the Tallgrass prairie, protecting 11,000 acres of this nationally significant remnant of the once vast Tallgrass prairie and its cultural resources.

No matter your interests, you’ll find a lot to explore at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Botanists will love getting up close with the native grasses and wildflowers. The local bison herd is awe-inspiring. Those interested in ranch life will be fascinated by the stone barn, ranch house and Lower Fox Creek School, the one-room school on the north end of the preserve. Sweeping vistas appeal to artists of all types and skill levels.

Stop by the Visitors Center for a quick education on the area and local culture, then head out to experience it for yourself.

Guided tours of the 1881 limestone Spring Hill Ranch house are offered daily during the summer months. Hiking trails take visitors across the prairie on their own or join in the daily bus tours for a guided look at the preserve. Activities for kids range from birding workshops to junior ranger training to historic games in the barn. Celebrations and festivals occur throughout the year with an emphasis on education and fun.

All activities at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve are free of charge. To plan your trip, visit www.nps.gov/tapr.

SUMMER 2018 | 15

Pioneer Bluffs Matfield Green Built in 1908, the ranch house at Pioneer Bluffs is on the National Register Historic Places, but the history of the ranch stretches back well into the 19th century.

In 1859, Charles Rogler set out West from Iowa in search of land to claim for himself and his extended family, who remained in what was then called Bohemia.

By the time he decided to walk to Kansas Territory from Iowa at the age of 22, he had already traveled nearly 5,000 miles and been parted from his family for six years. But the lure of fertile land and a place to build a family empire drew him further west and he walked a few hundred additional miles until he reached what would become Chase County.

The current homestead is the legacy of Henry and Maud Rogler. After graduating from the Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan in 1898, Henry was determined to make his own mark within the family. He did so with another first-generation child of Chase County pioneers, Maud Sauble, by his side, who famously refused to marry Henry until she had also graduated from K-State in 1901.

In 1908, Maud used an inheritance to build the house of her dreams, a sturdy but elegant home that was the envy of the neighbors, chiefly because it was one of two houses in the area with running water. In 1916, they added a spacious barn and a combination granary and carriage house.

The Rogler legacy is long and storied, a testament to the trials and triumphs of the pioneers who settled the Flint Hills. Generations of Roglers and other pioneer families are represented at Pioneer

16 | CHASE COUNTY Living

Bluffs, where history comes alive through demonstrations, festivals, educational talks and more.

The newly restored barn has a huge loft that’s ideal for dances, parties, weddings and other events.

In fact, Pioneer Bluffs does a steady wedding business as the perfect backdrop to a rustic theme. Fun fact: the original barn hook has a new life as a chandelier in the loft!

Pioneer Bluffs is located at 695 KS-177, Matfield Green, KS 66862.

Visit the website for hours, events and more information: www.pioneerbluffs.org

SUMMER 2018 | 17

18 | CHASE COUNTY Living

Teter Rock Teterville Stonehenge-esque Teter Rock sits like a lone sentry in the middle of vast ranchland in the Flint Hills.

The mammoth rock is the most visible marker of what used to be Teterville. This small community arose near the Teter oil fields about 11 miles east of Cassoday in the 1920s. Named for James Teter, who owned the land, Teterville had all but disappeared within 30 years. All that remain are a few foundations of the buildings that made up the community – and Teter Rock.

Originally, James Teter erected a pile of local rocks on a high point of his property as a guidepost for homesteaders searching for the Cottonwood River. The rocks were gradually taken and used in construction of several buildings in Teterville until the marker had disappeared. In 1954, a 16-foot slab of rocks was erected in honor of James Teter, where it remains to this day, once again guiding those in search of the Cottonwood River.

Teter Rock is located 0.9 miles south of Teterhill Road on top of a hill in Greenwood County. The site is accessible to the public via a rural road on private land; please respect the property.

SUMMER 2018 | 19

Chase County Courthouse Cottonwood Falls When the iconic limestone Chase County Courthouse was completed in 1873, it was the tallest structure in the county.

