The weekend of Sept. 26-27, the Care to Share Fortfest25 will be at Riverfront Park on North National Avenue in Fort Scott.
The event is free, but donations are accepted for Care to Share, a local helping organization for cancer survivors and their families.
“The kids’ fair will be bigger than ever with bouncy houses and more games,” said an organizer, Cory Bryers. “It’s all new bands with the same format as previous years. New this year is that the bike show and car show are the same day, Saturday, Sept. 27.”
A transplant from the Kansas City area, Bryers started this event in September 2022 on his property. Blues Festival Coming to Fort Scott Sept. 24. He and his wife, Cecelia, are Blues Music fans and moved to the area in 2021.
Cory and wife Cecelia Bryers. Submitted photo.
Friday evening, there will be performances starting at 6 p.m. by Bridget and Her Bandoliers from the K.C. area, followed by The Spooklights from Southwest Missouri.
On Saturday, there will be performances starting at 1 p.m.by Meaza Joy from Washington, MO; Martin and the Dead Guys from Florida and Independence, KS; Amanda Fish, Nashville; and Randy McAllister, Texas.
Saturday morning will be a car show, followed by a bike show. Saturday afternoon will be the kids’ fair, arts and crafts fair, food and drink, and of course, Blues Music.
Riverside Park is located by the Marmaton River and has lots of shade trees, so bring your family and friends, along with chairs/blankets/bug spray, AND a donation to Care to Share. Small coolers are welcome.
Care to Share is a well-known and respected organization that helps local cancer survivors and their families with needs they may have in their battle with the disease.
Blues singers entertain during the Fort Fest 23 event.
The Pioneer Harvest Fiesta (PHF) is an annual Bourbon County event that takes place this year from October 3-5 at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds on South Horton Street in Fort Scott.
The event showcases rural American culture in an earlier time period.
The event kicks off with a parade of antique and classic farm implements and more, through Fort Scott’s historic downtown on Thursday, October 2, at 6 p.m., according to the PHF website.
One can experience educational and historic exhibits, refreshments, and live musical entertainment all weekend.
All three days showcase steam engines, blacksmiths, food and Flea Market vendors, drag saw demonstrations, Tractors and Gas Engines on display, Baker Fan demonstrations, arts and crafts, straw baling, wheat threshing, corn husking and shelling, sorghum making, rock crushing, saw mill operation, Car Show, Tractor Pull (Antique & Classic), Garden Tractor Pull, and many more.
This year’s full weekend admission is only $5 per person and includes a collector button and the Friday Bean Feed at 5 PM. Children under age 12 are free.
Free admission does not include a collector button. Prior year’s collector buttons are available for purchase for $1.
One of the new additions to the event is a fiber arts show in conjunction with the annual quilt show.
New Craft Added
The PHF quilt show has a new name this year and a new direction. The Quilt and Fiber Arts Show will feature beautiful quilts as usual, and will also showcase examples of various fiber arts, according to a press release from Linda Rogers, a local quilter.
Fiber art is work done with thread, yarn, fiber, or fabric, according to Rogers. Examples of fiber art include weaving, rug hooking, spinning, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needlepoint, cross-stitching, tatting, needle felting, macramé, and more.
Area quilters and fiber artists are invited to enter items for the show to be held October 3-5 at the Myers Building at the Bourbon County Fairground during the annual Pioneer Harvest Fiesta. This event is free to the public.
“Anyone may enter items not previously shown at this show, no limit on the number of items, and the public is invited to view the entries at NO COST! (There is an entry fee for the machinery show.)” said Linda Rogers, this year’s quilt and fiber arts organizer at the annual event.
In addition to the exhibits, fiber artists will be present at various times during the show, working on their current projects. The public is invited to drop in, view the exhibits, talk to the artists, and bring their needlework projects to work on, according to Rogers.
“Generations ago, quilting and needlework were necessary skills,” she said. “These traditional crafts continued to be kept alive by many of our grandmothers and mothers who, although they no longer needed to make things, nevertheless enjoyed filling their spare time with creative pursuits.”
