By SALINA POST
Happy Kansas Day! January 29 is Kansas’ 164 birthday and the Smoky Hill Museum plans to offer a FREE public celebration this Saturday, February 1, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
The whole family can enjoy learning how to make butter and shell corn at the Kansas Day Open House and Birthday Bash. Plus, there will be make-and-take crafts and delicious birthday cupcakes. Also, be sure to stop by the Museum Store for a wide variety of regional and Kansas products, local artwork and gifts for all ages.
The Smoky Hill Museum is a nationally accredited history museum in downtown Salina, Kansas. This FREE museum is open Tuesdays- Fridays 11-5 and Saturdays 10-5.
For needed accommodations, please call Nona Miller at 309-5776 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
More about Kansas Day
Instead of “Happy Birthday,” some Kansans commemorate the day by singing the official state song, Home on the Range. The lyrics were originally written as a poem by Dr. Brewster Higley in 1873, titled My Western Home. His words capture the beauty of the Kansas landscape, describing buffalo, deer, antelope, and vast skies. Although Higley lived near West Beaver Creek, beavers are notably absent from the lyrics.
Kansas Fast Facts:
The first battle of the Civil War: In 1856, five years before the Civil War officially began, anti-slavery Kansans clashed with pro-slavery fighters in what became known as the Battle of Black Jack. Many historians consider it the war’s first battle, as it was fought over the same issues that would later divide the nation.
A landmark Supreme Court case: The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, marking a major victory in the civil rights movement.
The first female mayor in the U.S.: In 1887, Susanna Salter of Argonia, Kansas, became the first woman elected mayor in the United States. She gained international recognition, receiving congratulatory letters from France, Italy, Germany, and Austria.