Sitting atop a hill, it glows in the sun, its red roof and clock tower visible from vantage points throughout the county on most days.

The Chase County Courthouse was designed in French Renaissance style by architect John G. Haskell, and constructed from limestone quarried on the town site.

Inside you’ll find a breathtaking threestory spiral staircase made from walnut trees from the nearby Cottonwood River.

It is the oldest Kansas Courthouse still in use and one of the oldest in continual use West of the Mississippi.

The courthouse is located at 300 Pearl Street, at the south end of Broadway Street, in Cottonwood Falls. Self-guided tours are available during normal business hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment on weekends and holidays. Visit chasecountychamber.org for more information.

20 | CHASE COUNTY Living

•FINE DINING RESTAURANT AND BAR• Featuring Creekstone Premium Meats

•PET FRIENDLY HOTEL• Ten Room Boutique Hotel

COTTONWOOD FALLS, KS | 620.273.6763

GRANDCENTRALHOTEL.COM SUMMER 2018 | 21

Flint Hills Stone Symposium Project Cottonwood Falls In 2017, stone masons from around the world converged in Cottonwood Falls for the annual Stone Symposium. In addition to lectures and tours, the symposium included a series of workshops teaching the fundamental pieces of stonework, culminating in the creation of a courtyard installation beside Citizens State Bank in downtown Cottonwood Falls.

Masons from Great Britain, France, Canada, Rhode Island, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas and other states came at the invitation of Lucas Koch, owner of Koch Construction Specialties in Cottonwood Falls, who suggested the symposium’s location and utilization of native rock from the Flint Hills.

The resulting creation centers around a 15,000-pound slab of limestone carved with the phrase “the earth has music for those who listen.”

Surrounding the central slab is an open-air stone courtyard constructed with traditional dry stone elements, hand carving and architectural fabrication.

With its many different types of stonework and unique elements, the installation is a spectacular backdrop for photos.

You’ll find the Flint Hills Stone Symposium Project on the 200 block of Broadway Street in Cottonwood Falls.

22 | CHASE COUNTY Living

SUMMER 2018 | 23

Beautiful

burn P H OTO G R A P H Y BY

26 | CHASE COUNTY Living

MARK FEIDEN

E

ach Spring, the Flint Hills come alive with a show visible for miles around.

Orange glows on the horizon at night after a dense smoke contrasts with the blue skies during the day. Up close, flicks of orange, yellow and blue dance in the wind as the prescribed burns trudge forward through miles upon miles of pasture.

While the sights are no doubt spectacular, the burns are a critical element to the habitat of the Flint Hills.

For nearly 150 years, ranchers in Chase County and throughout the Flint Hills have set their pastures ablaze to burn off the old, dead grass and vegetation while warming the soil from a winter’s worth of frost. Once the previous year’s growth is burned off, it makes way for a blast of fresh, green grass.

According to an essay by Flint Hills Rancher Jim Hoy, cattle prefer to graze a burned rather than an unburned pasture.

Steers also gain weight more quickly when feeding on a pasture that has been burned.

When the conditions are right, Hoy wrote, more than 2 million acres can be burnt in a single year — filling the sky with the important and dazzling show.

SUMMER 2018 | 27

28 | CHASE COUNTY Living

SUMMER 2018 | 29

30 | CHASE COUNTY Living

SUMMER 2018 | 31

32 | CHASE COUNTY Living

SUMMER 2018 | 33

34 | CHASE COUNTY Living

SUMMER 2018 | 35

Lasting Legacy B Y R YA N N B R O O K S

Boyce Baumgardner saw potential everywhere he looked, and he never backed away from a challenge.

Even as he fought a diagnosis of bone cancer, Boyce never stopped pushing for improvements and changes in Chase County. With a long list of accomplishments under his belt, perhaps one of his proudest moments was the completion of two disc golf courses located in Swope Park.