Recently, quilting and traditional crafts have been “rediscovered” by new generations of enthusiastic fans and are sometimes referred to as “granny crafts” or “Grandma Core”, she said.
“In our hyper-connected, technology-driven world, both adults and youth are finding the simple joy and calm that comes from working with colors and textures to create something tangible with their own hands, according to the press release.”
“A quilt and fiber arts show is a wonderful place to come be inspired, encouraged, and tempted,” said Rogers.“You will see some fantastic quilts, some showcasing new techniques and contemporary colors, as well as more traditional quilts. And if you are thinking about taking up a new craft, or if you are in the middle of a needlework project and have hit a roadblock, maybe one of our quilters or artisans can make suggestions to help you.”
The “take-in” time to enter quilts and items for exhibit is Thursday, October 2, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There is no fee to exhibit items. The only award that will take place is a “People’s Choice Award”. Items can be picked up on Sunday, October 5, from 2:30 to 3:00.
The Quilt and Fiber Arts Show will be open for public viewing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 3, and Saturday, October 4, and on Sunday, October 5, from noon to 2:00. Admittance to the quilt show is free. For more information, contact Rogers at 620-215-4905.
Rogers is entering a quilt that was pieced by an ancestor of hers, and gives the details:
History of Linda Ramsey Roger’s Family Vintage Quilt
Quilts often become heirlooms, taken care of and handed down to generations after their creation. Such is the case with Linda Ramsey Roger’s quilt, which was created in 1864.
Linda Rogers’ quilt has been handed down through her family for over 150 years. Submitted photo.
“Information below is taken from a handwritten note, written by my great-grandmother, Alice Ann (Hinton) Konantz, concerning the quilt, other death dates of my family, and an email sent to me from my 1st cousin, who gifted the quilt to me.
*1864 – Charlotte (Hinton) Hinton (great-great-grandmother), age 23, pieced and appliqued the quilt while living in Iowa. Her daughter, Alice Ann, recalls in a note remembering her mother working on it when she was 7 years old. Charlotte died later that year, and shortly after, she and her dad moved to Bourbon County, Kansas.
*1923 – Alice Ann (Hinton) Konantz (great-grandmother), age 66, had it hand quilted by the Methodist Episcopal Ladies Aid, which Rogers reckons is the United Methodist Church of Uniontown.
1933 – Alice Konantz wrote the *note telling the above information.
1940 – Alice Konantz died at 83 years old. “Most likely the quilt passed to my grandmother, Grace Miriam (Konantz) Griffith.”
1982 – Grace Miriam Griffith died at age 84. “Most likely the quilt passed to her oldest living daughter, my aunt, Betty Jane (Griffith) Perry, while living in Montana.”
1999 -Her Aunt Betty gifted the quilt to her oldest daughter, Kathleen (Perry) Martinell, Roger’s first cousin, who still resides in Montana.
2024 – Kathleen gifted the quilt to Rogers, who lives in Bourbon County, Kansas.
This quilt that Rogers made is from a pattern by Krista Moser, made of 60* triangles. The fabric was purchased from various shops and quilted on her Bernina Q20 sewing machine. This is a sit-down machine where the quilt is moved under the stationary needle to create the designs. It received the grand champion award this past summer at the Bourbon County Fair Open Class and a red ribbon at the Little Balkans Quilt Show over Labor Day weekend. Submitted photo.
I was recently in another state visiting a county, not all that different from Bourbon, and looked at their taxes. Property taxes were double what I pay in Bourbon County for a house with a similar appraised value. As high as taxes seem locally, there are places that have grown the size of their government to where they are much higher.
When confronted with the fact that other people are paying twice as much in property taxes, you probably had one of two reactions. If you like bigger government, you might think, “Wow, think how much more our county could spend if we could double property taxes!”If you like smaller government, you probably think, “Wow, how do we keep our county from becoming like that?”
A few months before George Washington took office, Jefferson wrote, “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground.” Whether you fall into the “bigger government is better” camp, or you are aligned with “smaller is better,” Jefferson’s quote gives you a blueprint. If you want a bigger, more powerful government, you simply have to let government take its natural course and undermine efforts by anyone who wants to prioritize liberty that would constrain government growth and spending.
