Despite blizzard conditions, the 2018 Spring Celebration was a huge success! Although not a round of golf was played, all of the other events were completed as planned and the Pickleball competition was fun and fierce.

Extremely dry ground conditions, fire and high wind are ingredients of potential disaster which during the week of March 5, 2018 manifest itself in Western, Northwest and North-Central Kansas. 
 
Smith County firefighters and farmers were a part of that battle as fire was discovered on March 5 at 80 Road one mile north of the Historic Home on the Range Cabin and was burning South and Southeast pushed by West/NW winds of 35-50 mph.  The first firefighters on scene went immediately to the area around the Home on the Range Cabin determined to protect it from damage and destruction.  They were successful with the only thing destroyed by the fire were dead trees, weeds and grass.  The firefighters were successful in stopping the fire at 90 Road.  This was a significant victory also in their preventing it from jumping the Home on the Range Highway (K-8) and endangering occupied houses and farmsteads.

We are pleased to announce that ElDean Holthus was recognized in the Winter 2016 edition of Kansas! Magazine as one of five Kansas! Finest advocates for state tourism. ElDean was chosen for his years of service to maintain and promote the Home on the Range Cabin site.

Long-time Home on the Range supporter Kathy Holthus passed away October 9, 2016. Kathy was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Army wife, a house wife, farm wife and a nurse for 27 years. For the past 8 years Kathy supported me mentally and physically in our work for Home on the Range.

Each year the Kansas Preservation Alliance, Inc. recognizes exemplary efforts in historic preservation across the state of Kansas. The 2016 Awards for Excellence were presented May 13 at the Old Supreme Court in the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka. Restoration of the Home on the Range Cabin was one of 10 projects receiving awards. 

We have received word from the Tourism Division Of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks that Home on the Range has been selected for their 2016 Kansas Bucket List campaign.

Mark September 3, 2015 as special date on your calendar as a day to visit the Home on the Range Cabin. At 10:30 am on that date Governor Sam Brownback will dedicate THE HOME ON THE RANGE HIGHWAY naming signs to be installed later by employees of the Kansas Department of Transportation. Senator Elaine Bowers, Representative Troy Waymaster along with personnel from KDOT have indicated they plan to attend.

About every 20-25 years there is a major flood at or near the head waters of West Beaver Creek in Northwestern Smith County. On August 5, 2015 history repeated itself. During a 12 hour period on August 4-5, 8-9” of rain fell a few miles north of the Home on the Range site and with 5” of rain at the Site the West Beaver Creek Valley flowed like a river for several hours. The flood waters flowed straight north to south completely overrunning the channel as we knew it.

First the good news: the restored Cabin and furnishings suffered no damage

Installation of the directional signs, funded by the Smith County Convention and Visitors Board, was completed yesterday (7-26-15) by Marcus Allen and Tanner Campbell. This has taken longer than planned but being dependent on volunteer work we have had to work around harvest schedules and the heat. Thank you to John Struckhoff for giving permission to place one sign (K-8 and 95 Road) on the corner of his property. These signs alert drivers, both north bound and south bound, to the entrance to the Home on Range Site; each is ½ mile north or south of the 90 Road/K-8 Junction.

The news this week is about signs, signs and signs; you have been warned.We have limited vision for automobiles arriving from the east at the 90 Road and Home on the Range Site entrance. Their view of traffic exiting the Site and any walkers on the road portion of the Nature Walk is restricted. I met with the County Commissioners on June 29, 2015 with pictures to illustrate the problem. After discussion and questions they agreed to place a SLOW sign and a PEDESTRIAN CROSSING sign on west bound 90 Road.

In researching the Home on the Range history some writers mentioned Dr. Higley living in dugout and others had written he was living in a Cabin when he penned the words to, “My Western Home”. Those who wanted to disclaim Dr. Higley as the ultimate author of “Home on the Range used such assumed contradictions to challenge the authenticity of what had been written. This picture should prove them wrong.

I have posted on Facebook and will share here also that Old Glory and the Kansas flag fly each day at the Site. Marcus Allen raises the colors each morning before going to work at Landmark Implement and lowers them each night at dark. The US Flag and flag pole were donated by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The Michael Martin Murphey Home on the Range concert June 14, 2015 in Smith Center, KS is in the history books. The Donor Advisory Board of The Peoples Heartland Foundation express our sincere thanks to all who supported this very successful effort . . .

On April 1, 2015 Governor Sam Brownback signed Senate Bill 43 naming 16 miles of highway K8 in North Central Kansas as THE HOME ON THE RANGE HIGHWAY. This article is to present our readers with a short history of the highway with emphasis on these selected 16 miles, known by Smith County residents and others as “Number 8”.

In a separate article you will read of the signing of Senate Bill 43 naming 16 miles of K-8 as THE HOME ON THE RANGE HIGHWAY; in writing that article I was reminded of the fine relationship Home on the Range has had with the Kansas Legislature and the office of Governor.