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Podcast

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Podcast Library

Tallgrass Prairie

A collection of podcasts about the nature, history, and culture of Tallgrass Prairie NPres and the surrounding region.

Episodes

Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse Tour Stop 3: Restoration

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Restoring the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse

After the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse reverted back to the Davis Ranch in 1946, it was used for a time as a residence by some of the ranch's employees. in 1950 a tornado or windstorm collapsed the original roof and roofline. The roofline was repaired when the ranch was owned by the Davis, Nolan, Merrill Grain Company and a tin roof applied. The schoolhouse was then used to store hay.

In 1968, the fourteen garden clubs in the Mideast District of the Garden Clubs of America, selected the restoration of the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse as their special project. After the approval of the ranch owner at that time, the Davis, Nolan, Merrill Grain Company, the clubs raised the funds and restored the building to as close to its original 1882 configuration as possible.

The Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 1974.

Restoration of the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse Tour Stop 4: Interior

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Interior of the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse

The interior of the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse has been restored as much as possible back to its original 1882 appearance. Although no original furnishings survive to the present, period furnishings from other one room schoolhouses in the area were acquired by the fourteen garden clubs in the Mideast District of the Garden Clubs of America, to complete the interior restoration. The preserve conducts programs for school groups recreating the experience of attending classes in a one-room prairie schoolhouse.

History and description of the interior of the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 1: The Barn

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Tour Stop 1: The Barn

The ranch where you are standing today represents a continuous ranching legacy from the 1878 Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch to the Z Bar Ranch that sold in 1986. Over the years the ranch has undergone many transformations. The buildings show remnants from its earliest beginnings as well as changes made by the ranch's many owners.

The original owners, Stephen and Louisa Jones, came to Chase County, Kansas in 1878 at the end of the Open Range Era to create a cattle feeding station for the Jones brother's Colorado cattle company. Stephen began buying land from individuals and the railroad, amassing 7,000 acres.

Both a man of opportunity and ingenuity, he built this ranch 2 miles north of the railhead at Strong City, Kansas for the shipping of his Durham, Galloway, and Hereford, and Polled Angus cattle to the Kansas City market. After the Colorado ranch sold, Jones focused on raising purebred stock and Hambeltonian race horses. Surprisingly, Jones owned the ranchland only ten years, from 1878 to 1888.

The massive 3-level limestone barn in front of you measures 110 feet by 60 feet, with ground access to each level. It housed livestock and equipment and also stored the hay and grain necessary to feed the animals throughout the winter months.

In 1882, 5,000 lbs of tin covered the roof. According to local newspapers of the time, Mr. Jones also gave the tin roof a coating of paint, although it did not describe its color. It also supports a double-headed windmill that was used to grind grain.

In the mid-1940s, four large grain bins and two cupolas were added, along with iron support beams in the barn's interior. The iron I-beams support the weight of the grain and the cupolas allowed the grain dust to escape, thereby preventing grain dust explosions.

The barn has undergone changes throughout its history, but largely remains the same.

History and description of the Spring Hill Ranch barn at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 2: Corrals and Fences

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Tour Stop 2: Corrals and Fences

For a better view, travel a short distance to the west to look out over the stone fences and wooden corrals. These played a pivotal role in controlling animal flow and grazing patterns.

Stephen Jones came to Chase county at the end of the open range. The law thus stated that a person's land must be fenced. Mr. Jones fully enclosed his 7,000 acres using a readily available resource, limestone. He also built inter-pasture fences for selective breeding and grazing distribution to prevent overgrazing any one particular area.

Over the years the corrals have been updated using metal pipe. What you are seeing is a continuation of time periods and how the ranch was changed to fit the needs of its time.

The little tin roof overhang structure in the northwest corner of the corral is called a horse loafing shed, where horses may go to protect themselves from the harsh winter weather.

Try to imagine cowboys gathering cattle for shipment to market, while listening to their cattle calls and the response of the cattle and their gentle bawling sound.

