Took a short trip to check out an old steam engine and chase it. Along the way there were other things to look at and take pictures.
One of the places I wanted to go to was Wallace, Kansas. Here are the remains of an old military building. It had been a museum at one time but Kansas changed their tax policies for places such as this. Losing their money the locals closed it up and today it sits vacant.
It is given some care but for the most part it appears to sit neglected. There are stress cracks here and there that probably will become worse over time. Being made of rock it will wear pretty good. I just hope Kansas will give some funding to it to keep it from falling apart. Then it is not alone, I have run into other places that have closed up when the state pulled the funding.
I hate to see the funding pulled yet the local county is not all that poor and something more could be done with it.
Yet it is so typical, rely o n big brother, in this case the state, and all of a sudden big brother closes the pocket book. People throw their hands up and …………
Ft Wallace came into being in the 1860’s to protect the Smoky Hill Trail and the railroad. In 1868 the railroad stopped building and Ft Wallace became the railhead for a couple of years. It was a wild and rowdy town. Railroad workers hanging around, not much to do, gold seekers passing through and the outlaws plundering anything and everything. Late 1869 the railroad started building west again and Wallace shrunk. A few years later, most of the Indian problems were over and the Calvary had not much to do.
On off went the Army to other jobs and the building was left behind. The town of Wallace prospered until the depression and then dust bowl. Today it has a few residents and lots of ghosts. The building was fed and well cared for but today it is abandoned.
In back the horses await the return of the cavalry to go riding on the prairie looking for Indians and bad men.
Things like this I have no problem supporting with tax money but at what level. So much tax money is spent on special interests and things like this get lost. There also needs to be some local help and not reliance on big brother because look what happens when big brother changes his mind. Maybe there is a lesson in there someplace but do we learn?
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Other Notes
My pelvis is pretty well healed up and the tailbone is doing pretty good. I am still battling the hematoma, but at least I can sit for a spell now. I am looking at blogging some more and getting around to others also. Got a bunch more stories from this short trip. Some neat train pictures and buildings in the small towns.
Have a good week.
5 comments:
Love seeing the old building as I have an interest in them, not only for their appearance but for their historical value. History in any form is always appeaking and interesting to me.
I'm glad you are better John. Isn't easy coming back from a grievous injury.
Sorry, this is Ramblingon. Forgot to log out of the other account.
Love the history and the pictures John, those things are really amazing relics to another age. I'm very glad to hear you're getting better too, I know those injuries have been a real difficulty for you. I appreciate you my friend, have a great Sunday.
Such a shame these old building are not kept up. The work especially that went into stone building like these. So glad to here you are healing ok and can get around more or even sit longer.
Yes, agree. How to preserve history? Perhaps cybermuseums? Your photos? Blogs? Wish some indoor shots available? Sorry to hear about pelvic hematoma. Hoping you are now completely healed.
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