Exploring Southeast Kansas

[@tommybear1097]

I've spent the past 29 years in SEK, as far South East as you can go before hitting Missouri & Oklahoma. It seems that it doesn't really matter where I am on this planet, I'll always consider Columbus, Crestline, (Cherokee County as a whole) my home. There's something about the dirt roads, hay fields for miles, and our history that no one really seems to know about. When I take people out to Big Brutus it blows their minds because no one knew that this existed or that we were such a large mining community and not just a ton of farmers & militia men. The wide diversity in this state is something that you don't really get to experience elsewhere, a 2 hour drive from Columbus Kansas to Kansas City Kansas takes you from the quaint little farm towns to the bustling night life & fast lane; The same comparison could be made with Manhattan/Fort Riley & Aggieville which is located inside of Manhattan, both provide completely different lifestyles and you don't have to leave city limits to experience it. Then we have western Kansas, the Dodge City area for example, yeah we don't talk about them 😂😂

[@dmscholl4]

Spent my elementary school years in Chicopee outside Pittsburg. Been to most places shown. My parents worked at the bank in Weir. Thanks for this video. Brought back a lot of memories. Hope y’all stopped by either Chicken Annie’s or Chicken Mary’s for lunch.

[@reneweeks7307]

When I was a child, my father was the regional representative for Kansas, Gas and Electric to this part of the state. We lived in Wichita but my mother and I would accompany him a couple of times during the summer as he worked in Independence, Pittsburg and Fort Scott. We visited the fort, toured the mining area, ate at Chicken Annie's in Frontenac. I have a great fondness for this part of my home state! Thanks for this video.

[@marycashero6325]

Chicken Annie's isn't in Frontenac

[@farmallpaul4518]

@@marycashero6325 The original is 5 miles from Frontenac.

[@chriscosby2459]

I remember as a kid in the late 60's seeing a church in the Picher/Commerce area that apparently was built over an old abandoned mine. The entire church building had sunk about 3 to 4 feet below the surrounding ground.

[@anj3595]

My family, from Galena, Kansas were miners to government workers. Early history grandparent a Lawyer. Quite a move from prosperity to bust.

[@Ofakiwiyoso]

37:03 37:03 Cherryvale at one time had the biggest or second plant in the world. There was a large Hispanic community there. I had a grandfather and uncle from Spain that worked there. Wish you’d spent time on Montgomery County instead of OK.

[@jeremyauman]

I grew up in Riverton and Baxter Springs. My folks and sisters family live this still. Many good memories

[@kcbill54]

Excellent video. My grandfather lived on a farm near Pittsburg, and it’s nice to learn about southeast Kansas. It’s definitely off the beaten path.

[@desertdog7171]

There was a tornado that wiped out much of what was left of Picher a few years back. That was probably what finalized the buyout and shuttering the town. It is indeed very post apocalyptic looking there now.

[@nemodapimpfish]

Just visited 2 weeks ago......it's almost like a twilight zone episode

[@anj3595]

I think I heard my paternal Aunt talk about Picher. She worked in the lead/zinc mines in the area. She died of lung cancer in the late seventies. Sure would like to see an environmental study.

[@ConsolidatedPBY]

Wow! This is all very interesting. I stumbled upon this video while researching Etzanoa. I'm definitely gonna visit the area.

[@robertfolkner9253]

I used to live in LaHarpe, KS. Near our old farm stand the ruins of a zinc rolling plant; over in Iola there is a bank that stands on the site of an old foundry that was active into the 1980s and was finally demolished in 1986. There used to be natural gas in abundance in the area that fueled industrialization. Everyone thought that the gas supply was unlimited (it wasn’t) and so some of its use was incredibly wasteful; piping was erected on stanchions around the Allen County Courthouse square in Iola and every couple of feet holes were drilled in the top of the pipe, which was then pressurized with gas and each hole was lit, creating an ethereal glow around the square.

[@SEKreiver]

I was born in Labette County and lived in Crawford County for 20yrs. I'm back in Labette County now. SEK is a great place to live.

[@goodfriend6428]

Wonderful! A valuable, meaningful production. Thank you all for your excellent work. SEK is truly a remarkable place. This is a great memorialization. Father, as a young lad, worked in the lead mines there. Other family were active in, from, and around that general area -- Chanute, Iola, Pittsburg, Joplin, even Blackwell, OK, and Winfield. Splendid. Tear inducing.

