Podcasts by Cool Things in the Collection, Kansas Museum of History
Get an insider's perspective on the most interesting objects in the collections of the Kansas Museum of History. Each biweekly episode features a different curator talking about a different object, always something featured on our web site. It's the best of our nation's history--not just Kansas, but important events for the whole United States. There's something for everyone, from the Civil War to the Cold War, Abraham Lincoln to Amelia Earhart, tornadoes to travel. You can access the
full stories (with images) on the Web at http://www.kshs.org. Just look for the Cool Things link.
Further podcasts by Kansas Historical Society
Podcast on the topic Gesellschaft und Kultur
All episodes
Dumbbell Used by Custer from 2022-03-07T03:36:18.791419
Dumbbell used by George Armstrong Custer at Fort Hays, Kansas
ListenJaguar Skin Rug from 2022-03-07T03:36:18.600014
Jaguar shot by Theodore Roosevelt in South America
ListenWorlds Fair Window from 2022-03-07T03:36:18.340707
Stained glass window from Kansas building at 1904 world fair
ListenWalking Stick from 2022-03-07T03:36:18.191061
Walking stick given to Methodist missionary by Shawnee tribal leader
ListenSouthern Rights Flag from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.758386
Kansas Museum of History curator Blair Tarr tells us what Southerners were doing in Kansas before the Civil War.
ListenWolf Creek Power Plant Logo from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.750711
A panel of museum staffers interrogates Murl Riedel on the symbolism of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant logo, and if Wolf Creek is responsible for the two-headed calf phenomenon in Kansas.
ListenPerkins Satchel from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.748754
Nikaela Zimmerman discusses the adventures of a gentleman farmer from Kansas who traveled the world three times, collecting the bizarre.
ListenCuster's Dumbbell from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.740102
Today's podcast features a dumbbell used by George Armstrong Custer. Learn how spirited soldiers adapted to an often boring frontier life.
ListenTeddy's Jag from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.492698
The last installment in our two-part series on William Allen White. White's BFF, President Theodore Roosevelt, gave a jaguar rug to the family after a dangerous trip to the Amazon.
ListenWindow to the World from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.260365
In 1904, St. Louis was a city on the move, and Kansas went along for the ride. This stained glass window is from the Kansas Building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, better known as the 1904...
ListenCivil Rights March Banner from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.238557
The Dockum Drug Store sit-in was an important civil rights event in Wichita in 1958. Fifty years later, this
banner was proudly displayed at a march recognizing that overlooked episode in Kans...
You've Got a Friend in Me from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.200557
A deep friendship took root between two men in the wilds of Kansas Territory. Their bond spanned the differences of culture and race, and lasted a lifetime. This walking stick endures as a symbol ...
ListenNo Man's Land from 2022-02-21T04:18:54.198635
The United States didn't immediately send soldiers to fight in World War I, but that didn't stop Americans from volunteering. In this episode we hear the story behind a nurse's uniform worn by Eth...
ListenMagic Seeds from 2011-05-04T10:00
Every group has its origin story. In Kansas, the legend is that Russian immigrants brought seeds from the home country (in bottles like this) and created the Wheat State.
ListenAdmiral Home Entertainment System from 2010-12-29T10:00
Home entertainment system made by Admiral in 1949
ListenInfant Santa Claus Outfit from 2010-12-15T10:00
Infant Santa Claus outfit worn by Kansas baby in 1963.
ListenAfrican American Doll from 2010-12-01T10:00
Doll given to white girl by black woman in the Topeka neighborhood known as Mudtown
ListenAutograph Dog from 2010-11-17T10:00
1960s stuffed animal covered with autographs, including one by a famous Kansas coach
ListenEat the Rich from 2010-10-06T10:00
J.P. Morgan was a powerful man who held vast wealth and controlled finance and transportation around the United States. Should one man be so powerful? Political cartoonist Albert Reid didn't think ...
ListenAnti-Trust Cartoon from 2010-10-06T10:00
J.P. Morgan controls the world in this anti-trust cartoon drawn by a Kansan
ListenBulletproof from 2010-09-22T10:00
Politics was a rough business in the 1930s. Kansas governor Alf Landon knew the stakes were high, so he traveled with this lead lectern during the 1936 presidential campaign.