For your safety and to help preserve the rock walls and buildings, please refrain from climbing on or disturbing the rock fences, buildings, or entering the corrals. Animals are unpredictable and even the most well trained animal will respond to a threat. Please do not feed, pet, or throw objects at the animals.

History and description of stone corrals and fences at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 3: The Outbuildings

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Tour Stop 3: The Outbuildings

The tin roofed buildings were built after 1900. These were used as workshops and to store vehicles and equipment based on the needs of the ranch.

The building with the white front and double doors has been converted for modern usage while still retaining some of its original exterior features. According to local historic newspapers, a blacksmith shop and a carpentry shop were utilized by Mr. Jones somewhere at the ranch site.

History and description of the outbuildings at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 4: The Scratch Shed

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Tour Stop 4: The Scratch Shed

According to the 1881 book, Barn Plans and Outbuildings, "the latest idea in poultry houses is to provide an open shed attached to the roosting room, in order that the fowl may have a place to exercise in the open air during the winter months. If the floor is kept covered with several inches of straw, chaff, leaves or other dry, light material, the whole grain is scattered in this. The fowl will get abundant exercise in scratching for their feed. This keeps them warm as well as busy and they are healthy for it, lay more eggs, and are more fertile."

The Scratch Shed was, in essence, the chicken gymnasium, devoid of treadmills, cycles, and barbells. The front of the shed was closed off in severe weather. The scratch shed has been converted to a vehicle storage shed over the years. The original structure has a series of windows on the front side. The chickens would roost in the sod-covered house by night and then visit the building to the west to feed during the day. This lavish poultry complex provided the essential requirements to keep hens healthy for maximum egg production and safe from owls, hawks, skunks, and cats. A coop of this size could easily accommodate 20 to 35 chickens. The scratch shed has been converted over the years to accommodate vehicle storage needs for the ranch.

History and description of chicken scratching shed at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 5: The Chicken House

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Tour Stop 5: The Chicken House

This limestone structure was built into the hillside and topped with an arched stone roof covered by sod, both acting as insulation for Mr. Jones' chickens. Even in the heaviest rain, the Chicken House remained dry and the chickens kept warm.

Ventilation is very important for egg production, so Mr. Jones provided the chickens with two skylights through the sod. Today, they are covered over for safety, but originally the skylights could be opened for ventilation.

The south-facing windows are large enough to admit the sun freely and are positioned to give the most sunlight on the floor during the cold winter months. The twenty-five inch thick walls keep the coop free from dampness in the rainy season, warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. The most important requirement in raising poultry is pure air and good ventilation. The south windows can be slid opened to work in conjunction with the ceiling vents, allowing air to flow freely throughout the house. The two openings in the ceiling can be adjusted depending on the weather conditions, temperature, and seasons. This was truly the Cadillac of chicken houses. The house was also used as a cowboy bedroom later in the ranch's history.

History and description of the chicken house at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 6: The Carriage House

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Tour Stop 6: The Carriage House

Like a modern garage, this building was made to house a carriage or buggy. However, this carriage house was constructed after the Jones' occupancy during the 1920s, during the Benninghoven ownership. It is known that Court Benninghoven used this building to store his Farmall tractor. Today, it is used for storage.

In 1994 when the National Park Trust purchased the property, a buggy was found in the barn. Oral histories state that this buggy was intentionally dismantled by the ranchhands before the Z Bar ranch auction in February 1986. After the sale, it was reassembled and is now on display in the Ranch Barn.

History and description of the carriage house at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 7: The Ranch House

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Tour Stop 7: The Ranch House

When Stephen and Louisa Jones first moved to Chase county, Kansas, they bought 160 acres to the east of where you are standing now. On that land in the bottomland, Mr. Jones had a small A-frame house built for his family to live in.

Soon after that he began purchasing land and in 1880 he started construction of the large limestone ranch house before you. By late 1881, it was complete. Mr. Jones named his ranch the Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch, for the natural springs found on the hill west of the house. This house was built on a hillside with a 2 1/2 story exposure on the upper level and 3 stories on the lower level.

