Built in 1877, the Oak Grove Schoolhouse has been a gathering place for the community of Lincoln Township for generations. In this episode, Rachel talks with Cary Pruitt and Roger Pruitt from the Oak Grove Schoolhouse Historical Society. 

Part family history, part Kansas history, partly a story about family legacy, we think you'll find this episode to be informative, entertaining, and important. 

Oak Grove Schoolhouse website 

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• The mission of the Oak Grove Schoolhouse Historical Society
• ​How a one room schoolhouse became a central gathering place for the community of Lincoln Township
• Why it is important to pass down family history from generation to generation
• The importance of low water fords in the migration of pioneers settling in Kansas
• The history of the Oak Grove school district
• The importance of the Osage Trail in the history of Kansas
• How Laura Ingalls Wilder, Washington Irving, the Benders are connected to the Osage Trail
• How the geography of Kansas contributed to the development of the Osage Trail
• The rough-and-tumble history of Ladore Kansas
• How the arrival of the KATY Railroad impacted the founding of Parsons Kansas
• A great gift idea for teacher appreciation day

Rachel and Geoff briefly review highlights from the podcast's second (2019) season, and discuss our upcoming 3rd season and beyond. A few side projects are shared with listeners and then -- WOW! Rachel uncovers for our listeners an absolutely fascinating figure from Kansas history. A pioneer, in multiple ways, Emanuel Haldeman-Julius.

A state with socialist leanings (Kansas was a hotbed at the time). A Jewish man sympathetic to these, Emanuel Halderman-Julius served as editor for the Appeal to Reason before becoming, as many consider him to be, the inventor of the paperback book and, perhaps ironically as seen through the lens of the 21st century historical observer, the Henry Ford of the publishing industry. A true innovator and forward thinker in both business and culture, Haldeman-Julius and his wife took on each other's last names. With laser-like precision, using methods described in modern business vernacular as guerilla marketing, he created and built a publishing enterprise he wanted to see serve the working class reader—fulfilling their need for learning AND enjoyment.

Clarification: In the audio, Rachel refers to William S. Burroughs and listeners might misinterpret his status as a Kansan. He was a Lawrence, KS resident (we were there!) though not a Kansas native.

Links mentioned in episode:
www.pmocoaching.com (new business-centric podcast on developing skills behaviors and attitudes hosted by Rachel)
www.sixstringcpa.com (new audio-format short story series Geoff writes under his name)

We are sharing a short BONUS episode with listeners about an event our new friends at the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) are hosting. Rachel offers listeners a chance to follow along her first steps as she discovers who and what the KSHS is and does by talking with Bethany Falvey and Katrina Ringler. Some focus is directed at special KSHS programming happening in Dodge City, KS in September 2019.
Event registration
Facebook Event

This mini-episode contains on-location interview with Wichita native and Kansas City Developer Dan Clothier, who gave us a tour of the Cedar Point Mill during the Chase County Christmas event (see episode 10). Cedar Point Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the most fascinating buildings Geoff recalls ever having come across (Kansas is not immediately thought of as a place of old millhouses constructed of stone). The structure needs restoration. Learn about the process and efforts to restore this piece of history. And if interested in contributing to the efforts, you can donate through the Cedar Point Mill website. More about the history of the Cedar Point Mill, here.
Note: in the episode, I refer to Dan as a volunteer, but he is also the owner of the mill.