ListenBullet-Proof Lectern from 2010-09-22T10:00
Art Deco lectern used by presidential candidate Alf Landon in 1936.
ListenK-State Ice Cream Box from 2010-09-08T10:00
Cardboard container for dairy goodies from Kansas State University
ListenWhole Lotta Shakin' from 2010-08-25T10:00
Ladies, are you tired of spending hours at the gym instead of watching TV or napping? Then, the Walton Belt Vibrator is the machine for you! Today we consider a 1960s exerciser that will make you...
ListenWe Go Pogo! from 2010-08-11T10:00
One of the most popular syndicated comic strips in the mid-20th century was Walt Kelly's Pogo. It offered a satirical take on society and politics. This original strip from 1954 introduced readers ...
ListenPogo Comic Strip from 2010-08-11T10:00
The Kansas Jayhawk appears in this comic strip by Walt Kelly
ListenCount Me In from 2010-07-28T10:00
This summer our nation is taking its 23rd census of the population. These days the forms arrive in the mail, but a century ago census takers went door to door. This satchel was used by one of them ...
ListenA Bicycle Built for Two from 2010-07-14T10:00
At least three Kansas families have enjoyed this tandem bicycle. They all rode in the southern part of the state, where the land is flat but the wind is strong. Riding into a Kansas headwind makes ...
ListenTandem Bicycle from 2010-07-14T10:00
This bicycle-built-for-two was enjoyed by several Kansas families
ListenThe Most Famous Poster in the World from 2010-06-30T10:00
There are many symbols for the United States. Perhaps the strongest national personification is the character known around the world as Uncle Sam. This military recruiting poster has been widely re...
ListenUncle Sam Poster from 2010-06-30T10:00
This World War I poster claims that Uncle Sam Wants You
ListenIf I Had a Hammer from 2010-06-16T10:00
Carry Nation makes the top ten on every famous Kansans list for her trademark smashing of illegal saloons. An admirer sent the reformer this heavy hammer to use in her prohibition crusade.
ListenCarry Nation Hammer from 2010-06-16T10:00
A famous temperance advocate used this fierce looking hammer to smash saloons
ListenOver There from 2010-06-02T10:00
In honor of Memorial Day, we consider a service flag that was proudly displayed by a Kansas family during World War I. Their son was serving his country over there.
ListenService Star Flag from 2010-06-02T10:00
This small silk flag proclaims that a Kansas boy was fighting overseas in World War I
ListenTake Me Out to the Ball Game from 2010-05-19T10:00
Baseball has long been known as America's pastime, but like many of our country's institutions, it has a history of racial segregation. Today we consider a program from a 1950s game between two Neg...
ListenNegro Leagues Baseball Program from 2010-05-19T10:00
Program for a baseball game played by the renowned Kansas City Monarchs
ListenColonial Rifle from 2010-05-05T10:00
Gun collectors covet this rare and beautiful 18th century Pennsylvania-made rifle. How did it end up in Kansas? We'd like to know the answer to that question, too.
ListenSpoils of War from 2010-04-21T10:00
Thousands of buildings were looted of their contents during the Civil War. This quilt from a ransacked South Carolina home has only recently been reunited with its history.
ListenCivil War Quilt from 2010-04-21T10:00
Intricate bedcover saved from a Civil War soldiers camp
ListenMannequins for Dummies from 2010-04-07T10:00
We have a dummy in the museum! Not your run-of-the-mill department store mannequin, this figure was a silent partner in training hospital staff and emergency workers during the 1960s.
ListenRock this Town from 2010-03-24T10:00
Mining has been big business in southeastern Kansas almost since our state was founded. These mineral samples from the town of Treece speak to the area's mining heritage, as well as its less savory...
ListenMining Town Minerals from 2010-03-24T10:00
Mineral samples from the only superfund mega site in Kansas
ListenA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman from 2010-03-10T10:00
Most of us had a favorite piece of clothing from childhood. Hear about a dress from the turn of the last century, worn by a girl who would later become a prolific artist.
