Whitaker Inn by Sarah Miller P. Course of Freedom by Renée Gordon

LAWRENCE - Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the Corps of Discovery reached Kansas in June 0f 1804 and it was largely that exploratory mission that led to increased American westward expansion beyond the previously established western Missouri border. The Kansas/Missouri area became the natural starting point for travelers because it afforded the last access to western water routes and western trails began. Prior to the explosion of pioneers,Kansas was deemed Indian Territory, a new “homeland” for natives forcibly displaced from other regions. #VisitKansas

Settlers came from many previously settled regions, bringing with them their ideas on the government and political stance in the new territories. These conflicting ideas led to the Kansas/Missouri border wars. Congress passed the Kansas/Nebraska Act in 1854. Kansas and Nebraska became territories with the understanding that upon joining the Union they would each vote whether to enter as a slave or a free state.

Kansas, bordered by a slave state, became the focal point of the controversy and possible power shift. People moved into Kansas in anticipation of the vote. Fighting broke out on both sides and the area became known as “Bleeding Kansas.” This intense conflict, especially events that occurred in Lawrence, Kansas, is considered one of the factors leading directly to the Civil War. #UnmistakablyLawrence

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, Inc. (FFNHA), in eastern Kansas and western Missouri, preserves and presents the Border Wars, frontier history and the enduring struggle for freedom. A tour of the national heritage area should begin in Lawrence with the Kansas-Nebraska Act Exhibit created by Central Plains Region of the National Archives. The exhibit interprets all of the major events and individuals involved through pictures and documents. www.FreedomsFrontier.org

The New England Emigrant Aid Company was formed in 1854 to settle ant-slavery immigrants in Kansas. In Lawrence in 1855 they constructed the Free State Hotel as temporary housing for the settlers. It was originally 3-stories tall with a roof promenade and a 50 horse stable. On May 21, 1856 a pro-slavery faction burned it down. Shalor Eldridge renamed and rebuilt it and it stood until August 21, 1863 when Quantrill’s raiders attacked the town and again burned it down.

Lawrence has developed a 10-site Quantrill’s Raid Tour that encompasses the sites connected with the infamous attack. U.S. Senator James Lane, leader of a Jayhawker military troop that conducted raids into Missouri, resided in Lawrence and is believed to have been the primary target. On August 21, 1863 approximately 400 guerrillas, including Frank James, dressed in Union uniforms, rode into town. They looted, robbed, murdered as many as 200 men and boys and burned down the Eldridge Hotel. Oddly

there were two documented African Americans who rode with Quantrill. One of them, John Noland, is said to have scouted the town. @ eXploreLawrence

The current Eldridge Hotel is a prestigious 48-room hotel with a menu of luxury amenities, fine dining and plush public spaces. It is a member of the noted Historic Hotels of America. In 1932 Bonnie and Clyde booked a room in order to watch the activities in the bank across the street. They robbed the bank and fled the town. The hotel is said to be haunted and is a portal to the spirit world. Ghosts are often reported on the 5th floor and certain rooms must be booked far in advance for a possible encounter. Eldridgehotel. com

Watkins Museum of History, housed in a Romanesque former 1888 bank, is an outstanding introduction to all aspects of Lawrence. The museum is filled with artifacts, memorabilia and interactive experiences. Unique highlights include Civil War objects, a Langston Hughes display and Basketball history gallery.

Langston Hughes attended grades 2 and 3 in the city and later worked in the Eldridge Hotel. He lived with his grandmother, Mary Leary Langston, widow of Harpers Ferry participant Lewis S. Leary. Mary was a free abolitionist who strongly influenced Langston. The museum exhibits family photographs and a sculpture of a boyhood Hughes.

Grover Barn UGRR station is documented as a site where John Brown stopped. On this site in

January 1859 he met 12 enslaved and guided them on a 3-month journey to freedom in Canada.

In 1891 a Springfield, MA physical education professor, James Naismith, recognized a need for his students to have a winter sport. With a peach basket, a soccer ball and thirteen rules, he invented the game of basketball. The first Kansas University (KU) game took place in 1899. Wilt Chamberlain was recruited and while at KU, a segregated city, he refused to participate in segregation. As a result restaurants and stores began to break down the color line as it was an economic benefit to the city. The 1862 Morrill Land Grant College Act set aside federal lands to establish agricultural and mechanical arts colleges in each state. Grants were 30,000-acres each and greater than 10-million acres were confiscated tribal lands. The first college with land grant status was KU. A second Morrill Act was enacted in 1890 because people of color did not have equal access the earlier educational institutions. Please turn to next page...