“He had started thinking about putting a disc golf course in Swope Park around 2014,” his wife, Connie Baumgardner, said. “As mayor, he was always big into economic development. He loved Chase County so much — and Cottonwood Falls so much — and he thought there needs to be something to pull people in and make them want to stay and visit. He wanted to make it a destination.”

38 | CHASE COUNTY Living

Boyce had been called a visionary, an idea man, an agent for change.

Connie said her husband believed Cottonwood Falls could capitalize on disc golf ’s rising popularity.

“He said, ‘Swope Park is so beautiful. Why can’t we do something like that in Swope Park so people can come and see this park and enjoy it?’” Connie said. “He took me back into the forest back there, where some of the big holes are and he said, ‘We could do a disc golf course even back through here.’ I said, ‘Really?’ and he said, ‘Yeah!’”

And with that, Boyce set to work and reached out to Dynamic Discs Course Designer Eric McCabe. The pair spent the better part of a year working out details before work began at the park.

40 | CHASE COUNTY Living

“Once they actually got going, it just took off,” Connie said.

McCabe said Boyce had called him a few years ago and asked him to come for a ride through the park one day.

“My parents were both from the area and, as a child, I would frequent Swope Park,” McCabe said. “I remember swimming in the pool, watching softball games, and playing in the creek, so I was pretty familiar with the area. Being a small community, my family knew Boyce and what a great man he was. I jumped on the opportunity to design a disc golf course in a park that meant so much to my childhood.”

Walking through the disc golf courses at Swope Park, it’s

not hard to see the amount of dedication that went into every single hole. McCabe said Boyce had a vision for the course and he wanted everything to be “perfect.”

“Any snag we ran into, he fixed,” McCabe said. “The signature hole on the course is Hole No. 14 — the pyramid.

I told him I wanted to do an elevated basket on the course and thought that area would be perfect because of the lack of obstacles.”

Modeling the hole after a similar one McCabe had played in Tyler, Texas, he was unsure if the project was even attainable.

But Boyce proved him wrong.

“I remember the first time I saw the basket and was in awe,” he said. “It ended up being such a unique hole with that beautiful limestone towering to 35 feet to the top of the flagpole. I was very impressed with his work ethic.”

Connie said Boyce’s interest in disc golf came out of his desire to keep families together.

“What he liked about disc golf was that anyone could do it,” she said. “Families could do it, older people could do it, kids could do it. People could come see the greatness of Cottonwood Falls and Chase County, and he wanted to see people coming out and enjoying that course.”

suggested,” Connie said.

McCabe said after years of advocating along with Boyce to get the GBO into Chase County, it broke his heart that Boyce wasn’t there to see it happen.

“All Boyce wanted was to have this course utilized during the GBO and it breaks my heart that he won’t be there to see everyone enjoying themselves,” McCabe said. “I’m pushing to make a name change on the course to Boyce Baumgardner Memorial Chase DGC at Swope Park. It’s a mouthful, but so worth it.”

Knowing how much Boyce’s work meant to the community brought tears to Connie’s eyes. Boyce had been called a visionary, an idea man, an agent for change.

But to Connie, he was always her husband and a wonderful father and grandfather.

“I never knew how much he meant to people until he passed,” she said. “I lived with this man for a long time. We

were married a long time, and he was just always this way. He always had ideas for different things and I never tried to squelch them. This man thought of things all of the time. Things for the good of the community, for the good of the people — things that would bring people together. I was so used to that in him, and I lived with it all the time, so I never realized it.”

Boyce was posthumously recognized at the conclusion of GBO Opening Ceremonies with the special 2018 Glass Blown Award honoring his work on the disc golf courses in Cottonwood Falls.

“We will always cherish that,” Connie said. “He’d be proud of it.”

As she looks ahead to Boyce’s continued legacy, Connie said she wanted him to be remembered for what he did for everyone around him above all else. “(I hope) that his accomplishments go on to be remembered and enjoyed by generations to come,” she said.