ListenDress from Artist Childhood from 2010-03-10T10:00
Gown worn by Kansas artist Avis Chitwood during her childhood
ListenAmerican Woman from 2010-02-24T10:00
Securing the right to vote was a major milestone for women in America. As we approach Women's History Month, we consider a controversial painting in our collections that commented on the rights of...
ListenAmerican Woman and Her Political Peers Painting from 2010-02-24T10:00
Painting depicting the message of woman suffrage
ListenPinball Wizard from 2010-02-10T10:00
Parents today complain about their kids playing video games, but many of these elders once wasted their time playing pinball. This episode considers a 1960s machine emblazoned with a rock band call...
ListenPinball Machine from 2010-02-10T10:00
Beat Time pinball machine depicting musical group called The Bootles
ListenLeft in the Dust from 2010-01-27T10:00
We think nothing of jumping in the car no matter what the weather, but a century ago open cars and dirt roads made it difficult to look good after a drive. This motoring coat protected early-day ro...
ListenMotoring Coat and Goggles from 2010-01-27T10:00
Personal gear from the early years of automobile history
ListenStrawberry Hill from 2010-01-13T10:00
Some art has strong historical value. These paintings by Croatian American artist Marijana Grisnik depict memories of an old Kansas City neighborhood known as Strawberry Hill.
ListenStrawberry Hill Paintings from 2010-01-13T10:00
Collection of paintings capturing the early years of a Kansas City neighborhood
ListenSugar Sack Doll from 2009-12-30T10:00
Lots of museums have dolls in their collections, but how many have a peasant doll holding a hoe and smoking a cigar? Get the scoop on this unusual figure, clad in a dress made from a sugar sack.
ListenAll I Want For Christmas from 2009-12-16T10:00
Our collections include many holiday-themed artifacts. This one is an early cartoon of Santa Claus, drawn by a Kansas artist. What did Santy look like around 1900? A bit different from today's v...
ListenThe Rungless Ladder from 2009-12-02T10:00
It's hard to imagine a ladder without rungs, and yet that was the vision of one Kansas inventor. How does a rungless ladder even work? You'll have to listen to find out.
ListenA Hunting We Will Go from 2009-11-18T10:00
Hunting is big business in rural Kansas, where hunters visit with guns, ammo, and fat wallets. This banner greeted sportsmen in the western Kansas town of Hays just before the opening of pheasant s...
ListenVet's Uniform from 2009-11-04T10:00
Even well into the 20th century, the U.S. Army relied heavily on horses and mules to move equipment. But, surprisingly, veterinarians are a fairly recent addition to our military.
ListenVeterinary Corps Jacket from 2009-11-04T10:00
World War I uniform for Veterinary Reserve Corps
ListenSay Cheese! from 2009-10-21T10:00
A century ago, photography was much more difficult than point-and-shoot. In this podcast we hear about the challenges faced by a pioneering woman photographer. Alice Gardiner Sennrich documented he...
ListenBox Camera from 2009-10-21T10:00
Camera used by small town photographer in early 20th century
ListenIs That a Knork in Your Pocket? from 2009-10-07T10:00
It's a knife, it's a fork, no, it's a Knork! Hear about the genius of one Kansas inventor who combined the best qualities of the knife and fork into a single clever utensil. The Knork is taking th...
ListenShoot to Kill from 2009-09-23T10:00
The notorious Jesse James gang terrorized much of the Midwest in the years following the Civil War. A Kansan used this rifle to bring down one of the James gang members in 1875.
Blood on the Program from 2009-07-17T10:00
T. D. Bancroft saved a playbill fragment with President Abraham Lincoln's blood from from the night the president was assassinated at Ford's Theatre.
ListenMemento of Lincoln Assassination from 2009-07-17T10:00
Playbill fragment from night of Lincoln assassination
ListenEmbroidering History from 2009-07-01T10:00
Storytelling is a way of life for the Hmong people, an Asian ethnic group that suffered during the Vietnam War. Kansas has become home to a surprising number of Hmong. This story cloth depicts thei...
