FORT SCOTT, Kan. – Tickets are now on sale for Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet. This moving story of the Osage people is coming to Fort Scott, Kansas for three performances July 21-22, 2023. Adult tickets (ages 16 and up) are $35.00 while tickets for children (ages 15 and below) are $15.00 each. Discount early bird prices are available until May 31. Tickets can be purchased online at https://friendsoffsnhs.ticketspice.com/wahzhazhe or by visiting the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site on Facebook. Persons needing assistance with online purchases can do so, in person, at the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
The rich history of the Osage Nation is brought to life in this stunningly beautiful stage performance using traditional drumming, colorful costumes, and contemporary dance. The heart-pounding drumbeats, rhythmic dancing, and compelling stories of Wahzhazhe are sure to delight dancing enthusiasts and history fans of all ages. The show has been performed for the Pope in Philadelphia, PA, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. and most recently at Branson, MO. Fort Scott performances will be held Friday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 22 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site in partnership with the National Park Service are hosting Wahzhazhe as part of Fort Scott National Historic Site’s educational programming. This performance will be the highlight in a series of Native American programming being offered by the park this year. The Friends are seeking sponsors to help offset the cost of bringing the performance to Fort Scott. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.
Fort Scott Community College’s Women’s Appreciation Luncheon is April 26 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ellis Fine Arts Center, 2108 S. Horton. Please RSVP today, April 25 by 3 p.m.
In addition to lunch, catered by Great Western Dining and Twigs & Berries, there will be door prizes and product displays.
The menu for the event:
Choose one wrap from two selections: Southwest or club (Great Western Dining)
Traditional salad (Twigs & Berries)
Caprese pasta salad (Twigs & Berries)
Sugar cookie fruit pizza (Twigs & Berries)
Rainbow fruit salad (Twigs & Berries)
Cost of the lunch is $5. One can also pay at the door.
“The purpose of the event is to provide a luncheon of good food, great company, and to support local businesses owned by women,” Allie Birket, a Community Relations Committee member said. Birket, who is the assistant to the college president and Susie Arvidson, director of library services, are on the committee.
Vendors are FSCC Nursing Dept., FSCC Cosmetology Dept., Better in Bourbon Clothing, Tupperware, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Jbloom Jewelry, Riggs Chiropractic Fort Scott, Red Aspen, Bourbon County Health Dept., The Baby Stitch, Erica George Photography, The River Room (event center), Flying P Ranch, Kimberly Demko, Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, Desert Blooms Boutique, Locust Hill Lamanches (goat milk products).
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Told over five centuries through three connected women, this riveting novel follows Kate, in 2019, as she seeks refuge in Weyward Cottage; Altha, in 1619, as she uses her powers to maintain her freedom; and Violet, in 1942, as she searches for the truth about her mother’s death. 250,000 first printing.
Told from the perspectives of four people whose actions changed the course of history, this masterful work of historical fiction takes readers back to 1811 Richmond, Virginia, where, on the night after Christmas, the city’s only theater burned to the ground, tearing apart a community.
A former Ground Branch paramilitary officer, Brian Rhome, thinking his time with this elite group of shadow operatives was over, instead finds himself in the midst of a deadly conspiracy that threatens the highest levels of American democracy.
“For nineteen years, Wash Baker has been haunted by the memory of a cattle drive and firing into the night at what he thought was a grizzly, only to kill his young son and narrowly miss a second boy, Trey. Now, in 1899, confirmed tracks of grizzly-a species of bear unknown in Texas-have been found at a Davis Mountains camp meeting attended by Wash and his daughter, Grace. This novel is based on the actual 1899 hunt for the only documented grizzly ever found in Texas”
After being tasked with her first major project for the master perfumer, Radha travels to India, enlisting the help of her sisters and the courtesans of Agra, but discovers that the son she gave up years earlier is heading to locate her in Paris–threatening her marriage and carefully managed world
The year is 1861, the eve of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. For Kate Warn, the first female private detective in American history, the only assignment tougher than exposing a conspiracy to assassinate the new president is training her new mentee, Hattie MacLaughlin, in the art of detection. The two women’s mission to save the president takes them from the granges of rural Maryland to the heart of secessionist high society, and sets them on a collision course that could alter the course of history. When Kate’s cover is blown, Hattie must choose between saving her new friend, and her country. Based on a true story.
NYPD investigator Joe King Oliver is tested when asked by his billionaire friend to defend a White nationalist who has been accused of murder, in the sequel to the Edgar Award-winning Down the River Unto the Sea. 100,000 first printing.
