Oct 14, 2023

WaKeeney to host Smoky Hill Trail Association annual conference Oct. 20-22

Posted Oct 14, 2023 8:45 AM

Submitted

WAKEENEY — The Smoky Hill Trail Annual Conference is just around the corner on October 20, 21, and 22.  The conference will be held at the Trego County Historical Society Museum, 128 N. 13th Street, WaKeeney.

On Friday, October 20, there will be a bus tour of Trego County beginning at 1:00 pm. A “meet and greet” will follow at the Commercial Building at the Trego County Fairgrounds, 13th and Russell Avenue, WaKeeney, at 4:00 pm.

Saturday, October 21, will feature speakers throughout the day, beginning at 8:30 am. The speakers and their topics include: "A Window into Time," by Garrett Seuser; "The Cartographic Roots of Colorado," by Wes Brown; "The French on the Smoky Hill in the 18th Century,” by Wade Davis; "Railroaded: The Industry that Shaped Kansas," by Leo Oliva; and "Silas Stillman Soule: From Coal Creek to Sand Creek," by Byron Strom.

The evening features a banquet at 6:00 p.m. with special speaker, Chris Herriage, discussing “Today’s Archaeology, Tomorrow’s Trails.”

Sunday, October 22, begins with coffee at 8:30 a.m. and features two more speakers beginning at 9:00 a.m. Don Rowlinson will discuss “The History of Trego County Agriculture: Before and After the Sod Busters” and Wade Davis will discuss "Smoky Hill Thompson: A Life Wild and Perilous."

The conference will close by 12:00 noon on Sunday.

For more information about the conference, check out the Smoky Hill Trail Association website at www.smokyhilltrail.com

. You can register for the conference online at the Smoky Hill Trail Association website. Registrations are due by October 9. This is also a great time to become a member of the association. Register for the conference and join the association all at one time.

Please direct any questions to [email protected], [email protected], or 785-743-2964.

Don't miss your chance to learn more about our amazing local Western history!