ListenRecord of Skies from 2009-06-17T10:00
Henry Worrall wasn't born in Kansas, nor was he a trained artist, but that didn't stop him from using art to promote his adopted state. Record of Skies is the title of his 1870s sketchbook filled...
ListenCivil War Guidons from 2009-06-03T10:00
Swallowtail flags used by Kansas cavalry during Civil War
ListenFlag Waving from 2009-06-03T10:00
The Kansas Cavalry rode to the rescue with these silk guidons snapping in the wind. Hear the interesting story of two Civil War swallowtail flags, recently preserved through our Save the Flags pro...
ListenLincoln Umbrella from 2009-05-20T10:00
Umbrella that sheltered Abraham Lincoln during post-inaugural speech
ListenBlack Umbrella from 2009-05-20T10:00
It may look like an ordinary umbrella, but this faded parasol had a brush with fame when it sheltered Abraham Lincoln during an historic post-inaugural tour.
ListenLong Hard Journey from 2009-05-06T10:00
The massive American surrender in the Philippines during World War II led to a horrifying journey known as the Bataan Death March. These sandals are a reminder of one Kansas soldier's powerful exp...
ListenHarpers Ferry Revolver from 2009-04-22T10:00
Religious fervor led an once-innocent young Kansan to help John Brown seize the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Albert Hazlett hoped to start a rebellion using this revolver. And in a way, he ...
ListenVolcanic Pottery from 2009-04-08T10:00
Hear about a Kansan who mixed volcanic ash with local mud to produce some stunning ceramics in the 1950s. James Dryden cornered the market on Kansas kitsch until the highway bypassed his location...
ListenShip Without a Rudder from 2009-03-25T10:00
To navigate the Kansas River in the 1820s, you needed the right equipment--a keelboat. This steering oar helped one fur trader's keelboat stay the course.
ListenThe Red Telephone from 2009-02-26T10:00
A powerful icon of the Cold War, this telephone with a red receiver (Warning!) rode out the threat of nuclear disaster two floors below ground at Topeka's Shawnee County Courthouse.
ListenDirty Money from 2009-02-11T10:00
Money is hard to come by these days, but it was even more difficult to get in 1850s Kansas. This episode deals with failed bank notes not worth the paper they're printed on.
ListenCouch Potato from 2009-01-28T10:00
Harriet Beecher Stowe had to sit somewhere while getting ideas for her masterpiece, Uncle Tom's Cabin. This sofa was one of the lucky furnishings that supported the best-selling author. Perhaps t...
ListenDancing With the Stars from 2009-01-14T10:00
Margaret Usher dazzled other dancers at Abraham Lincoln's 1865 inaugural ball with this militaristic yet feminine ball gown.
ListenCivil War Hat from 2008-12-31T10:00
Slouch hat picked up on Arkansas battlefield during Civil War
ListenThe Slouch from 2008-12-31T10:00
A Union chaplain from Kansas picked up this slouch-style hat on a Civil War battleground in Arkansas. This little-known western battle involved Native Americans, African Americans, and whites.
ListenAmelia Earhart Christmas Cards from 2008-12-17T10:00
Christmas cards sent by aviator Amelia Earhart and husband George Putnam
ListenChristmas Flight from 2008-12-17T10:00
Between setting flight records and circumnavigating the globe, Kansas aviator Amelia Earhart found time to send out these Christmas cards.
ListenDubs Dread Golf Ticket from 2008-12-03T10:00
Ticket to 1968 match in Kansas City featuring four famed players
ListenGolfing Buddies from 2008-12-03T10:00
This ticket commemorates a monumental match at a Kansas City golf course between Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson, and Jug McSpaden.
ListenSmoked Turkey from 2008-11-19T10:00
Our Thanksgiving episode focuses on a uniquely North American tool. Pipe tomahawks symbolize the blending of two cultures--European and Native American.