A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist traces the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to power in the 1920s, driven by the con man D.C. Stephenson, and how a seemingly powerless woman named Madge Oberholtzer brought them to their knees. Illustrations.
Combining breakthrough research, insights from multidisciplinary pioneers and real-life stories, this authoritative guide to the new science of neuroaesthetics shows how the arts, from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture and more, are essential for improving physical and mental health. Illustrations.
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Fort Scott City Commissioner Josh Jones, right, and FS Water Distribution Supervisor Bill Lemke discuss the splash pad project on April 19 at the site on North National Ave. Jones is one of the initiators of the splash pad project, as well.
Fort Scott City Commissioner Josh Jones was on the site of the future splash pad and sensory park on April 19. Jones is also one of the organizers of the project.
Dirt work has begun on the Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Park looking southwest towards National Avenue.The Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Park Committee from it’s Facebook page. On the committee: Bailey Lyons, Kelly Barr, Katie Hueston, Meredith Tucker and Josh Jones.
“It has started,” Jones said. “You’ll start seeing water lines and concrete, the above ground (part) in three to five weeks.”
The crews will be working around the annual Good `Ol Days events, the first weekend in June, he said.
Looking south from the Lunette Blair Blockhouse on Skubitz Plaza. This is the proposed site of the sensory park.
The splash pad will be a 50 by 50 foot multiple feature water site and the sensory park will be two pads, roughly 24 by 24 foot for children’s equipment that is easily accessed, with no physical barriers.
Looking north from the Lunette Blair Blockhouse to the splash pad site.
The splash pad and sensory park will be located on Skubitz Plaza at the north end of downtown Fort Scott, on North National Avenue.
Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Park rendition from their Facebook page.Poster explaining the sensory park from the Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Park Facebook page.
There will be plenty to keep a family interested in life at the Fort during the American Civil War era.
“Experience it Without Needing to Enlist!,” according to a press release from the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
The Fort is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 15 and 16, this Saturday and Sunday. One can experience artillery, cavalry, and infantry troops preparing for battle, smell bread baking, participate in discussions about troop and refugee support, and be serenaded by the Vogts Sisters, acoustic Americana-Folk act.
The Vogts sisters from their website.
“We are grateful to have the generous support and participation from the Holmes Brigade, Boy Scout Troop 0114, Friends of Fort Scott, Inc., Fort Smith National Historic Site’s Cavalry Troop, and plenty of new and old Fort Scott National Historic Site volunteers alike,” said Superintendent Jill Jaworski. in a press release. “We encourage everyone to step back in time and smell, hear, see, and experience life at the fort.”
Saturday: join the discussion with author and historian Isaias McCaffrey about the Indian Home Guard, find out about the lives of women during the Civil War period, sit on the Officer’s front porch and learn about sewing and crocheting, be serenaded by the Vogts Sisters, and baking bread in the bakery, according to the press release.
Sunday: play authentic lawn games and participate in a discussion about being a Civil War refugee. The weekend is full of fun and games for the whole family straight from the 1800’s!
Encampment Schedule:
SATURDAY, APRIL 15
Interpreters will be at the firing range with historic weapons and doing demonstrations around the site throughout the day.
9 a.m. Raising the Colors with the Boy Scout Troop 0114
9:30 a.m. Infantry Drill and Weapons Demonstration
10m. Cavalry Program
10:30 a.m. Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration
11 a.m. Isaias McCaffrey- Indian Home Guard Program
Noon Vogts Sisters Musical Performance
1 p.m. Infantry Drill and Weapons Demonstration
1:30 p.m. Lunette Blair Discussion
2 p.m. Cavalry Program
2:30 p.m. Women in the Army Discussion
3 p.m. Vogts Sisters Musical Performance
4 p.m. Flag Retreat with Troop 0114
5 p.m. Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration
8 p.m. Night Sky Program with the Kansas Astronomical Observers
SUNDAY, APRIL 16
Interpreters will be at the firing range with historic weapons and doing demonstrations around the site throughout the day.
9 a.m. Raising the Colors
10 a.m. Guided Tour of the Fort
10:30 a.m. Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration
11 a.m. Infantry Dress Parade, Drill, and Weapons Demonstration
Noon Cavalry Program
1 p.m. Guided Tour of the Fort
1:30 p.m. Lunette Blair Discussion
2 p.m. Life as a Refugee Discussion
2:30 p.m. Cavalry Program
3 p.m. Artillery Drill and Weapons Demonstration
3:30 p.m. Infantry Drill and Weapons Demonstration
4 p.m. Flag Retreat
You are always welcome to wear a mask, and please remember to keep safe distances, wash your hands, and have fun, according to the press release.
