They Fought Like Tigers

Kansas was the first Union state to recruit, train, muster and send African American soldiers into combat.

The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry was the first African American regiment to be recruited from a norther state and the first to defeat the Confederates in combat.

January 14, 2013 will be the 150th Anniversary of the federal muster of this unit which was sworn into service on the parade grounds in Fort Scott.

In commemoration, Fort Scott National Historic Site will offer a special program on Saturday, January 12, 2013, at 2 p.m. in the site's library.

Retired National Park Service Historian, Arnold Schofield, will offer the keynote address about the formation of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry.

The program will also honor the African American officer with the unit, Captain William D. Matthews, with a dramatic reading of his life's story.

Period music will be performed by volunteer Matthew Wells.

Additionally Park Ranger, Barry Geersteen will give a talk about the Emancipation Proclamation, which became official on January 1, 1863, and paved the way for the mustering in of the unit 12 days later.

The program will last approximately one hour and is open to the public.

There is no fee for the program or for visitation to the site which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One item of note is that it was the story of the 1st Kansas that convinced Congress to authorize funding for the site in 1965., the same year that civil rights legislation was passed.

This story will also be briefly addressed during the program.

This program is one of many planned to commemorate the Civil War sesquicentennial.

For more information, call 620-223-0310

Candlelight Tour of the Fort

This Weekend

December 7 and 8

Friday and Saturday nights

Tickets are required for anyone 6 and above

Tickets are on a first come basis

$8.00 each

For tickets call 

620-223-0310 

Tickets reserved by phone can be paid for with a credit card

(Master Card, Visa, Discover)

Twenty-five tickets for each hour

Tours start

Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

(and run every 15 minutes)

Saturday from 5:00 until 9 p.m.

(and run every 15 minutes)

(There will be a break at 7:15 on Saturday only)

If you haven't had a chance to see the Fort by candlelight, it is an awesome experience.

And the weather looks promising for this year's tour!

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

Over 25 million Americans served in the United States Armed Forces beginning with the American Revolution to today’s War on Terror. Veterans Day is your opportunity to honor veterans and their families for keeping this country free. Fort Scott National Historic Site staff and volunteers invite you to a special afternoon tribute to veterans on Sunday, November 11, beginning at 2 p.m.

Talented speakers including park volunteer Robert Thomas, superintendent Arnold Schofield of Mine Creek Battlefield, and Fort Scott Community College teacher John Seal will weave stories that will link past and present soldiers, providing you the opportunity to learn similarities from veterans serving at Fort Scott during the 1800s to soldiers of today.

Combat veteran Chief Master Sergeant Lawrence Cripps, keynote speaker, will present the program, “A Time to Honor the Cost of Freedom”. Mr. Cripps served in the Navy aviation field and flight engineer for 33 years. In civilian life, he served as a trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the Blue & Gray Brass Brigade Band, a seven piece Civil War era music ensemble based in Kansas City, Kansas. Their primary music goal is to recreate sounds and music of brass brigade bands popular during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Instrumentation of the group is Eb Cornet, 2 Bb Cornets, Eb Alto Horn, Bb Tenor hour, Tuba, and Drums. Following the program, you are invited to stay and listen to more military music provided by the Blue & Gray Brass Brigade Band.

The Event -- Honoring Our Heroes of Local History

October 9, 2012

found the

Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site

honoring

two local heroes of history

Fred Campbell (left) and Don Miller (right)

both long time educators in Fort Scott,

the pair has written

a

History of Bourbon County

(it's what you do when you retire!)

Through their love of history both in the classroom and out

these gentlemen have touched many lives.

As witnessed by the tributes at the event tonight

at Liberty Theatre

which honored these two heroes.

It was our 4th Annual Friends Fest

and friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site

and

friends of Fred and Don came out en masse

for the event.

President of Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site Reed Hartford

in front of the Friends Display in the lobby 

of Liberty Theatre.

A big thank you to all who made the event possible.

And a big thank you to both

Don and Fred

You are true heroes!

A Tribute to Local Heroes of History

Local Heroes of History

Fred Campbell and Don Miller

will be honored

on Tuesday, October 9, 2012

at the 2012 Friends Fest

at Crooner's Lounge

113 S. Main

Fort Scott, Ks. 66701

Doors open 6 p.m., Dinner at 6:30 p.m., Program at 7 p.m.

Limited Seating Available

Tickets Can Be Purchased at:

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

(1-800-245-FORT)

life+style

620-223-2915

Country Cupboard

620-223-5980

Fred Campbell and Don Miller left a positive legacy in our community through their excellent work as educators.

They have lived their passion for history as authors, speakers, researchers and guardians

of the unique memories that make Bourbon County a special place.

Make plans to be part of this special tribute as we toast them, roast them and share tall tales of the past.

The Herb Garden

The herb garden at the Fort Scott National Historic Site behind Officer's Row.    Herbs played an important part in the life of the Officer's wives.     The garden would provide herbs to be used medicinally, aromatically and culinary.    Although the main purpose would be for medicinal use.
And those wives would tend the garden themselves.

ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual Meeting

of the

Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site

will be

Tuesday, September 4 at 6:30 p.m.

at the

First Christian Church

101 S. Judson

REFRESHMENTS SERVED 

Please join us at our Annual Meeting and learn what accomplishments we've done in the last year and our plans for the future in helping our National Historic Site move forward in 2013.

Election of Board Members will take place at the Annual Meeting.