Boyce died March 24, just a month before the 2018 Glass Blown Open brought thousands of disc golfers into Chase County.

Connie said her husband would have been proud to see so many people enjoying the park.

“He talked about that just as soon as they did the inauguration at the course,” she said. “He said, ‘We need to get the Glass Blown Open here, too.’

So, he started talking to them about that, but they had to make some changes to it.”

Extending the length of the tee pads, repositioning baskets, and increasing or decreasing difficulty on different holes were just par for the course, and Boyce never backed down.

“He was always making changes according to what some of the guys who are really good disc golfers around here

SUMMER 2018 | 41

t a e b The n o s e goq

By Jessie Wagoner Photography by Dave Leiker

42 | CHASE COUNTY Living

Emma Chase Friday Night Music has filled beautiful downtown Cottonwood Falls with homegrown music for 20 years.

The weekly Jam Sessions, held each Friday night — barring major holidays and dangerous weather — feature all types of music. The variety is a sure guarantee there is something for everyone.

“The first Friday of the month is Gospel music, the second Friday is bluegrass, the third is country, folk and bluegrass and the fourth Friday is old time rock-n-roll and vintage country,” Coordinator and Artist Annie Wilson said.

Those months with a fifth Friday feature special themes that have varied over time.

Some favorites have been songwriters and singalong nights as well as Kansas songs.

In 1999, Sue and Monty Smith, owners of Emma Chase Cafe, began the tradition of bringing live music to Cottonwood Falls. The couple not only ran the cafe, but also managed the Friday Night Music until 2014.

SUMMER 2018 | 43

44 | CHASE COUNTY Living

With 20 years of jam sessions under their belts, it’s quite likely the dedicated musicians of the Flint Hills will continue to play for another 20 years.

x

“When I was a kid, my grandma would take me to Chase County once a month to listen to the Emma Chase Friday Night Music,” Sarah Stephens of Council Grove said. “We would eat dinner, enjoy the music and then talk all the way home. It’s one of my favorite memories with my grandma and I believe it helped foster my love of music.

I try to bring my own children to listen to the music from time to time in hopes they too will develop an interest.”

When the Smiths closed the Emma Chase Music Hall, they started the Prairie PastTimes gallery of local artists. They also built a stage on the north end of the building, ensuring

the music would go on, even during the cold winter months when playing outside becomes a challenge.

“We are very loyal to Prairie PastTimes, who are our hosts indoors the majority of the year,” Wilson said. “We simply could not hold the jam sessions without them.”

When inside, the musicians play on the stage, but once the weather is nice the sidewalk of Broadway Street is their stage.

The street is blocked off and quickly fills with lawn chairs as the audience arrives. While parents and grandparents enjoy the live music and visit with one another, children ride bikes and play games of tag.

SUMMER 2018 | 45

“I like to attend any Friday night, but I particularly like attending during the summer when we are outside.�

46 | CHASE COUNTY Living

“I like to attend any Friday night, but I particularly like attending during the summer when we are outside,” Stephens said. “It’s so relaxing to listen to the music and enjoy a beautiful Kansas evening.”

When the Smiths retired in 2014, a group of volunteers and organizations stepped up to keep the music going. The Friday evenings are managed and hosted by a volunteer group of musicians: Wilson, Bennie Holtsclaw, Howard Taliaferro, Rodney Bates and Dave Schimming. Organizations like the Center for Living Education, Prairie PastTimes and Symphony in the Flint Hills have assisted the volunteers. Participant donations help pay the expenses for rent, equipment and advertising.

For 20 years, the jam sessions have benefited the community in a variety of ways. They serve as a free, family-friendly entertainment option for locals and visitors. They help spread the joy of traditional music and create a positive, open community where all musicians and listeners are welcome.

Wilson said the jam sessions are of great value to musicians as well. They give artists the opportunity to collaborate with other musicians and broaden their musical repertoire. It also gives musicians an audience, which helps them strengthen their performance skills and share original songs.

