Amazon Army
In 1921, thousands of wives, daughters, mothers, sisters and sweethearts of striking coal miners in Southeast Kansas marched in protest against unfair labor practices in the local coal mines.
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Franklin’s Rich History
Franklin began as a mining community in the early 1900s. It is located just off Highway 69 Bypass which is a major corridor between Kansas City and Pittsburg, KS/Joplin, MO.
Read More →Mining & Immigration
Crawford County Kansas is known for its coal mining heritage and the settlement of many different ethnic groups who came to the United States in search of work in the coal fields.
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About Us
We are an exhibition located within the Franklin Community Center & Heritage Museum in Franklin, Kansas. The public is invited to visit and view the mining artifacts as well as other historic items.
701 S. Broadway
Franklin, KS 66735
(620) 347-4220
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Sat 10am-4pm
Please call to schedule tours.
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Thanks to KSN for covering our program today.
People gathered in Southeast Kansas to get an express lesson about their states history
www.fourstateshomepage.com
FRANKLIN, Kan. — People gathered in Southeast Kansas to get an express lesson about their states history. Sunday afternoon was the latest presentation in the Miner’s Hall for its Amazon...
“Railroaded: The Industry that Shaped Kansas” was presented by Leo E. Oliva at Miners Hall Museum. A large crowd gathered for this interesting program which was provided by Humanities Kansas, a nonprofit cultural organization that connects communities with history, traditions, and ideas to strengthen civic life.![]()
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The event was part of the Amazon Army Centennial exhibit and speaker’s series. The program was hosted by Linda Knoll in connection with the year-long exhibit honoring the centennial of the Amazon Army March.![]()
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Mark your calendars for the next monthly program “Red State: Socialism & The Free Press in Kansas” which will be presented by Matthew Thompson of Overland Park, Kansas. This program will be held on October 24, 2021. The presentation will discuss the rise and fall of the Socialist press in Kansas, as well as its causes, leaders, and detractors, and explore the role of free press.![]()
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Continue to follow us on Facebook for more details, share our posts, and make plans to view the exhibit at the museum. Open Mon-Sat 10am-4pm. Free admission.
COVID TESTING at Miners Hall Museum, Monday, September 20: The Crawford County Health Department Mobile Testing Team will be in the north parking lot at Miners Hall Museum, Franklin, Kansas from 9:30 am-1:30 pm. FREE testing will be provided during the visits. No appointment needed. Those between the ages of 12-17 must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Please remain in your vehicle upon arrival. ![]()
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Additional testing sites and dates for the Crawford County Health Department Mobile Testing Team:![]()
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Wednesday, September 22 - Cherokee City Hall, RV will be on the South side of the building - 9:30 - 1:30![]()
Thursday, September 23, K-State Extension, Girard, KS - RV will be on the West side of the building. 9:30 - 1:30.
Be sure to read J. T. Knoll's article in the Morning Sun and join us at Miner Hall Museum at 2 pm this Sunday for “Railroaded: The Industry that Shaped Kansas”. The program will be presented by Leo E. Oliva. Funding for this program is provided by Humanities Kansas, a nonprofit cultural organization that connects communities with history, traditions, and ideas to strengthen civic life. Doors open at 1:45. Free admission.![]()
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All aboard for the Playter, Stilwell and KCP&G (Submitted by J. T. Knoll)![]()
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At one point there were five railroads traveling through Pittsburg. Today, just one — the Kansas City Southern.![]()
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I’ve written about riding the rails on KCS passenger trains many times over the years — the boyjoy of ambling up the aisle, stutter stepping to the rock-a-bye of a massive passenger car fifteen feet above the ground.![]()
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Outings that included day trips with my friends to watch Don Gutteridge manage the White Sox when they had Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio (and get autographs) at the old Municipal Stadium, family outings to see the Ice Capades (and stay overnight at the Dixon Hotel), and day trips with my brother, Steve, to catch a Cinerama movie at the Empire (followed by exploring the downtown area on foot).![]()
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I once got to ride with my engineer dad in the locomotive to Baxter Springs and back, at one point sitting beside him in the engineer’s seat and advancing the lever to accelerate the behemoth diesel electric motor.![]()