On the other hand, if you want a small government, you have a much harder job. Why is it so much harder? You have to be willing to give up having control of some things that you consider good, in exchange for keeping government small.
For example, if Bob built his house right next to his neighbor’s property line and the neighbor decides his life goal is crossing roosters, guineas, and emus to try to set a world record for the world’s loudest bird, Bob might be inclined to support some type of county-wide noise ordinance.
If Jane really wants a county-run indoor skydiving facility, she might be inclined to support a new sales tax so she can get other people to pay for it. If John feels that the ~$20,000 spent on his little Johnny in the public school is half as much as he’d like to see spent, he might support dramatic increases in property taxes to drive it up to $40,000—especially if John doesn’t own much property and thinks the burden will fall more on his neighbors.
While those may seem like silly examples (though I have heard people supporting the school spending one), they illustrate the fact that everyone has things they would like to see the government demand of or take from their neighbor.
This is the natural progression that Jefferson describes. Citizens that think controlling or taking money from their neighbor is more important than keeping government small will end up with a very large government and a large tax bill.Citizens that feel that their neighbor’s liberty is more important than their own personal convenience have a shot at keeping government small and their tax bill constrained.
This is one of the reasons I am opposed to Bourbon County exceeding the revenue-neutral rate. Spending has grown by 11.2% over the last two years. If we start by asking “What do we want to pay for?” the budget will always go up. If we start by saying, “Here is how much we have to spend,” then careful prioritization will make sure we retain the most important functions while constraining the growth of government.
This is also one of the reasons I’m opposed to the commissioners’ current efforts to implement zoning in Bourbon County. While I can see some ways that zoning might be beneficial, even some things that would benefit me personally, making the county government even bigger in our current situation comes with a cost, both in dollars and loss of freedom, that far outweighs any benefit.
Mark Shead
Note: FortScott.biz publishes opinion pieces with a variety of perspectives. If you would like to share your opinion, please send a letter to [email protected].
The Sept. 13 Concert listed on this flyer is cancelled due to the illness of the performers.
Fall Music at Common Ground Coffee Shop, 12 E. Wall, is back.
“Bring a friend, grab your favorite latte, and enjoy the sound of fall at Common Ground,” said shop owner Stacy Racy. “We decided a couple of months ago to bring back the Fall Concert Series. We’ve done it in the past and it’s been well received, so we’re excited to do it again.”
Stacy and Wayne Racy, owners of the Common Ground Coffee Shop. Submitted photo.
“Join us this fall for evenings filled with live music, cozy drinks, and community vibes,” she said.
The live music shows are from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday evenings, and all ages are welcome.
The large group private area at Common Ground, from its Facebook page.
Upcoming Shows: The September 13 – Jesse Jack & The Electric String Band was cancelled due to illness. September 27 – Vinyl Revival October 11-Jerico Jones
October 25- Serenade
“We’ll have drinks, cookies, and food available for people to enjoy while they listen,’ she said. “We have some amazing local and regional musicians we love listening to, and we thought this would be a great way to give the community something to do on Saturday evenings through the fall.”
Music lovers might want to try some of the new menu items offered by the coffee shop staff as they listen to the music in the large stage area in a room adjacent to the public seating area.
“Our new menu items are going really well – that’s the biggest new thing right now, and we’re excited about the community response.”
One of the new menu items: pannini. From the shop’s Facebook page.
For the live music nights, they will have their flatbreads, paninis, and chicken salad sandwiches along with cookies and drinks available for purchase, she said.
Submitted photo of a plant start that will be for sale at the farmers market this Saturday.
Want to add some perennials to your landscape next year?
The Bourbon County Garden Club members will be thinning their garden to benefit the community projects they maintain in Fort Scott.
“The plants dug from our gardens will be perennials, including iris, daylilies, coreopsis, ornamental grasses, and sedum,” said Martha Jane Gentry, a spokesperson for the group. “We never know in advance!”