Summer Hours of Operation
From April 1-October 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, is open for its summer hours of operation: daily from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc
About The Fort and the National Parks System
Fort Scott National Historic Site is a fee free park that offers a glimpse into the growth of our nation. A walk through the fort reveals the significant role it played in the opening of the West, as well as, the Civil War and the strife in the State of Kansas that preceded it. For more information call the park at 620-223-0310, visit us at www.nps.gov/fosc, on Facebook www.facebook.com/FortScottNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/FortScottNPS, and Instagram www.instagram.com/fortscottnps
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s over 420 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Marlie Seaver behind a Darth Vader selfie prop Submitted photo.
Submitted by Valetta Cannon, Youth Librarian & Asst. Director at Fort Scott Public Library
Each year, across the globe, fans of the Star Wars franchise celebrate on May the Fourth, chosen as a spinoff of the phrase “May the Force be with you.” On May 4th, commonly known as Star Wars Day, Valetta Cannon (known to local kids as Miss Val) invites fans of all ages to come celebrate at the Fort Scott Public Library. The library will present film screenings, snacks, crafts, games, a selfie station, and other activities in the event room, from 10 am to 4 pm. Activities will be self-directed, although Miss Val will come and join participants when possible. Fans are invited to come in costume and to have library staff take their photos in front of the new backdrop. This event is free and open to the public.
Ainsley Wheeler holding a lightsaber craft. Submitted photo.
Valetta Cannon Fort Scott Public Library Youth Librarian & Assistant Director. Submitted photo.
Submitted by Valetta Cannon, Youth Librarian & Asst. Director at Fort Scott Public Library
Join Miss Val at Fort Scott Public Library on April 17 at 4:15 pm for a reduce, reuse, and recycle-themed Maker Monday.
Attendees will choose from a wide variety of cardboard pieces and recyclables to create anything they can imagine.
Utilize the library’s maker cart and art supplies to make art, engineer a motion-powered machine, create something functional, or make a piece that no one has dreamt of before.
Enjoy snacks and bottled water to keep your creative juices flowing.
Everest Cannon at a table during our last cardboard maker event.
This will be the final Maker Monday of the school year. The program is free and open to the public.
Patrick MacDonald stands in the newly repurposed room of the Gamerz Lodge.
Patrick MacDonald, also known as PatMac, has purchased the building at 16 Scott Avenue and has been working to make the place into a family fun venue with the name of Gamerz Lodge.
“The community asked for a family fun entertainment space and that’s what I’m doing here,” he said. “Roughly 10,000 square feet of fun!”
Patrick moved here from Kansas City last year to invest in Pizza Republic after owning a few pizza businesses over the last 30 years. “I love this community,” he said. “I saw this as a way to give back to the community and invest in Fort Scott. Down here I can make a difference.”
The first floor will be his first focus to show what Gamerz Lodge is about.
“We’ll have a few TVs, arcade games, air hockey, shuffleboard, and pool tables,” MacDonald said. “We’re also introducing a ‘leveled up’ concession stand. Some of your favorites with a ‘PatMac’ twist. There will also be ice cream!”
It will be an events center for small concerts and a place for birthday parties as well.
“People can really use this space for creative classes, meetings, comedy shows, and gatherings,” he said. “It has so much potential.”
The renovation of the building, which most recently housed Darlene’s Collectibles, is a huge undertaking. “It’s a lot to take on for one guy but I’m definitely up for the challenge,” he said. “If there’s an investor out there give me a holler!” he said.
The second floor has a large ballroom and two 30 feet x30 feet rooms. The ballroom held meetings and dances from the days of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, whose emblem is on the outside of the 1924-era building. Some memorabilia still lines the walls.
“The second floor will grow with the business,” he said. “I see cornhole tournaments, VR space, and potentially a putt-putt golf.”
MacDonald also sees the opportunity to create a wedding venue or an Airbnb on this level.
“I see a whole baseball team from LaRoche Stadium could stay here,” he said. “Games, food, and family. What else do you need?”
Patrick McDonald stands in front of the building he purchased at 16 Scott Avenue.
The outside of the building that Patrick MacDonald purchased has the emblem of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the date of the building’s erection, 1924.One of many plaques on the walls of the large room on the second floor of the building that MacDonald purchased.
The Easter Bunny poses with some fans at the Fort Scott Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt on April 1 at Gunn Park. Submitted photo.
On April 1, the Fort Scott Kiwanis Club sponsored their annual Easter Egg Hunt in Gunn Park.
Egg hunters begin their search at the Fort Scott Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt, April 1, 2023. Submitted photos.