Undoubtedly, the jam sessions are a favorite among locals, but they regularly attract tourists.

Visitors from throughout the state and country have attended.

The jam sessions were declared one of the “8 Wonders of Kansas Customs” and included in the Kansas Sampler Foundation’s, “8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook.”

The jam sessions have also been included in the Kansas Bucket List by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and featured in Kansas! Magazine.

With 20 years of jam sessions under their belts, it’s quite likely the dedicated musicians of the Flint Hills will continue to play for another 20 years.

SUMMER 2018 | 47

CHASE COUNTY CALENDAR 2018-19

(All dates subject to change. For a complete list visit www.chasecountychamber.org or contact the source.)

• Every Friday Night “Emma Chase Friday Night Music” in Cottonwood Falls

Spa, Cottonwood Falls • October 6, 19 & 26 Sunset Trail Rides, Flying W Ranch

SEPTEMBER

• October 6, 13, 20 & 27 Cattle Drive, Flying W Ranch

• Open House at Metamorphosis Day Spa & Vintage Boutique, Cottonwood Falls

• October 12 & 13 Star Gazing w/ Wagon Ride, Supper & Entertainment, Flying W Ranch

• Open House Sparrow Song Healing Arts at Metamorphosis Day Spa & Vintage Boutique • September 1, 2 & 3 Labor Day Quilt Display and Live Music, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve • September 1, 8 & 29 Sunset Trail Rides, Flying W Ranch • September 1, 15 & 29 Cattle Drive, Flying W Ranch

DECEMBER • Every Friday Night “Emma Chase Friday Night Music” in Cottonwood Falls

2019

• October 21 Art Comm Day at Prairie Pastimes, Cottonwood Falls

FEBRUARY

NOVEMBER • November 3 The Vogts Sisters in Concert, Pioneer Bluffs • November 3 The Bazaar Bazaar, Bazaar Schoolhouse

• September 29 WoodFest, a Symphony in the Flint Hills event, Camp Wood YMCA

• November 3 Art Comm Day at Prairie Pastimes, Cottonwood Falls

OCTOBER

• November 3 & 10 Cattle Drive, Flying W Ranch

48 | CHASE COUNTY Living

• Citywide Garage Sales, Cottonwood Falls

• January 26 StateHood Ball, Bazaar

• September 14 & 15 Star Gazing w/ Wagon Ride, Supper & Entertainment, Flying W Ranch

• October 6 TYMeless Therapy Open House at Metamorphosis Day

• November 24 Holidays on the Prairie, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

• October 20 Moonlight Horse and Wagon Rides, Flying W Ranch

• October 27 Open House, Elmdale Trading Post

• October 6 Prairie Harvest Festival, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

• Spring Ball, Bazaar School House, Bazaar

JANUARY

• September 8 Prairie Women: Engaging Women of the Flint Hills, Pioneer Bluffs

• October 6-11 Fall Roundup, Pioneer Bluffs

• November 24 Shop Small Saturday, County Wide

• October 13 Tallgrass Artist Residency Reception, The Bank Art Space, Matfield Green

• October 27 Clements Cemetery Wagon Ride, hosted by Flying W Ranch, Clements

• Ladies Night Out at Metamorphosis Day Spa & Vintage Boutique, Cottonwood Falls

• Junior Ranger Days, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

• October 13 Fall for Chase County Festival, Cottonwood Falls

• September 7-9 Annual Dream Ride at Clover Cliff Ranch

• September 16 Art Comm Day at Prairie Pastimes, Cottonwood Falls

• November 24 Christmas Ball, Cottonwood Falls

• November 3, 10 & 17 Sunset Trail Rides, Flying W Ranch • November 10 Historic Ranch Candlelight Tour, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve • November 17 Remuda Ride, Flying W Ranch • November 21 Moonlight Horse & Wagon Rides, Flying W Ranch • November 23-24 Chase County Country Christmas, County Wide

