Heritage Information and Projects

The Heritage Task Force of the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition is tasked with studying the feasibility of congressional designation of the Kansas Flint Hills as a National Heritage Area. The projects on this page are each a part of this effort. The work-in-progress Vision and Mission Statements adopted by the Task Force aWt this time guide these efforts.

Vision:

“The Flint Hills of Kansas remain true to their unique and nationally important story as a well preserved and sustainable Tallgrass prairie living landscape.”

Mission Statement:

“The residents of the Flint Hills work collectively to balance preservation, conservation, education, recreation, economic development and interpretation for the betterment of the lifestyle and natural resources of the region. This is done through the development and implementation of plans and coordinated activities that capture the grassroots efforts of stakeholders who support the vision for the future of the Flint Hills.”

Flint Hills Heritage Newsletters

Annual Heritage Conferences

2009	Heritage Conference on Festivals
2008	How to Become a Heritage Area Theme, Program & Photos
2007	Learn More About Our Own Kansas Flint Hills Story and Photos

Heritage Story Collection Project

Ranching Impact Oral History Project, partially funded by the Kansas Humanities Council

This is an oral history project with a focus on heritage stories that bring out the unique characteristics of ranching life in the Kansas Flint Hills. As we collect oral histories of residents of the Kansas Flint Hills, we expect to extract from their stories the elements of the unique and special characteristics that make ranching life in the Kansas Flints Hills different from ranching life in other portions of the United States.

Ranching Impact Interviews (audio - MP3 files)

Note: These are .MP3 downloads. You can save these on your portable music player or directly onto your computer. Each episode extracts a segment or two from one or more of the oral history interviews. Dr. Bill Smith, ESU School of Business, and Oral History Project Director, is the host of each episode.

Name	Length	Description
Koger on Patch Burning	4:22	This episode features Jane Koger discussing the results of experiments on her ranch in Chase County with patch burning and the impacts with respect to the grass, the cattle and wildlife habitat.
Farmer-Rancher Concept	5:50	This episode features discussions on the Farmer-Rancher dichotomy in the Kansas Flint Hills, including comments by both Paul Seeley, Eureka, Kansas rancher, and by John Cosgrove, farmer-rancher in the Council Grove area.
Vanier Comparison	3:50	This episode features as interview with John K. Vanier, Brookville, Kansas, interviewed at his office in Salina, discussing the difference between pasture grazing cattle in the Flint Hills of Morris County compared to grazing in the shorter grass further west.
Seeley on Backgrounding	4:55	This episode features an interview with Paul Seeley, Eureka, Kansas rancher discussing the concept of backgrounding calves.
Cosgrove Buffalo Run	2:55	This episode features an interview with John Cosgrove, a rancher near Council Grove, Kansas, discussing a discovery that was made on his land, some years ago, when a river channel was being diverted.
Seeley Double Stocking One	2:20	This episode features an interview with Paul Seeley, Eureka, Kansas rancher discussing the concept of “double stocking” cattle on the prairie pastures.
Seeley Burning One	4:45	This episode features an interview with Paul Seeley, Eureka, Kansas rancher discussing the aspects of prairie burning.

Transcripts of Ranching Interviews (PDF files)

	Guest:	Jane Koger
	Location:	Southeastern Chase County
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	Tom Burton
	Location:	Matfield Green
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	John White
	Location:	Council Grove
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	John and Linda Cosgrove
	Location:	Council Grove
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	Frank Salas
	Location:	Council Grove
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	John Vanier
	Location:	Salina
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	Paul Seeley
	Location:	Eureka
	Interviewer:	Bill Smith
	Interview Transcript

	Guests:	Bill and Jeanne Hatcher
	Location:	Strong City
	Interviewer:	Belle Grimsley
	Interview Transcript

	Guests:	Kenneth W. and Shirley A. McClintock
	Location:	Council Grove
	Interviewer:	Belle Grimsley
	Interview Transcript

	Guest:	Don and Peg Jenkins
	Location:	Alta Vista
	Interviewer:	Louise Carlin
	Interview Transcript