Kiwanis members distributed over 1,500 eggs filled with candy, prizes, and coupons from area merchants into the park in areas designated by age groups. Approximately 75 children participated in the event.
Submitted photo.
The Kiwanis sponsors who donated either money, or coupon’s from their place of business are as follows:
The River Room Event Center is located on the second floor.
FORT SCOTT – The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces their 2023 Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration will take place Thursday, April 20th at the River Room Event Center, 3 W. Oak Street in Downtown Fort Scott. The theme this year is “Let’s Get Fired Up and Celebrate Our Community!” where the event will be a fun evening of recognizing businesses, organizations, and individuals who make a great impact on Fort Scott and Bourbon County.
All are welcome to attend, and reservations can be made online at fortscott.com/events or by calling the Chamber at 620-223-3566. The deadline for reservations is Friday, April 14th. The evening will begin with a social hour and silent auction at 5:30pm, followed by dinner, awards, and live auction at 6:30pm. Reservations are $40 for individuals and table pricing for a table of eight is $360. Dinner will be catered by Brickstreet BBQ.
The Chamber is accepting businesses and organizations to decorate tables for advertising and promotion and is also accepting donations for the silent and live auctions. Contact the Chamber at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected] by Friday, April 14th to make reservations.
Elevate Fort Scott is one of several community “movers and shakers” groups that have have organized recently to improve the quality of life in the community.
“Besides our Elevate Fort Scott group there are several other groups that are making things happen and bringing great events to Fort Scott,” said Brad Matkin, one of the organizers of Elevate Fort Scott. “Advance Bourbon County, Fort Scott Forward, and others have been working very hard to bring in events and activities for our citizens and visitors to enjoy.”
“We are not only looking for a strong 2023 but are already planning some events for 2024 we feel everyone will enjoy and be excited about,” he said.
“While talking to one of the current members, I told them I felt I wanted to get a group together that wanted to make Fort Scott a place to be and to put on events that would make us a destination place plus add more things for our citizens to do,” Brad Matkin, group member said. “Even though I am the one that thought of getting this group together it is the six other members that make Elevate Fort Scott successful, they do the leg work and put in the time to make these events a reality.”
The group is comprised of Cory Bryars, Kirk Sharp, Jackson Tough, Josh Jones, Diane Striler, Lindsay Madison, and Matkin.
They first met last year around November, he said.
“The purpose of this group is to come up with positive ways and events to help Fort Scott grow, to show visitors what Fort Scott has to offer, and to get citizens involved in the many great things Fort Scott has to offer,” he said. “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel with the events we are working on, just trying to build off the already great events Fort Scott has to offer”
“Our goal is to think of an idea, work to get it started, then hand it off to a charity organization to put it on and raise money for their cause,” Matkin said. “Our group is not generating any funding for the events and are not involved in that part of the event; we just want to help get more things going in our great town and help the charities raise money.”
Events in The Works
“This group has been working on a lot of different ideas that are still in the early stages, but I can tell you we have added a BBQ cook-off that will share Riverfront Park with the second annual Care to Share/Sharing Bucket Fall Festival and Blues Festival,” he said.
The Riverfront Park Pavilion had its ribbon cutting in May 2018. Riverfront Park is the sight of this years Care to Share Fall Festival and Blues Festival.
“We are also working on a newly named Christmas on the Bricks that will take place of Christmas in the Park that has been a yearly tradition for Fort Scott,” Matkin said. “Christmas on the Bricks will offer the opportunity for the uptown shops to bring out their holiday flare and stay open late for holiday shopping. We are looking at this event to flow along right with the Christmas Parade, Artificers Christmas Shoppe, and the Annual National Historic Site Candlelight Tour. Some of the things we have already planned is a movie night, a Christmas concert, carolers, chili, and much more.”
“Some of the newest things this group has brought to life is a ‘Rock-N-Roll Karaoke’ which will allow people to sing with a real band,” he said. “This will be held at Memorial Hall on June 9th. ‘Almost Kiss’ will be at Memorial Hall on November 18th. They are a cover band for the Legendary Rock band Kiss and is one of only six Kiss tribute bands that former Kiss star Gene Simmons endorses.”
Common Ground Coffee Co. presents the students of Saint Martin’s Academy, 1950 Indian Road, this Friday. The concert will be a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day featuring vocal solos, duets, and ensemble numbers. The music department is under the direction of Dave Agee and Daniel Kerr.
Common Ground Coffee Shop.
The one-hour concert begins at 7 p.m. at 12 E. Wall Street. The show is free and open to the public. Bring a friend and join us for an enjoyable evening of young and lively music!