The architecture represents a blending of Renaissance influence and Plains Vernacular. It is in the Second Empire style of 19th century architecture with a mansard roof enclosing the upper story with dormers and projecting mansard gables, cornices, brackets, and stone quoins at the corners of the house.

The builder was contractor David Reddiger of Strong City, who also worked on the Chase County Courthouse. The two buildings bear a striking resemblance. On a clear day, the ranch can be seen from the oval window in the very top of the courthouse.

The cost of the Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch was $40,000, $25,000 for the house and $15,000 for the barn and outbuildings. According to local newspapers, it took "twenty men working around the clock to complete the home. There was so much activity during the construction, that travelers often thought they had reached Strong City and tried to put up for the night."

The 1883 Kansas Picture Book describes the interior of the home as "all the principle apartments are supplied with soft and spring water, floors are laid with Brussels and velvet carpets, while large and costly and mirrors and the selection of appropriate furniture for the various rooms, witness the good taste, no less than the wealth, of the proprietor."

The front yard was terraced and a fountain was supplied with water piped down the hill and through the home from the springs located on the hill behind the Icehouse. Their youngest daughter, Loutie Jones, used the fountain as a "resort for goldfish" when she lived in the home. Today, the spring that supplied the home is no longer running and its once-full capacity has since been capped.

The Spring Hill Ranch House was obviously a grand showpiece for the Jones family. But circumstances would lead them to sell the ranch after only living in this magnificent house for 5 1/2 years. In 1886, they moved to Kansas City so that Loutie could further her education. At this time, Chase county had only grades 1 through 8, which was very common for the time period. In 1888, Stephen sold the ranch to friend and business associate and also neighbor, Barney Lantry, for $95,000. The home remains today a testament to hard work and ingenuity.

History and description of the ranch house at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 8: The Curing House

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Tour Stop 8: The Curing House

Mr. Jones built this structure in 1881 to cure hams and other meats which were hung from hooks in the rafters. Portholes and cupola vents allowed for air circulation, which is a requirement for proper curing. The air flow allows the salted hams to become infused with salt which has been rubbed from the outside, therefore allowing proper curing to take place.

The March 5, 1885 Chase County Leader newspaper stated that " S. F. Jones last week butchered 20 large, fat hogs for his own use. Mr. J believes keeping his family and hired help well fed, whether he lays up a cent or not." The newspaper article goes on to say that "we regret to learn that Mr. J is getting so extravagant in his old age. Him not being able to lay up a cent is a result horrifying to contemplate."

Whether or not he was able to lay up a cent is irrelevant to the fact that this large curing house could easily support the curing of 20 hams.

History and description of the curing house at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 9: The Outhouse

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Tour Stop 9: The Outhouse

Lovingly called "The Little Privy on the Prairie" how fitting this little outhouse is to the Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch complex. Stephen Jones did not cut corners on this building. The exterior walls are built with block limestone and the keystones have a hammered face, with tooled stone edges. The cornerstones also have tooled edges.

The interior walls are rough cut ashlar stone which are dressed at the windows. There is evidence that the interior was meant to be enclosed with either wood or wood lath and plaster. The outhouse even has curtains in the windows for that added element of privacy.

Inside you will find that it is a three-seater. The purpose is for biodegradability. Lime was used to break down solids while the other opening could be utilized until the waste was dissolved.

An outhouse was necessary as this was before indoor plumbing. The only thing that saved someone from a trip to the outhouse on a cold, snowy night, was the chamber-pot. There are many names for these little helpers, such as thunderbucket or rumblepot.

Another reason for this structure's three seats may have been to accommodate each individual member of the household at the time. Mr. and Mrs. Jones and little daughter Loutie. To answer a common question, Victorian modesty and culture only allowed the outhouse to be utilized by one member of the household at a single time. It was never occupied by all three at the same time.

Continue your self-guided tour of the grounds by following the steps up the hill to the Icehouse.

History and description of the Outhouse at Tallgrass Prairie NPres

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