Category Archives: History

Entertainment, Fort Scott National Historic Site, History

Celebrate Independence with the Sights and Sounds of 1860’s Military Fireworks 

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NPS photo

Celebrate the anniversary of American independence with the sounds of cannon fire while honoring the servicemen and women who have defended the United States for the past 245 years. Fort Scott National Historic Site will accept the donation of the Lunette Blair building and land in a public ceremony/photo-op on the site in Skubitz Plaza, Saturday, July 3, at 11 am.

 

Saturday and Sunday, July 3 and 4, 2021, Fort Scott National Historic Site will have artillery demonstrations, tours, programs, and living history activities throughout the day. On Monday, July 5, 2021, festivities continue with tours, programs, and living history.

 

Saturday, July 3

10:00 pm – Guided Tour of the Fort

11:00 am – Donation of Lunette Blair Property Ceremony

1:00 pm – Guided Tour of the Fort

2:00 pm – The Summer of 1861

3:00 pm – Artillery Demonstration

4:00 pm – Artillery Demonstration

 

Sunday, July 4

10:00 am – Civil War Small Arms Discussion

11:00 am Guided Tour of the Fort

1:00 pm – Guided Tour of the Fort

3:00 pm – The History of Combat Photography (Civil War to Present)

 

Monday, July 5

10:00 am – Civil War Small Arms Discussion

11:00 am Guided Tour of the Fort

1:00 pm – Guided Tour of the Fort

3:00 pm – The History of Combat Photography (Civil War to Present)

 

Visitors and local residents are reminded that fireworks are not permitted on the grounds of Fort Scott National Historic Site.

 

Bourbon County, Entertainment, History

Bourbon County History Tours: Marmaton on July 3

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Bourbon County Carpool Tour – History of Marmaton/Marmiton

The Bourbon County History Tours are starting with a visit to Marmaton on Saturday, July 3rd. The tour will consist of the history of the Marmaton/Marmiton communities, the massacre in Marmiton and Marmaton Cemetery where 5 of the 6 killed in the massacre are buried.

The tour will be carpool by personal vehicle which will meet and leave from the National Avenue side of Memorial Hall, 1 E. 3rd St., at 8:30 am to beat the heat of the summer. Attendees should arrive early to be checked in and be provided a bag of goodies.

Reservations may be made online with the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for $5.00 per person at fortscott.com.

The Old Fort Genealogy Society, Fort Scott and Area Chamber of Commerce and Historic Preservation Association are sponsoring this event and all three are active in research, news releases and telling the stories. There will be a tour the first Saturday of each month until cold weather arrives.

Contact the Old Fort Genealogy Society with any questions at 620-223-3300.

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Fort Scott, History

Signs for “The Learning Tree” scene location project to be delivered

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The Gordon Parks Museum is scheduled to receive the delivery of the signs from Lark Label in Wichita, KS for The Learning Tree scene location project on Wednesday, June 23.

The project is a series of signs located at the different scene locations where the filming of The Learning Tree took place.

The signs will also include QR codes along with a virtual tour of identified 12 different scene locations of The Learning Tree film.

The Gordon Parks Museum has received a grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and Humanities Kansas to assist with funding support for this project. The completion goal date for this project is by August 1, 2021.

This historical film by Warner Bros. Seven Arts, was the first time a major motion picture movie filmed in Hollywood was directed by a black film director; Fort Scott, KS native son, Gordon Parks was that person. This film was partially filmed in 1968 on location in Fort Scott and the surrounding area to include Mound City, KS. The film was released in 1969. The film was based on a semi autobiography novel with the same title that Gordon Parks wrote in 1963. The story, based on Gordon’s childhood in Fort Scott, KS, is about a boy growing up in difficult time in segregation and poverty. This film was placed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry Classics in 1989 as one of the top 25 important films. The film continues to be very important today.

A grand opening event with ribbon cutting will take place during the annual Gordon Parks Celebration Oct 7-9, 2021.

More details about the event along with other schedule celebration events will provided at a later date. Please feel free to contact us with any questions, 620-223-2700 ext. 5850 or email [email protected].
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Bourbon County, Fort Scott National Historic Site, History

Fort Scott NHS and the Community Honor the Fallen Memorial Day Weekend

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Submitted photo from the NPS

Symbols of Sacrifice

Fort Scott National Historic Site will be hosting “Symbols of Sacrifice” this Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 28 through, Monday, May 31. We welcome community members and organizations to join the park in placing the flags for the Field of Honor Friday morning beginning at 9 am. This Field of Honor will be open throughout the weekend. There will be guided fort tours daily at 10 am and 1 pm. A special Memorial Day program of patriotic music will be presented by Pat and Steve Harry, followed by the final flag retreat for the weekend, beginning at 4 pm. Monday, May 31.

 

“The Field of Honor with its approximately 7,000 flags commemorate the ultimate sacrifice members of the United States Armed Forces have made to keep this country free,” said Betty Boyko, Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site.

 

If you are not fully vaccinated (less than 2 weeks past your final dose), you are required to wear a mask in all federal buildings and outside when others are present and physical distancing (staying at least six feet apart) cannot be maintained. This is an all-weather event, except the musical program on Monday will be canceled because of rain. To find out more and to become involved, please contact the park at 620-223-0310.