In 1830 the Delaware tribe was the first to be given Kansas territorial land by treaty. The state was home to numerous Native tribes.

In 1884 , 22 American Indian children, grades one to five and as young as three, were enrolled in the United States Indian Industrial Training School in Lawrence. The emphasis was on teaching students to assimilate into the larger culture and to that end students attended 10 years without seeing their parents. The institution has developed into Haskell Indian Nations University, attended by American Indians and Alaska Natives, where a robust academic program blends with indigenous culture. cal events and individuals serve as inspiration for her designs. Her textiles have been exhibited nationally and internationally including the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

of Excellence.

Leeway Franks & Butcher is Native American Owned and has twice been awarded Minority Owned Retail Enterprise of the Year by the Kansas Department of Commerce and is a finalist for the Kansas Governor’s Award

Gold Medal BBQ is owned and operated by Olympic Gold medalist Kyle Clemons and his wife Christina. They use freshly sourced ingredients to create memorable dishes.

The university offers a walking tour that includes the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum. Museum exhibits include memorabilia from the early years of the school, the Frank A. Rinehart Collection of photographs of Native American leaders in late 1800s and information on Haskell’s legendary sports program. Until the 1930s their football program was known as the “Powerhouse of the West”. Both Billy Mills and Jim Thorpe attended Haskell.

Lawrence’s main thoroughfare, Massachusetts Street, named by early New England abolitionists, has been designated “one of the most beautiful main streets in America”. It, and the surrounding area, is filled with unique shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.

African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy is the home of Marla Quilts Inc. Histori-

Lawrence is a surprising destination any time of year but it excels during the holidays. The 29th Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade is one-of-a-kind. The parade consists of authentic horse-drawn carriages decorated for the season. The route passes the historic Eldridge Hotel in a nod to its history on December 3, 2022. The city lights up the nights with an annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Santa Rescue. On November 25 the countdown begins at 5:45 PM Downtown. Immediately following the ceremony Santa appears on the rooftop of Weaver’s Department Store. He is sleighless but never fear, the Lawrence Douglas County Fire & Medical Service appear to rescue him with their ladder fire truck. Seek the exceptional in Lawrence, Kansas. For more on Kansas >Click Here

Artisan Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern, the restaurant of DELAMAR Traverse City, will be offering holiday menus for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. The elevated holiday menus will feature a choice of delicious dishes incorporating Great Lakes-inspired cuisine indicative of the season. Reservations booked via OpenTable. Parties of six or more please call 231 421-2150 for reservations. Reservations required. Artisan Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern is located at 615 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI. For more information, please visit artisantc. com. CHRISTMAS EVE & DAY Saturday, Dec. 24 Brunch: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Dinner: 4 - 10 p.m. Dinner includes option of prix fixe or à la carte menu Sunday, Dec. 25 Three-Course Prix Fixe: 2 - 7 p.m. $65+ per person | $35 for ages 12 and under Guests will enjoy Entrees such as Mint Spiced Lamb Shank with polenta, root vegetable gratin, and vermouth jus, and Pistachio Crusted Walleye with caramelized apple and fennel chutney, roasted celery root and chestnut puree; Desserts such as Yule Log Cake with hazelnut and dulce chocolate, and Spiced Rum Bread Pudding. Pair your meal with a festive cocktail such as a Maple Eggnog or a Frosty Old-Fashioned. NEW YEAR’S EVE & NEW YEAR’S DAY Saturday, Dec. 31 à la carte Dinner: 4:30 - 7 p.m. Five-Course Prix Fixe Menu: 8 - 10 p.m. $155++ per person

Guests are invited to spend a memorable evening indulging in a five-course prix fixe dinner including live music and complimentary bubbles at midnight. À la carte dinner is available for those who prefer to dine earlier.

Sunday, January 1

Brunch: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m |

Dinner: 4 - 10 p.m.

From brunch to dinner, guests are invited to start their new year with a delicious meal, cozy atmosphere, wonderful company, and unbeatable views.