ListenOregon Trail Tombstone from 2008-11-05T10:00
Tombstone from cholera victim on the Oregon Trail
ListenTravel in the Time of Cholera from 2008-11-05T10:00
The biggest killer on the Oregon Trail was cholera. Hear how one Kentucky man was stricken in the morning and died that afternoon. He was buried in Kansas.
ListenHalloween Party Invitation from 2008-10-22T10:00
Handwritten invitation for 1909 Halloween party
ListenA Very Merry Neewollah from 2008-10-22T10:00
Neewollah is Halloween spelled backward. Hear how one Kansas community launched a festival to keep kids off the streets on Halloween night.
ListenDevil's Rope from 2008-10-08T10:00
Barbed wire has separated neighbor from neighbor, marked boundaries, and divided nations. But first it fenced in cattle in the West.
ListenCentron Films Camera from 2008-09-10T10:00
Movie camera used by Centron Films to produce educational films
ListenSpace Age Stove from 2008-08-27T10:00
This nearly indestructible Frigidaire Custom Imperial Flair stove from 1968 made efficient use of space in the kitchen. Only a remodeling project and difficulty in getting replacement parts broug...
ListenGallows Crossbeam from 2008-08-13T10:00
Section of gallows on which Lincoln assassination conspirators were hanged
ListenLincoln Log from 2008-08-13T10:00
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865. Just a few months later, four of the conspirators were hanged in Washington, D.C. So how did a piece of the gallows end up in Kansas?
ListenConnies Mexico Cafe from 2008-07-16T10:00
Bean pot used by founder of Connies Mexico Cafe in Wichita
ListenConnie's Cafe from 2008-07-16T10:00
Wichita's oldest family-run Mexican restaurant is Connie's Mexico
Cafe. These objects were used by its founders, Concepcion (Connie) Lopez and her husband Rafael.
Flag Quilt from 2008-07-02T10:00
Flag quilt made by female guard at the turn of the 20th century
ListenBoyd's Girls from 2008-07-02T10:00
This group of girl cadets, armed with broomsticks and rifle parts, produced a patriotic quilt while defending Topeka at the turn of the 20th century.
ListenSecond Kansas Cavalry Flag from 2008-06-18T10:00
Regimental flag carried in the Civil War by Kansas cavalry unit
ListenModern Ledger Art from 2008-06-04T10:00
Looting of Native American artifacts has been a problem almost since Columbus first stepped off the boat in the New World. One Topeka artist argues for repatriation of these objects through her pa...
ListenFlint Hills Firestick from 2008-05-21T10:00
Flint Hills ranchers use this homemade tool to manage the prairie with fire
ListenAngell Plow from 2008-05-07T10:00
Revolutionary plow invented by a farmer from Plains, Kansas
ListenBlue Jacket from 2008-04-23T10:00
In the Future Farmers of America, blue corduroy is the fabric of success. This jacket was worn by Wes Jackson, who today is recognized as a visionary leader in agriculture.
ListenFFA Jacket from 2008-04-23T10:00
Future Farmers of America jacket worn by a visionary in agriculture
ListenCyclone Stop Sign from 2008-03-12T10:00
Find out what it takes to crumple street signs like pieces of tin foil. These signs survived a massive tornado that destroyed the town of Greensburg in May 2007.
ListenGreensburg Tornado Street Signs from 2008-03-12T10:00
Street signs salvaged from ruins of Greensburg, Kansas, after catastrophic tornado
ListenA Civilized Bookcase from 2008-02-27T10:00
This bookcase symbolizes a tragic period in Native American history. Were the missionaries who used it trying to improve the lives of their Indian pupils or wipe out their culture?
ListenMissionary Bookcase from 2008-02-27T10:00
Bookcase made for Baptist missionaries by Delaware Indian pupils
ListenSeat of Government from 2008-02-13T10:00
This early 21st century chair was used by Topeka's first African American mayor, James McClinton.
ListenOffice Chair from Topeka Mayor from 2008-02-13T10:00
Office chair used by first African American mayor of Topeka
ListenQuadruple Constitutions from 2008-01-30T10:00
Every state needs a constitution. Kansas had four of them. What a political nightmare!
