What social and moral duties we have toward the poor, the disabled and the elderly are perennial questions, but perhaps surprisingly, they dominated public discussion when Kansas was in its infancy. One finds an answer…

Pioneer life is hard. Time for a vacation. But where to? A charming city featuring scenic places to drive one’s wagon. Check. Reasonably priced resort with free food. Check, check. So where might one find…

Humboldt was on fire. Red and pink light spilled across the town square, mixing with the orange and black blaze, yet I couldn’t pull my eyes off the northeastern corner where I’d seen the rebel…

On a national level, 18-year-old Arjav Rawal is known for being featured in a New York Times story about how he scooped CNN, The Des Moines Register and other media outlets — three times —…

In a massive mural endorsing President Donald Trump the relatively small abbreviations “WP” and “STK” were included. White Power. Shoot To Kill. Or, as some maintain, Save The Kids. Either way, both send ominous messages.…

The sky between Moran and Elsmore is open and dreamily quiet. There, late summer corn sways subtly upon warm wind and you can sense your heartbeat slowing to match its rhythm. But in the 1870s…

I’m in the history business. No, I cannot claim the title historian. I think that title more accurately belongs to those who hold history degrees and create academic works. I prefer the title storyteller. I…

COVID cabin fever got you down? Why not get outside for an Allen County historical architecture scavenger hunt! The Allen County Historical Society and Iola Area Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to provide this…

For over 150 years, The Iola Register has documented life in Iola and Allen County. The thousands of pages of newsprint we’ve published contain the first draft of our community’s history. In countless instances, this…

Sheltered from the incinerating blast of noonday summer sun, I was walking down the dry gravel bed of Vegetarian Creek listening to the insects whir and grind in ecstasy. Hundreds of dragonflies were spinning about,…