KSHPO - Kansas State Historic Preservation Office

06/03/2026

Come join us for this Russell Main Street event! What questions do you have about designating a historic district?

What does Historic Designation mean for Downtown Russell, and how could it impact the future of our community?

Join Russell Main Street and the Kansas Historical Society for an informative presentation and Q&A session on the importance of Historic Designation for Russell's Downtown Main Street District.

Learn how historic designation can help preserve our community's unique character, protect our heritage, and support future downtown revitalization efforts.

📍 Chet' Place
📅 Tuesday, June 9
⏰ 5:30 PM

Whether you're a business owner, property owner, downtown stakeholder, or simply interested in the future of Russell, we encourage you to attend and be part of the conversation.

For more information, call 785-483-2897 or follow Russell Main Street on Facebook.

06/03/2026

Continuing to seek applicants for the newest State Historic Site! More details at https://www.kansashistory.gov/11403.

Applications have been reopened for two positions serving the Charles Curtis House State Historic Site in Topeka! See details at https://www.kansashistory.gov/11403

The Curtis House is the former residence of Vice President Charles Curtis located near the state capitol.

The Kansas Historical Society is seeking a Full-time Site Administrator and a Part-time Assistant Site Administrator. Job duties can be found via the link above. This is a great opportunity for someone with a love for sharing history with others.

These opportunities will be open until filled. The positions have been reopened to seek a wider pool of applicants. Those who applied during the initial opening of these positions need not apply again; your application will continue to be considered.

The Charles Curtis State Historic Site is not yet open to the public.

06/02/2026

WHAT’S WHAT IN TAX CREDITS – June 2 is National Leave the Office Early Day. Leave your desk lamp on at the R. H. Garvey Building in the Garvey Center, Wichita, Sedgwick County.

Garvey Center is comprised of five related buildings set in an urban plaza, designed by Sid Platt and Associates and completed in 1964. Although commonplace today, the building’s structural configuration reflected a new, modern approach to high rise office buildings.

The R. H. Garvey Building was Wichita’s first column-free construction. It is constructed of reinforced concrete with a central core that houses elevators, fire stairs and restrooms leaving the remainder of each floor column free for subdivision. The exterior of the building features a series of massive half-round columns that span the building’s full height framing vertical bands of windows in blue-tinted glass with turquoise spandrel panels between floors. This distinction in exterior materials and fenestration on base, shaft and cap provides a nod to Classical forms of nineteenth and early twentieth-century buildings while remaining thoroughly modern in style. Narrower concrete columns frame the top floor, arched at the top to form an open arcade around a penthouse promenade. A dark granite and quartz base was added to the white-colored concrete to give the building a sparkling appearance.

Federal and state tax credits have been earned for significant rehabilitation of the exterior and interior finishes. Learn more about the R. H. Garvey Building and read the informative National Register nomination in the Kansas Historic Resources Inventory: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=173-10792

05/29/2026

Kansas highlight!

We continue our tour of America’s historic sites on our with a visit to Grinter Place State Historic Site in Muncie, Kansas.

The home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1857 on eight acres of land overlooking the Kansas River. The house was acquired by the State of Kansas in 1971 to preserve its extensive involvement with early Kansas Territorial/Statehood efforts. Moses Grinter operated the first ferry on the Kansas River to help troops cross the river from Forts Leavenworth and Scott. His is the oldest house in Wyandotte County.

Grinter Place is open for tours April through October, Wed. to Sun. https://www.kansashistory.gov/15857

Kansas Historical Society KSHPO - Kansas State Historic Preservation Office Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City KS

05/28/2026

WHAT’S WHAT IN TAX CREDITS – May 29 is Oak Apple Day. Bring a shiny one for Teacher at the Oak Grove School in Saint Paul, Neosho County.

The Oak Grove School is a single-story, one-room stone schoolhouse built in 1877. The school is located within Lincoln Township, Neosho County, Kansas and is surrounded by farmland on the east and south sides, the one-acre the Oak Grove Cemetery to the west, and 20th Road on the north. The building sits parallel to the road and faces east. Typical of early one-room schoolhouses, it features a simple rectangular form with a gabled roof. The walls of the building are solid native sandstone (from the “Bandera” geologic formation) quarried locally from a site that lies about one quarter mile north of the school.

Bearing no specific stylistic references, the building is classified as a late 19th century American movement “vernacular” one-room school, and retains a high degree of historical integrity. It has experienced minimal architectural modification since its original construction and remains situated on its original site. Alterations that have occurred include the addition of a front porch (1913), a bell cupola (since removed), and an architecturally-consistent coal room at the rear (1937). These changes were all done within the period of significance and in keeping with the school’s original design, workmanship, and materials. The nominated property contains three contributing resources: 1877 school building, ca. 1895 flagpole, and a ca. 1897 cistern.

State Rehabilitation Tax Credits were earned for work on interior finishes and mechanical systems. Learn more about the Oak Grove School, and read the informative National Register nomination, in the Kansas Historic Resources Inventory: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=045-3010-00793

05/27/2026

There is only a week, and a half left to apply for the Historic Preservation Fund Grant! Applications due Friday June 5th! Hurry and apply on our website before it's too late! https://www.kansashistory.gov/14615

05/26/2026

WHAT’S WHAT IN TAX CREDITS – May is Small Business Month. Small and mighty at 811 5th Street in Clay Center, Clay County.

This modest building sports a surviving decorative cornice and stone-hooded and -silled window openings. This address first appears on the 1899 Sanborn map as a dealership for “Agricultural Implements and Buggies”. Later maps list an office with a separate address at 809, and indicate that the building's interior had wood posts and a metal ceiling. The 1917 Sanborn lists the building as a garage with a capacity of 25 cars, storage of auto parts on the 2nd floor, cement floor and electric lights.

Federal and state tax credits have been earned for a substantial rehabilitation for continued commercial use. The address now houses The Happy Hippie, where one can find smoothies, yoga and more. Learn more about 811 5th Street in the Kansas Historic Resources Inventory: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=027-208

05/22/2026

This week, SHPO staff had the opportunity to attend a public planning session for the Quindaro Neighborhood in Kansas City, KS. The meeting was held in the Vernon Multipurpose Center VMPC also known as the historic Vernon School. A Heritage Trust Fund grant from Kansas SHPO is helping to restore the front doors, while a HER grant from the National Park Service is assisting with other preservation work.

More about the Vernon School - https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=209-2820-02030

05/21/2026

WHAT’S WHAT IN TAX CREDITS – May 21 is National Waitstaff Day. Leave a good tip at the Anderson Building in Lawrence, Douglas County.

This two-part commercial block building opened in 1866 and was revised in 1919. It shows simple geometric detailing typical of Early Twentieth Century Commercial buildings. The hard-fired red and multi-colored brick facade has two pairs of 1/1 double hung windows with raised brick header sills on the second story. The lintel is comprised of vertical brick stretchers. A large rectangular panel is above, formed by a raised course of brick headers. Centered within is a stone plaque with the name "ANDERSON". The cornice area has three courses of projecting bricks. The stepped parapet roof has stone coping. The storefront has a recessed centered entry front flanked by large display windows with brick bulkheads, steel lintels, and three large transom windows above. It currently houses the 715 Restaurant.

State Rehabilitation Tax Credits were earned for preservation treatments on the exterior and interior of the building. Learn more about the Anderson Building in the Kansas Historic Resources Inventory: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=045-3010-00793