ListenFunston's Flu from 2008-01-16T10:00
Disease was the worst enemy during World War I. In this podcast we examine a quarantine sign used in Bushong, Kansas, during the greatest pandemic in history.
ListenChristmas on a Card from 2007-12-19T10:00
Some people get into Christmas more than others. Louis Glynn spent the whole year, every year, hand-painting 500 cards for friends and family.
ListenAn Aluminum Tree Christmas from 2007-12-05T10:00
This luminous relic from the 1950s was used in a western Kansas home.
ListenAluminum Christmas Tree from 2007-12-05T10:00
An aluminum tree and color wheel from the 1950s
ListenWar, With a Twist from 2007-11-21T10:00
This ballot box is a survivor of the Kansas county seat wars, and a tornado.
ListenBallot Box from Tornado from 2007-11-21T10:00
This wooden ballot box survived county seat wars and a Kansas tornado
ListenPrison Town from 2007-11-07T10:00
Four prisons are located in Leavenworth County, Kansas. This guard uniform was used at the oldest one, the Kansas State Penitentiary.
ListenPrison Guard Jacket from 2007-11-07T10:00
Guard uniform from the Kansas State Penitentiary at Lansing
ListenDrunken Flapper from 2007-10-10T10:00
Books written and inscribed by Edna Ferber, from the home of William Allen White.
ListenInscribed Ferber Books from 2007-10-10T10:00
Novelist Edna Ferber inscribed these books to her dear friend, William Allen White
ListenCure for Cancer Serum from 2007-09-26T10:00
A Kansas City doctor claimed to have found a cure for cancer in the 1920s. Only problem was, it didn't work.
ListenOzias Clinic Sign from 2007-09-26T10:00
A Kansas City doctor who claimed to have found a cancer cure operated under this sign
ListenCivil War Presentation Pieces from 2007-09-12T10:00
Pistols and Civil War saber presented during the Civil War as a token of admiration
ListenGolfing with Cows from 2007-08-15T10:00
Golfing hazards in Topeka 100 years ago included cattle and their byproducts. Talk about mashies!
ListenOlympic Track Shoe from 2007-08-01T10:00
Track shoe worn by Kansan Wes Santee at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland
ListenNarkaleptic from 2007-07-18T10:00
This story on small-town baseball won't put you to sleep. Hear how the Narka, Kansas, baseball team emulated the St. Louis Cardinals.
ListenNarka Baseball Uniform from 2007-07-18T10:00
1940s town baseball uniform worn by a team in Narka, Kansas
ListenWorld Heavyweight Champion Boxing Gloves from 2007-07-04T10:00
Boxing gear used by world heavyweight champion Jess Willard, a Kansas native
ListenUncomfortable Socks from 2007-06-20T10:00
A Topeka woman wore this wool basketball uniform for the Topeka Aces in the 1920s. Uncomfortable uniforms weren't the only difficulty encountered by women in sports, though.
ListenTopeka Aces Basketball Uniform from 2007-06-20T10:00
Wool basketball uniform worn by woman who played for the Topeka Aces in the 1920s
ListenEight Man Football Uniform from 2007-06-06T10:00
Football uniform worn in small Kansas town where fielding a team of 8 is easier than the usual 11
ListenEight is Enough from 2007-06-06T10:00
Fielding a football team is tough when your community's population is in decline. Learn how 8 man football keeps the drive alive.
ListenDrafting Table from 2007-05-23T10:00
Drafting table on which Kansas sports arenas were designed
ListenA Tale of Two Fieldhouses from 2007-05-23T10:00
Drafting table on which Kansas' best-known sports arenas were designed.
ListenOlympic Village Letter from 2007-05-09T10:00
Kansas runner Glenn Cunningham wrote this letter on official stationery at the 1936 Olympics
ListenIron Horse of Kansas from 2007-05-09T10:00
Learn of the amazing connection between a Kansas runner, Adolph Hitler, and the 1936 Olympics.
ListenBaseball Trophy from 1860s from 2007-04-25T10:00
Silver baseball shaped trophy awarded for 1860s game
ListenGive the Ball a Ride from 2007-04-25T10:00
Today's podcast features a giant wooden bat and a silver baseball trophy from an 1860s game in Kansas.
