Champagne at the Cemetery

It's that time of year when a young man's thoughts turn to the long, dark nights ahead and cemeteries.

Yes, friends, time once again for Champagne at the Cemetery, October 26, 4-6 p.m., Topeka Cemetery, 10th & California. Cost is $25 if you pay in advance, $30 at the door and proceeds will go to Topeka Cemetery's programs and upkeep. Beth Cooper Meyer (below, right) and I did this last year with a great response was wonderful! I will also be doing tours on Saturday and Sunday, October 27 & 28 at 2 p.m., and the cost is $10 per person for a 2-hour walking tour. Wear comfortable shoes and come prepared to be blown away by the incredible history!!!

I will have copies of my book, Stories in Stone, for sale then or you may order one for $10 plus $4 s&h, from right here on this site.

 

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First Friday Artwalk in Topeka is coming up on October 5. We will be celebrating at Constitution Hall in Topeka, 4th & Kansas, where the Woner/Glenn law office is celebrating their anniversary as well as the preservation of this important building in Topeka, Kansas, and national history. Take this opportunity to see where history was made!!!

 

 

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The 33rd annual Apple Festival will be held at Old Prairie Town on Sunday, October 7. This is one of the best events all year long. Gary and his buds in Borderline will be performing, as is our friend and neighbor, Kyler Carpenter. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door, and, of course, Dixie Lee Jackson is the emcee!!

Dodge City Days

In western Kansas, the wheat harvest is under way; the "golden waves of grain" really are golden. It's quite lovely. Especially when the road construction forces you to stop for 30 minutes and look at them.

Beth Cooper Meyer drove so all I had to do was squirm in my seat as we decided to vary the route, just a little, and drive through McPherson and Hutchinson instead of Ellsworth and Great Bend on our way to Dodge City yesterday. We're headed back to Great Bend for a booksigning today. As we waited on traffic, we were concerned about being late to a meeting with her Dodge City tour guides, but, that is the price of adventure!

We reached Charlie Meade by phone and rescheduled to allow us to check into the Dodge House before we headed to Casey's Steakhouse to meet Charlie and Erica. I adore Charlie. Last year, he came to the Kansas Hall of Fame to accept the award for James Arness, who had passed away only days before. In April, he took that award to Janet Arness, his widow. This morning, at 6 a.m., I'm taping an interview with Charlie talking about his trip. I can't wait.

Charlie's life should be the subject of a book. He was delivered in the bank of an ambulance en route to the hospital by the legendary Marshal Ham Bell. The KHOF acceptance for James Arness and the swearing-in by Ham Bell he lists as the highlights of his life. The photo of Ham Bell, above, is in the collections of the Ford County Historical Society. This is the caption:

Hamilton Butler Bell, longest living Old West Sheriff and Marshal. Ham remembered the end of the Civil War and had his name on a WWII Army Air Corp plane. He never shot a man-- and he saved some cowboys from the "Earp gang"--and outlived all of his Western associates. Arriving in Dodge City in 1874, he lived in Ford County until his death in 1947. He was the first president of the Ford County Historical Society, 1931. The bell is from the Union Church, the first church building in Dodge City. All rights reserved. FCHS.

You couldn't make this stuff up. Charlie's life is just another chapter in the story. The photo below, by Doug Ruth, is from last year's Kansas Hall of Fame gala. WIBW's Susie Gilbert presents the award for Marshal Matt Dillon as portrayed by James Arness to Charlie. It was a very special night.

I love Dodge City. Y'all gotta come out here and take a tour with Charlie!

(The ghost tours led by Charlie & Erica will start later on this summer. Visit groovyghost.com for tickets and details. Who knows. . . maybe you'll run into Ham Bell, too!)

Lazy Bones

More like tired bones. Gary & I have been so busy lately, there has simply been no time to catch up on photos and share the great events that have filled our lives. We'll take care of some of that this morning.

Carol Visits the Winery

The biggest event was the arrival of our dear friends, Andy & Carol Waskie from Philadelphia. Carol was among the featured speakers at Paracon 2011, held at the Belvoir Winery in Liberty, Missouri. Andy, left, handled the powerpoint, while Carol, below, discussed haunts and history in Philly. Even though her profession is nursing, her avocation is history and she has been instrumental in Civil War Roundtables in Pennsylvania, organizing events and establishing businesses with history at the core.



Paracon 2011 was a very successful event held at one of the most haunted, and picturesque, sites in Missouri. Paranormal investigations and other events are a common occurence at the winery so look up paranormaladventuresusa.com for more information. Thanks to Beth Cooper Meyer and Nick Spantgos and their crews for working so hard to bring folks to our area and provide quality information and an interesting time.





General Meade Visits Topeka

Andy was here to portray Gen. George Meade, victor at Gettysburg, for an evening of tribute to Gen. E. V. Sumner. The event was held at the Celtic Fox in downtown Topeka. Watch this blog for more on Gen. Sumner, who was a colonel when he commanded Fort Leavenworth during Bleeding Kansas.
One of the evening's sponsors, Clay Mead (no e), and Carol Waskie. At left, General Meade (with an e), addressing the crowd.

Andy's book, Philadelphia in the Civil War is about to be released and we can hardly wait to read it. We'll have him back out for a booksigning.

Beth Cooper Meyer, tour guide, hostess, author and all around fun gal who made the ParaCon 2011 happen. She makes things happen all the time and we're so glad she's here in Topeka!

It's great when you can "volunteer" to get your friends involved -- me with Betty Lou Pardue, our celebrity auctioneer for the evening, and Janet Sage Bruce.

Event sponsors Duane and Beth Fager who do so much to support our community along with our special guests Andy and Carol Waskie. Below, Barney Heeney, me, Marge Heeney and Doug Wallace.Our dear, dear friend Lt. Col. (ret) Ed Kennedy spoke about the Command and General Staff College Hall of Fame at Fort Leavenworth. Ed was preparing for special events at the Liberty Memorial in honor of Mr. Buckles, the last remaining WWI soldier, and we're so grateful he took the time to visit us.

We were also thrilled that Michelle Martin was able to join us. Now that Michelle is a resident of Oklahoma, we don't get to see her as often as we'd like. She is a part of our Gen. E. V. Sumner National Monument Project and an advocate for history wherever she goes. Her guest for the evening was Mary Kristen Kurtis. Mary is the daughter of Bill Kurtis and is involved in much of her dad's business and an advocate for history herself.

So many more things happening. Let me hear from you and we'll all try to keep up with one another online and visit in person when possible.

All photos taken by my handsome husband, Gary Bisel. He also did the sound for our event at the Celtic Fox.