The Prairie Wanderer

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The Prairie Wanderer

Your guide to uncovering hidden history, local gems & the spirited women who left their mark. Heartland stories. Original photography.

Curated collections of Kansas-made prints & home goods.

10/18/2026

Today we remember Mary Ritchie, who died on October 18, 1880. She and her husband John were abolitionists and came to Topeka in 1855. Their home was a stop on the Underground Railroad, sheltering freedom seekers traveling north.

Mary is buried in Section 18, along with John and many family members.

Today, the Shawnee County Historical Society preserves their home.

10/15/2026

Plans for this weekend? For those in Topeka, or nearby, Friends of the Historic Topeka Cemetery will be hosting our annual haunted history event. Tour Historic Topeka Cemetery hearing stories of spiritualism, haunts, mystery, and tragic events. I'll be sharing one of those tragic events - the ill fated trip taken by the Shull sisters. Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/4439690386311888

10/07/2026

Celebrating the spooky season. Here are 31 spots in Kansas that have legends and ghost stories attached to them. What locations would you add to the list? How many have you been to?

10/06/2026

I appreciate the honor and care the archaeology team with the Kansas Historical Society is taking with repatriation of indigenous remains and artifacts back to the tribes.

(Photo: Zephyr, Nov/Dec 2023, Kansas Historical Society)

10/05/2026

Today in Kansas history, was not a good day for the Dalton Gang. On the morning of Oct 5th 1892, the gang rode into Coffeyville on a mission to rob not one but two banks. The citizens of Coffeyville gave them a fight. In the end, eight people were killed (four gang members, four civilians, and the town marshal). Emmett Dalton, despite being shot multiple, was the lone survivor of the Dalton Gang at the shootout.

In March 1893, Emmett was sent to the Kansas State Penitentiary. Serving only 14 years, Emmett was pardoned by Gov. Hoch in 1907. He would move to California and spent the remainder of years writing and recounting his times with the Dalton Gang.

Every year in October, Coffeyville hosts the Dalton Defenders Days. An event meant to commemorate the lives lost defending the town.

(Photo: Emmett Dalton, Kansas State Penitentiary, Kansas State Historical Society)

10/04/2026

Last night, I checked another haunted Kansas location off my list–the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia.

The lore says the theatre is most notably haunted by Earl Brown, who founded the Brown Grand with his wife, Gertrude, and his parents, Col. Napoleon Bonaparte & Kathrine Brown. Both Gertrude and Katherine have made their presence known at the theatre.

The story of Earl is told in Lisa Hefner Heitz's book "Haunted Kansas." He presents himself as a tall figure wearing a top hat, often seen on the balcony. Earl also seems to like to communicate through different devices, and he can move things.

In addition to the family, at least three other ghosts are believed to be tied to the location.

Our evening at the Brown Grand was brief and fairly uneventful, but using dowsing rods and asking questions, we may have been communicating with Katherine on the balcony and a little girl spirit on the stage.

The theatre is a space filled with energy and history. I look forward to visiting again.

Cloud County Tourism

10/02/2026

Today we remember the 31 people loss in the 1970 WSU plane crash. The WSU football team was on its way to Utah for a game, unfortunately one of the planes the team was riding in crashed in Colorado. The victims included 14 players, as well as head coach Ben Wilson (and his wife), and athletic director Albert Katzenmeyer (and his wife). (I've linked a memorial page in comments.)

09/04/2026

Sending photographs out into the world, hoping they find the people who recognize themselves in the land.

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