The focus of their sale at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on Saturday, Sept. 13 is mainly bulb sales, she said. They will include a variety of types and colors, with different bloom times.
The hypertufa pots are rustic pots that can be used inside or outside. These were made by club members.
The farmers market is held on Tuesday evenings from 4-6 and Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. until noon, during the growing season.
Proceeds from the sale will support beautification efforts throughout the community, including the city pool islands, Heritage Park, and the North Main Street area.
Tulip bulbs will be one of the types of perennials sold at the farmers market this Saturday, Sept. 13. Submitted photo.
A variety of high quality, jumbo nursery bulbs will be available, including crocus, several types of tulips, daffodils, and allium, she said.
“Of special local interest are two varieties of red tulips, perfect for Tiger, Pittsburg State University, and Chiefs’ fans. All of the bulbs should be planted this fall, but will bloom at various times next spring and in early summer.”
Bulbs will be sold in bags of six, and some will be purchased individually.
The garden club has also partnered with Tri Valley Developmental Services to sell pansies and ornamental kale, both of which are popular for fall planting.
Also available are plants freshly dug from club members’ own gardens, in addition to house plants.
Other items, including garden-oriented books, magazines, and handmade hypertufa pots, will be sold.
“The hypertufa pots are rustic pots that can be used inside or outside. These were made by club members,” she said.
Knowledgeable members and Kansas Master Gardeners will be on hand during the sale to offer advice and answer questions about plants.
The Bourbon County Garden Club sold plants at the first Fort Scott Farmers Market of 2025 and will be selling this Saturday, September 13. From its Facebook page.
The Bourbon County Garden Club meets on the second Tuesday of the month, March through October. Like them on Facebook for news, meeting announcements, and photos.
The Bourbon County Garden Club met at the Common Grounds Coffee Shop in May 2022 photo. Taken from the clubs Facebook page.
Scott and Ashley Shelton, with their children. Submitted photo.
TOAS, LLC is a new family-owned local business that provides custom laser-engraved items with the customer’s design.
“Toas is the first initial of the names in our family,” said Scott Shelton, co-owner with his wife, Ashley, of the business.
“We provide a wide array of products,” he said. “From hats, cups, keychains, insulated can sleeves, pet collars, bottle openers, fridge magnets, wood products, signs, and more. We also make stained glass items.”
They have the industrial laser machine at their rural residence and share duties when they are not working their full-time jobs.
A customized dog collar from its Facebook page.
“We offer products for the folks of Bourbon County and beyond to promote their business, support their teams, or anything they would like to express.”
From its Facebook page.
” I started the business as an additional revenue stream and income for when I retire from the fire department in a few years,” he said.
FORT SCOTT, Kan. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan) paid an impromptu visit to Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. Friday morning, roughly 24 hours after the facility’s long-awaited public opening in Fort Scott.
Calling the facility “impressive,” Moran – the long-time advocate for rural health care in Kansas – was given a brief tour of the six-bed emergency department and 10-bed acute care hospital by Freeman’s Chief Executive Officer of Rural Hospitals Renee Denton and Anita Walden, Chief Administrative Officer at Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc.
“There was this email about ‘something exciting happened in Fort Scott today,” Moran said, following a plane flight from Washington D.C. He immediately reached out to Freeman officials, asking if he could visit the new hospital.
During its first full day of operation, Freeman Health System’s newest hospital recorded seven patients at the ED, including one patient in need of immediate cardiac intervention that was sent urgently to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.
Moran learned details about the hospital while shaking hands with Freeman nurses and the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Mark Brown, inside the emergency department.
“I’m here to see what you do on day two,” the Senator said. “I appreciate your passion, and I wish you all the best.”
Making certain Kansas residents have easy access to affordable, quality health care has been one of the Senator’s core beliefs. He has spoken extensively in the past about the challenges facing rural hospitals in Kansas, citing the closure of facilities across the Sunflower state. He’s publicly supported Freeman’s efforts to reopen the city’s emergency department and establish the 10-bed acute medical center for Fort Scott and Bourbon County residents to utilize.