[@vivaanignacio9363]

instablaster...

[@marionmendenhall6375]

Yeah I'm not sure how great you think this is. This is a economically suppressed area of Southeast Kansas, southwestern Missouri, and North Eastern Oklahoma. There are many more towns in South East Kansas with a alot of stories to tell. I don't think the final chapter has been written on many of them.

[@markpritchard3256]

Lived there in empire people were hard. To. Break into but when i did they were the best people ive met anywhere they would help you anytime and are happy to do it. Galena riverton baxter springs area

[@markpritchard3256]

Done glass show cases at baxter museum me and bill don quite a nice complex on kansas history

[@BoyScout1960]

When my mom and dad lived in LaHarpe there was a ruined zinc mill down the highway from them. I used to like to go back into the trees and walk around in it.

[@salinagrrrl69]

She gotta heckaVA name. Moran, Bronson, Iola, Erie, Mildred, Garnett - real places w/ real people really forgotten in SE Ks. My ancient ancient ancestors were led minors in Joplin.

[@cjrehm198]

We recently went to Atchison KS. Sallie house has a sign that they are permanently closed. Maybe because of COVID. Also the Sauer castle in Argentine is haunted. The KC Star did an article on it back in the 80’s. Supposedly my Dad parked in a car in front of the castle and his car window shattered.

[@brucevanatta8586]

I was born in Baxter Springs. Lived in Cherokee county till drafted in 1969. All my family still lives there.

[@abbynormal4740]

Except for 2 years in Republic KS, I grew up in SE KS: Iola, Yates Center, LeRoy, Pittsburg, Arma, Yale, Frontenac, Girard, Moran, Gas, LaHarpe, Ft Scott, Aliceville, Westphalia, Xenia and Bronson are all part of my youth. My great-grandfather was a co-founder of the Arma Elevator, a wholesale grocery supplier.

[@marionmendenhall6375]

This is a testament of the greed of a company called Eagle-Picher. To this very day they still celebrate the dentist chair in their lobby.

[@garylabelle123]

Could you tell me what the story of the chair is? I would like to know more about it. Thanks.

[@kevingriggs640]

My step kids grandparents are from picher. My step son was visiting and was there when the tornado came through and took out the power lines. That was officially the end.

[@TravelWithSetareh]

Thanks for sharing that beautiful video. New subscriber from IRAN, is here😉

[@bglrj]

A history professor states here that socialism is "now clearly seen as unamerican". Many do feel that way, but you can't support that blanket statement. Even in Johnson County. As for the Klan, when I lived in Johnson County, I had a co-worker who told me about the weekly Klan meetings a mile from where she lived just over the state line in Missouri. Another friend was unwittingly invited to work at a large Klan summer camp for children south of Kansas City.

[@Comeoffitman]

I was riding a bike or something across the the country and ran over a bump Or something along Root 66 or something. I drove another 6 miles or something and decided to turn around to find what it was that I drived over. Something red jumped in front of my a I got lost.

[@williambullard9599]

Mechanization eliminates the "need" for human labor when the perceived NEED for human labor becomes unreasonable morphing into government regulation that is punitive to profit takes over. When they got the higher wages that they wanted [wages not reasonable to the market] they voted in their ultimate unemployment. Wages are a tax that never leaves. When a tax is increased a business cuts its losses either by closing its doors, increasing its prices to you, or cuts its employment costs by mechanizing, or it just goes somewhere else. This is something the educated and intellectuals do not grasp.

[@whatsmyname3237]

Very well stated.

[@mbarn6633]

You’re suggesting all “educated and intellectuals” do not grasp your points? Quite possibly the most “uneducated” point you made.

[@garylabelle123]

By educated, I'm guessing about folks with no callus on their hands. Maybe the old way wouldn't support decent wages. Clean hands does not mean a black heart.

[@jimstewart8927]

One has to consider accuracy, stated, Brutus is powered by electricity and referred to as a steamshovel??Sometimes thankful I'm not an educated man!

[@wanderingwinos]

It makes one wonder what the long-term consequences of Lithium mining will be as the EV revolution continues........

[@waynespringer501]

The exact same thing, Government feels better about itself for that though since they have it mostly done in foreign countries with child labor.

[@larryasbury6218]

EDNA KANSAS

[@SEKreiver]

Just drove through Edna on Sunday!

[@juanitafolsom1866]

I was born in ptown ks