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It was Arthur E. Stilwell (for whom the Stilwell Hotel is named) who, in 1897, founded the company known today as the Kansas City Southern. In 1897, bucking the trend in railroad building, Stilwell completed the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad Company (KCP&G) with a route running not east and west but north and south from Kansas City to Port Arthur, Texas, which is named for him. ![]()
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Pittsburg’s founder, Franklin Playter, convinced Stilwell not only to angle the railroad over the Kansas – Missouri line through Pittsburg before cutting back over to Joplin, but also to make Pittsburg a division point and build their shops here. ![]()
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In 1900, the KCP&G became The Kansas City Southern Railway Company. This was back in the day when steam engines needed to replenish their water supply even more often than wood or coal — so wooden, and later steel, water towers were a common site along the tracks.![]()
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In the very early days, steam locomotives needed to take on water every 10-15 miles so water towers (and many times windmills to pump water) could be found in the smallest of towns or, in some cases, miles from the nearest settlement.![]()
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With the introduction of the tinder (a car that carried extra coal and water), trains extended their water stops to 100-150 miles — a distance which typically coincided with a train crew’s district / territory and the location of maintenance facilities. It’s no surprise that Stilwell agreed to build a repair unit here as it’s 125 miles from the Kansas City freight yards and Union Station.![]()
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It’s fascinating history. I’m looking forward to hearing more about Kansas railroads at the 2 p.m. presentation by Leo E. Oliva this Sunday, September 19th at Miners Hall Museum in Franklin.![]()
Oliva will give a talk and share photographs as part of the Kansas Humanities and Amazon Army Speakers Series in a presentation titled “Railroaded: The Industry that Shaped Kansas.” ![]()
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The Kansas Humanities promotion material outlined by Oliva for his presentation says the following: “In the 19th century, the influence of the railroad industry was vast. Some claim that Kansas was created specifically to accommodate westward expansion of railroads. ![]()
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“Railroads brought immigrant settlers, created jobs, and fed beef markets in the East. They enabled regular mail service and the adoption of standard time. Most Kansas towns were founded because of the railroad, and few survived without it. ![]()
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“This progress came at a cost to the Plains Indians who were forcibly displaced by this westward expansion. This presentation examines the complicated legacy of railroads.” ![]()
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Oliva, whose research focus is on 19th century Kansas, is the author of “Soldiers on The Santa Fe Trail,” six books for the Kansas Forts series, founding member of the Santa Fe Trail Association and Fort Larned Old Guard.![]()
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As for southeast Kansas, Pittsburg Kansas Memories has a marvelous site on the Internet that features Kansas City Southern railroad history and old photographs of the Pittsburg freight yards, shops, passenger depot and freight depot. Just Google it and go to Pittsburg Scenes – Transportation, or click here if viewing article online: pittsburgksmemories.com/Pittsburg_Transportation/pitttransportkcs.html![]()
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Here’s a quote from a 1951 Diamond Jubilee Program on the site about the importance of the shops being located here in Pittsburg: “Pittsburg has been called a nerve center of the Kansas City Southern, for not only is it the headquarters of the system's 433-mile Northern division, but the entire mechanical and store departments are directed from the shops here at Sixteenth and Michigan.”![]()
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As for water towers, with the introduction of diesel locomotives in post WW II America, they disappeared, but I found a 1908 photo on the site that shows a view of the KCS yards and shops from 23rd Street, in which there’s both a wooden and steel one. ![]()
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I’m looking forward to hearing more about the old locomotives, water towers — and much more — at the 2 p.m. presentation this Sunday at Miners Hall Museum. Why not take the Franklin spur off 69 Highway and join me? Relax. Maybe take on some water. Let off a little steam.![]()
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If you have a remembrance and/or photo to share, send it — along with your name, address and phone number — by email to jtknoll@swbell.net or by land mail to 401 W. Euclid, Pittsburg, Kansas 66762. You can phone and text photos to 620-704-1309
Thank you to all our generous friends and donors who have helped us reach our goal to repair the storm siren. The process has begun and the storm siren will be working again soon. We appreciate all those who stepped up and helped in any way. Donations can be made to our maintenance fund for the storm siren at any time. If making a donation be sure to note that is where you would like the donation to go.
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