The Cato Historical Preservation Association will host its annual Cato Kids’ Day on Friday, Oct. 2, from approximately 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in historic Cato, Kansas.
More than 500 fourth- and fifth-graders from area schools will be bused to Cato to see presentations on life in the late 1800s and the community’s history. Students will rotate through stations covering one-room schoolhouses, blacksmithing, covered wagon travel, cattle drives, 1800s weaponry, farming, and Native American history. The event will close with a reading of the Gettysburg Address and a sing-along.
Participating schools include Uniontown, Bronaugh, Girard, Lakeside, Liberal, Westside, Frontenac, Fort Scott, Northeast, St. Mary’s Fort Scott, and Meadowlark.
Cato is located in northern Crawford County off Highway 69. From Highway 69, take 720th Avenue west and follow the signs to Cato. Directions are available at catoschool.com.
A separate event for the general public, Cato Day, will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with activities for all ages and free admission. Saturday’s schedule includes registration at 9 a.m., music and history in the church at 9:30 a.m., cavalry saber drills at 10:30 a.m., a one-room schoolhouse presentation at 10:45 a.m., cowboy stew and a quilt drawing at noon, music by The Players Circle, and a wagon ride around the area at 1 p.m. The Cato Store will be open for cash-or-check purchases of historical booklets, T-shirts, caps and other items.
The Cato Historical Preservation Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the buildings and history of Cato, the oldest town in Crawford County, and the surrounding area.
Contact: Katharine Spigarelli, President, 417-825-2127, kspigarelli@gmail.com
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