About Artisan Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern

Artisan Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern in Traverse City offers a one-of-a-kind experience celebrating craftsmanship and sustainability and featuring Great Lakes-inspired cuisine, artfully prepared by Executive Chef Frederic Kieffer. The restaurant boasts a truly beautiful location on West Bay with magnificent views and outdoor dining that is unparalleled. Artisan’s Great Lakes-inspired menu reflects the rhythm of the seasons with local seafood, farm fresh fare from an onsite garden and local farms, and homemade pastries. Guests enter Artisan through the Tavern, seating approximately 50 people at tables, banquets and at a stately bar with a Parisian pewter top. A magnificent mural representing the tree of life graces the walls, and comfy sofas and chairs surrounding a hand-crafted farmhouse fireplace invite cozy evenings by the lake. The main dining room boasts a large fireplace, wide-plank hardwood floors and a second mural depicting birch trees reaching toward the sky visible through glass walls encasing the “Birch Room,” an elegant private dining room for 12. For more on Michigan >Click Here

Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens (Nov. 10-Dec. 30) brings a breath of fresh air to a hectic holiday season. This unique outdoor experience is centered around a 1-mile walk through Powell Gardens’ immersive, botanically inspired installations. Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year Wednesday-Sunday (4-10 p.m.) from now through December 30. This holiday weekend, Powell Gardens launches special seasonal offerings. On Fridays and Saturdays (now through Dec. 17, 5-9 p.m.), create and deliver your holiday wish lists to Santa in a festively transformed corncrib in the Children’s Garden, where he will be posing for photos. In addition to his weekend visits, Santa will visit Powell Gardens daily Dec. 19-22, 5-9 p.m.. Enjoy live music at Evergy Festival of Lights. Local favorites like KC Horn Club, St. Paul Ringers Bell Choir, Carolers of Note, and more will perform festive seasonal music on select evenings. Sepiatones Ukulele will bring their tropical holiday sound to the Enchanted Tiki Bar on Dec. 17, 23, and 30. For a full schedule of performers, visit powellgardens.org/lights. Visitors can upgrade their experience and pre-purchase an all-inclusive festival ticket. This experience is offered on Fridays at 5:30, 6:45, and 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 5, 6:15, and 7:30 p.m. during the festival. Included with the ticket is festival admission with a special skip-the-line VIP entrance, parking, a delicious holiday buffet dinner and dessert, and your choice of alcoholic (wine or beer) beverage. Visitors can also purchase a +Pack, a trio of festival goodies, for $10. This year, make natural joy part of your family tradition. Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens is open Wednesday-Sunday, 4-10 p.m. Additional days ( Dec. 19-20 and 26-27) have been added to accommodate seasonal holidays. Tickets are available online at www.powellgardens.org/lights. All are invited to bundle up, stroll along a lighted outdoor path with immersive, botanically inspired installations, and celebrate the natural joy of the most wonderful time of the year. The updated name reflects the support of a new presenting sponsor, Evergy.

For more on Missouri >CLICK HERE

Welcome to Holiday Light and Magic! Though these are the same elves that bring you Winter Magic in downtown, it’s a WHOLE DIFFERENT type of drive-thru Christmas Lights experience. If you like HUGE displays with lots of lights and large PLAYFUL SCENES, then HLM is for you! Our one-mile drive through the park showcases over 60 huge character scenes including Santa, Nutcrackers, snowglobes and that’s where it gets WEIRD!! How about Gingerbread Dentist, Kawaii Pizza, Vampire Candy Cane, or Reindeer Richard Petty?!?! Your Krumpeldogglers would just keel over if they heard what merry, cheery, very Christmas-y lights and displays lie ahead. (I think I’ll trademark that). And, all this for just $25. Squeeze as many elves (er, humans) in the car as you want. There is only one price for the whole car-full. Tickets are available by arrival time slots. You may show up any time during the one-hour arrival time slot on your ticket. Holiday Light & Magic (in partnership with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK Parks & Rec) is the city’s beloved, drive thru winter event now for the 2nd year in a row!

NEW THIS SEASON: Expand the fun with our brand-new, add-on opportunities: Party Accessory Pack and Pickle Challenge Kit! Available for purhase during checkout. After purchase, packages will be available for pick-up at the onsite ticket booth on the day and time of your reserved ticketed time slot.

Kids Party Accessory Pack The elves have put together a really fun package for the kids (and kids at heart.) It includes a LED flashing wrist band and 3D snowflake glasses that really enhance the lights and complete the immersive experience. A kid’s must-have!

Those magic little elves are on the move this year! They’ve taken over one mile of Kansas City’s historic (opened in 1900) Cliff Drive! So, be sure to aim your sleighs toward downtown.

Enjoy your favorite dancing KC holiday light show displays while you “holidayparty-in-your-car”. You’re sure to be vibin’ away to the most modern versions of Holiday Classics! Winter Magic (in partnership with Kansas City Parks) is the city’s premier, drive-through winter event now for the 3rd year in a row! Book your ticket for our drivethrough Christmas lights in Kansas City. To reserve or for more information, visit https://holidaylightandmagic.com/ and/or https://wintermagickc.com/

For more on Missouri >Click Here

For more on Missouri >Click Here