ListenFencing Foils and Masks from 2007-04-11T10:00
Fencing equipment used by a German social club in Topeka
ListenSmacked by Napoleon from 2007-04-11T10:00
Elegant swordplay in Kansas? Believe it. This fencing equipment was used by a German social club in Topepka.
ListenFallout Food from 2007-03-28T10:00
Cold War survival kits from the 1950s included cans of granulated synthetic protein--yum!
ListenWizard of Oz Pins from 2007-03-14T10:00
Wizard of Oz pins exchanged by Kansas Lions Club members
ListenFlying Monkeys from 2007-03-14T10:00
Populist manifesto or just plain fun? Learn the real story behind L. Frank Baum's book, The Wizard of Oz.
ListenBloody Benders Knife from 2007-02-28T10:00
Knife from notorious serial murder site in southeastern Kansas
ListenBloody Benders from 2007-02-28T10:00
Death stalked the highways in 1870s Kansas. Was their knife used to commit murder, or just for spreading butter?
ListenChainsaw Chair from 2007-02-14T10:00
A chainsaw artist created this chair loaded with Kansas symbols
ListenState Stump from 2007-02-14T10:00
What do you get when you combine a cottonwood tree and a chainsaw artist? The state stump!
ListenSomething in the Water from 2007-01-31T10:00
Today's podcast features a jug owned by a man who was a frequent visitor to a Kansas sanitarium. Was he a victim of bizarre water treatments or a resort playboy who enjoyed a good bath?
ListenWWI Memorial Card from 2007-01-17T10:00
Memorial card for fallen Kansas soldier, printed in German
ListenFatherland from 2007-01-17T10:00
This memorial card for a fallen WWI soldier is printed in German. Was this Kansas boy a German sympathizer?
ListenMoon Rocks from 2007-01-03T10:00
The museum director describes moon rocks, or rather moon gravel, from the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.
ListenKey Overalls from 2006-12-20T10:00
Key overalls, made and worn in Kansas, are the subject of today's down-home podcast.
ListenColeman Pocket Stove from 2006-12-06T10:00
American soldiers used these innovative portable stoves produced by a Wichita company during World War II.
ListenQuack Medical Equipment from 2006-11-22T10:00
Fraudulent medical equipment marketed in Kansas
ListenMedical Quackery from 2006-11-22T10:00
Hear about the Solarama, the Color Therm, and other fascinating examples of quack medical equipment confiscated by Kansas investigators.
ListenAgnes the Frog Costume from 2006-10-25T10:00
This is the tale of the fictitious amphibian who threw her hat into the political ring.
ListenDelahay Portraits from 2006-10-11T10:00
The fascinating story of Mark Delahay--lawyer, editor, opportunist, judge, and finally, notorious alcoholic.
ListenPrison Doll from 2006-09-27T10:00
Learn about a doll bearing a striking resemblance to an incompetent criminal.
ListenWaconda Springs Drawing from 2006-09-13T10:00
A Kansas well rumored to be medicinal, and bottomless, sparks Murl Riedel's curiosity.
ListenHorse Mannequin from 2006-08-30T10:00
Blair Tarr discusses a rarity in museum collections--a horse mannequin.
ListenChief's Blanket from 2006-08-16T10:00
Laura Vannorsdel talks about a rare Navajo weaving with an Overland Trail connection.
ListenTornado Relics from 2006-07-19T10:00
A massive tornado tore through Topeka in 1966. Host Murl Riedel interviews Rebecca Martin about the aftermath of this devastating storm, and the relics left behind.
ListenElectronic Football Game from 2006-06-21T10:00
Museum director Bob Keckeisen reminisces about his childhood experiences with a frustrating game.
ListenMickey Mouse Undies from 2006-04-26T12:00
This is the inaugural segment of the biweekly podcast, Cool Things in the Collection, presented by the Kansas Museum of History. Today's podcast features host Murl Riedel interviewing Rebecca Marti...
Listen