Long after they are gone, the people who first sought out this land hold power over us. They are the reminders of our legacy. Wander into almost any Kansas cemetery and the tombstones tell stories of how generations before us lived and died. There are stories that can intrigue, stories of shootings, epidemics and sometimes even the anguish some families found in moments of childbirth and motherhood. Stones and monuments tell stories of affluence, poverty and reflect trends of a changing society. Ghost towns hold the remains of promises unfilled—a railroad that didn’t come through; a county seat built elsewhere; a dam that was built. We’ll look at some of the more interesting ghost towns and cemeteries in Kansas.

Instructor: Beccy Tanner, Adjunct Instructor, Department of History, Wichita State University