During his visit, Moran pledged to help expedite the process concerning the hospital’s upcoming credentialing survey conducted by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials.
“His desire to be on site day two not only shows his support, but his continued commitment was evident with his offer to assist however he can to expedite the CMS survey process to receive our CMS certification,” Denton said, adding that he also has penned a letter of support in favor of the Freeman Fort Scott hospital to CMS officials. “That will be our final hurdle.”
Moran also pledged to look into the time-consuming process Missouri-based Freeman physicians must undergo to receive their required licensure to practice medicine in Kansas.
Having worked closely with Moran, via email and Zoom meetings, for many months, “I can tell you he is very passionate about affordable healthcare and making sure all rural communities have access to it,” Walden said.
For more information about Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. – located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. – and the services offered, visit freemanhealth.com.
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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
FORT SCOTT, Kan. – As of 9:00 am Thursday, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. is open for business.
The official opening follows the successful completion of the Kansas Licensure Survey. This milestone marks a significant step forward in Freeman’s mission to expand access to high-quality, compassionate healthcare throughout Southeast Kansas.
“This has been an exciting, and very long journey with many working diligently to support the reopening of this hospital! The overwhelming support and positive response from the community has been humbling and we are so honored to join the Fort Scott community and reopen a hospital and emergency department for the Bourbon County residents, assuring they have access to inpatient and emergency care,” said Renee Denton, Chief Executive Officer of Rural Hospitals.
The last time Fort Scott residents enjoyed access to a full-service, hometown-based hospital was 2018, which has forced local residents to seek medical treatment in communities 30-plus minutes away.
“We are thrilled to open our doors in Fort Scott and begin serving this vibrant community,” said Matt Fry, Freeman Health System President and Chief Executive Officer. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and tireless efforts of community stakeholders and our entire team. We are deeply proud to bring Freeman’s standard of care to the people of Southeast Kansas.”
Freeman officials first announced the six-bed emergency department and 10-bed acute care hospital – located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. – to a crowd of nearly 150 local residents in June 2024.
“We had a staff huddle this morning and I told them, ‘It’s a great day to open a hospital,’” said Anita Walden, Chief Administrative Officer at Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. “Today is the culmination of 14 months in the making, and it’s been a lot of hard work by a lot of people to make today even possible. Of course, the support from the citizens of this community and from Bourbon County has been overwhelming.
“Our success will be dependent on the community utilizing the services of our hospital,” she added.
Freeman officials were notified Wednesday evening that the hospital had successfully passed the Kansas licensure survey. The survey is a rigorous process that ensures hospitals meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and patient care. Passing this survey affirms Freeman’s readiness to provide exceptional healthcare services in Fort Scott — and reflects the strength of the organization’s culture and commitment to excellence. Now, attention turns to passing a credentialing survey conducted by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials.
Freeman Fort Scott Hospital offers a range of services designed to meet the needs of the local community, with a focus on accessibility, innovation, and personalized care. The opening represents not only a physical expansion, but also a cultural one — reinforcing Freeman’s values of compassion, collaboration, and community investment.
Freeman Health System extends its heartfelt thanks to every team and community member who contributed to this achievement. Their dedication and teamwork made this moment possible — and their continued efforts will shape the future of healthcare in the region.
For more information about Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. and the services offered, visit freemanhealth.com.
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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2025, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
The reception area of the Freeman Fort Scott Hospital.
At the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee this morning, Fort Scott Freeman Hospital Board members Lindsay Madison and Don Doherty announced they had received notice that the hospital and emergency department, long-awaited by the community, is open today. The hospital is located at 401 Woodland Hills, the former Mercy Hospital building.
More information will be provided as it becomes available from Freeman Hospital staff.
The 120th Old Settlers’ Picnic festivities in Uniontown culminated with the parade on September 1.
Rain threatened, but did not happen for this annual picnic, which was much appreciated by participants.
Vendors lined the sidewalk in the town’s square, and children and their loved ones lined the streets waiting for the anticipated candy that is traditionally thrown to viewers of the parade.