• Chamber Annual Meeting

• Legislative Coffee at the Grand Central Hotel • February 16 A Night to Remember in the Heart of the Flint Hills, Clover Cliff Ranch Bed and Breakfast

• Chase County Earth Day Celebration at the Millstream Resort • April 27 Open House, Middle Creek Treehouse, Elmdale • April 25-27 Glass Blown Open, Chase County Disc Golf Course MAY • Sunset, Moonlight & Morning Trail Rides and Cattle Drives, Flying W Ranch • Cottonwood 200 Cycling Event • May 25 Farm & Ranch Animal Day, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve • May 27 Bison Chip Throwing Contest, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve JUNE

MARCH

• Sunset, Moonlight & Morning Trail Rides and Cattle Drives, Flying W Ranch

• Sunset, Moonlight & Morning Trail Rides and Cattle Drives, Flying W Ranch

• May 30-June 1 Flint Hills Rodeo 82nd Annual, Strong City Rodeo Grounds

• Symphony of the Flint Hills 2019 Signature Event Tickets Go on Sale at kcsymphony.org

• June 1 Fly-In Breakfast at Cottonwood Falls Airport

• Barn Wedding Showcase at Pioneer Bluffs, Matfield Green

• June 1 Birding Program, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

APRIL

• June 14-15 FolkLife Festival, Cottonwood Falls, Courthouse Lawn

• Sunset, Moonlight & Morning Trail Rides and Cattle Drives, Flying W Ranch

• June 15 Contra on the Green, Cottonwood Falls, Courthouse Lawn

• Spring Opening, The Bank Art Space, Matfield Green

• June 14 River Suite Dinner on the Historic River Bridge, Cottonwood Falls

• Schoolhouse Market Days in Saffordville Schoolhouse • Easter Egg Hunt at Swope Park, Cottonwood Falls • Chase County Earth Day Celebration at the Millstream Resort

• June 15 Symphony in the Flint Hills Signature Event, Chase County • June 14 Flint Hills Community Band Concert, Chase County All Veterans Memorial

(Reservations are required for some events listed. Please contact event hosts directly for additional details.)

EXPLORE

PLAY D I N E SLEEP

www.cwf ks.org

From Swope Park to historical landmarks, and from downtown shopping to bed and breakfast lodging establishments, Cottonwood Falls offers a variety of activities and services — come visit and stay with us!

• June 15 Draft Horse Haying and Raking Event, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve • June 21-23 Chase County High School Alumni Association Weekend, Cottonwood Falls • June 22 Annual Marvin Schwilling Butterfly Count, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve JULY • Sunset, Moonlight & Morning Trail Rides and Cattle Drives, Flying W Ranch • Independence Day Celebration, Swope Park, Cottonwood Falls • July 6 Cowboy Independence Day, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve • July 2–Aug. 1 Chase County Fair, Chase County Fairgrounds AUGUST • Sunset, Moonlight & Morning Trail Rides and Cattle Drives, Flying W Ranch

SUMMER 2018 | 49

Newman Regional Health provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical care for all ages with a mission to improve health in our community by providing high quality care. With services to meet the full continuum of care, Newman Regional Health invites you to keep your healthcare local.

Medical Partners

• Cardiology • Family Medicine • Orthopedics & Sports Medicine • Pediatrics • Surgical Specialists

620-343-2376

COMING SOON! Fall 2018

• • • • • •

Express Care Relocation

Minor Illness Sore Throat Earaches Lacerations Sprains/Strains Minor on-the-job injuries

December 2018

Emergency Department

Expanding to fit the needs of our growing community!

620-343-7828

NEWMAN REGIONAL HEALTH | Quality Healthcare, Close to Home.

1201 W. 12TH AVE. | EMPORIA, KS | 620-343-6800 | NEWMANRH.ORG |

@NRHEMPORIA