The theme this year was Remembering the Past-Planning the Future.
The parade grand marshals were the Bill and Doris George family, with four generations on the haywagon, representing the legacy of this local farm family.
Other activities from August 29 to September 1 included a street dance, a 5K run/walk, a kids’ fishing derby, rodeos, a community church service, a car show, a baby contest, and numerous games and prizes, along with the annual recognitions.
The Bethel Community Church group before the parade.Hayden Stevens was representing the theatre group at Fort Scott Community College.Uniontown High School Football players and coaches.Students representing Fort Scott Community College’s Pleasanton Campus. Submitted by Taylor Bailey.The Uniontown High School Class of 2029 poses for a photo before the parade.Parents registering their children for the children’s parade.Vendors line the sidewalk in the town’s square.The Bill and Doris George family pose before the Old Settlers’ Picnic parade starts.The Uniontown Marching Band.Uniontown High School Class of 1965 waits in the staging area of the parade line-up.Students and staff representing Fort Scott Community College in the Old Settlers’ Picnic parade on Sept. 1 in Uniontown. Submitted by Taylor Bailey.Uniontown High School Class of 1975, before the parade.Uniontown Class of 2028 in the Old Settler’s Picnic Parade.Uniontown Youth Football team, prior to the parade.
Freeman Fort Scott Hospital’s main entrance. The hospital shares a building with several other entities.
Almost everything is in place, people hired and just a few items left to open Freeman Fort Scott Hospital and Emergency Department, at the former Mercy Hospital.
The building is owned by Kansas Renewal Institute, with Freeman and other entities leasing from them.
On August 22, local officials, community leaders, along with Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce members were invited to hear from Freeman Fort Scott Hospital leaders and take a guided tour of the newly repurposed facility at 401 Woodland Hills Boulevard to view the progress.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison welcomed the Freeman staff and expressed the community’s gratitude for Freeman Hospital coming to our community.
Anita Walden, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital Chief Administrative Officer, told the attendees that the process “has been a collaborative effort with a lot of people…there are still a few minor things that need to happen.”
The community will play a vital role in supporting access to quality healthcare here by using the emergency department and the hospital for their healthcare needs, she said.
To open, three government surveys need to take place and one has taken place, on August 18.
This brings the six-bed emergency department and 10-bed acute care closer to fruition.
The multi-million-dollar project is still on track to open at the end of 2025, Freeman officials said in the press release.
The signage on Hwy. 69, just east of the Freeman Fort Scott Hospital and Emergency Department location.
The Emergency Department
The Freeman Fort Scott Emergency Department is located on the south side of the building.
Dr. Mark Brown, the Freeman Fort Scott Hospital Emergency Department’s Director, is from the Coffeyville area. He will also serve as the medical staff president.
Freeman Fort Scott Emergency Department check-in area.
There are six beds in the emergency department, and it will have a physician 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Dr. Mark Brown is the new Freeman Fort Scott Hospital Emergency Department Medical Director.
Freeman has leased Suite A in the clinic area of the building, and Gregory King, a Family Nurse Practitioner at Freeman Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, will be housed there as soon as possible, said Anita Waldren in a group tour of the facility.
Brown told the tour group the hospital will have two nurses and one technician at all times, serving the 10-bed hospital. There will be eight semi-private and two private rooms on the medical floor.
Covering medical services at Freeman Fort Scott Hospital will be local doctors, Dr. Katrina Burke, Dr. Richard Kellenberger, and Dr. P.K. Gugnani, Walden said during the tour.
Nurses on duty during the group tour were from left: Kristen Stahl, Nicole Edds and Juanita Young.
The outpatient services check-in office is located near the emergency department.
The outpatient services waiting area is adjacent to the emergency department.
Brief History of the Community’s Health Care
Located on the city’s southside and adjacent to Hwy. 69, the facility has housed no hospital since the closing of Mercy Hospital Fort Scott in December 2018.
Mercy Hospital served the community from 1886 until 2018, and closed, citing “patients leaving the area to seek health care services in larger communities and declining reimbursement, especially from government payers, which make up the largest source of revenue,” according to Mercy’s announcement in 2018.
Ascension Via Christi provided an emergency department at the facility from 2019 until 2023. Their decision to close operations was “was made after a thorough analysis of trend data, patient census, and the current and future challenges and opportunities facing this facility,” according to AVC’s announcement in 2023.
Kansas Renewal Institute owns the building and leases space to the other entities. It is located on the main floor.Southeast Kansas Mental Health offices are located on the main floor.The Ashley Clinic is in Suite B of the building’s clinic area.I Am Rehab and Fitness is located on the ground level.Diamonds in the Rough Beauty Salon is located on the ground level.
TFI, Foster Care and Child Welfare Services office is located on the ground level of the building as well.
Attendees listen as a Freeman Fort Scott Hospital employee gives a tour today.
Countdown’s Begun
In the past 30 days, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. has achieved several significant milestones, bringing the six-bed emergency department and 10-bed acute care hospital closer to fruition.
The multi-million-dollar project is still on track to open at the end of 2025, Freeman officials said.
Independent surveys underway
On Monday, August 18, Freeman officials learned that Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. – located inside the city’s former hospital site at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. – successfully passed the critical life safety physical plant survey, which was conducted on July 23. The survey is a comprehensive assessment of the medical facility to ensure it meets standards and regulations related to fire and life safety.
This was the first of three surveys the hospital must complete, said Anita Walden, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc.’s chief administrative officer.
“The passing of that first survey now triggers the second required survey, which is the state licensure survey,” she said.
A state licensure survey is a formal evaluation conducted to ensure a health care facility complies with state laws and regulations regarding the provision of care, patient safety, and overall operations.
Officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) have received notification that the hospital has passed the life safety survey and are now ready for the licensure survey, which will be conducted by their office.
“We are currently awaiting notification from KDHE of when they will be onsite to perform the survey,” Walden said. “Our hope is this survey will take place in the next few weeks.”
Following a successful state licensure survey, the Freeman facility must then pass a credentialing survey conducted by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials. The public will be notified when the hospital is ready to open for business.
“We’ve been hearing from multiple community leaders, businesses, and residents about their eagerness to see us open, and I can promise you we are working diligently to make that happen,” Walden said. “We just appreciate the community’s support and their patience as we near opening day.”
Medical Director named
Dr. Mark Brown, a Freeman doctor and Kansas native, was recently named medical director over Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc.’s emergency department.
“This is a rare opportunity to be able to open a new emergency department and to expand Freeman’s footprint in Southeast Kansas,” Dr. Brown said. “This gives us the ability to provide emergency care to the residents of Fort Scott and the surrounding region that has been without acute care for some time.”
Fort Scott has been without a hospital since 2018, and a dedicated emergency room since late 2023.
“I myself grew up in rural Kansas and know how important access to quality health care and especially emergency services can be,” he said. “I spent over 20 years of my career in medicine, working as a paramedic in rural Kansas. I have seen firsthand how rural hospitals and rural emergency departments can make a positive impact on patient outcomes.”
Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc.’s emergency department will provide year-round, 24/7 coverage to Fort Scott and the surrounding Bourbon County communities.
Aside from his physician medical director duties, Dr. Brown will also serve as medical staff president.
“I will be performing administrative duties as well as performing direct patient care while working shifts in the emergency department,” he said.
His licensed physicians and trained nursing staff will be well prepared to provide elite emergency care.
“Dr. Brown is a clinical expert who has been providing emergency care as a physician for 20-plus years. Before becoming a physician, he served the Kansas community as a flight paramedic, often transporting critical patients,” said Renee Denton, Freeman’s Chief Executive Officer of Rural Hospitals. “We are very fortunate that Dr. Brown has returned to the Kansas community to ensure that our patients receive expert, quality care.”
“Freeman Health System is excited to be in Fort Scott,” Dr. Brown added. “We want to be a part of this community and provided the community with the best health care possible.”
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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2025, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System one of the Best Hospitals for 2022. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
