The first <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DowntownHaysMarket">Downtown Hays Market</a> is set to return Saturday morning, with many regular vendors ready to return and a mix of new vendors.

Beginning this week the market is scheduled from  7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Saturday through October 23 at the Downtown Pavilion in Union Pacific Park, 110 E 10th St.

"We are very excited. We have a ton of new vendors that have already signed up," said Downton Hays Development Corporation executive director Sara Bloom.

Those vendors will bring a wide variety of items to the market, from fresh produce, stained glass, custom handmade candles, clothing, jewelry, arts and crafts, fresh honey and more.

"We have vendors coming from Nebraska. We have vendors coming from Missouri," Bloom said. "Of course, we have the same vendors that you know and love that will be coming back, like&nbsp;Svaty's Produce. Several new produce vendors have signed up. Several new craft vendors have signed up. ... There is going to be so much there this summer."

And while the season is likely to be bigger than ever, Bloom said the first market of the season brings with it a unique energy.

"The first market is one of my favorites. Everyone is just so excited for the season to get started that they come out in hoards," Bloom said.&nbsp;

She also said the end of a year of COVID-19 precautions will likely drive more people to the market as life returns to normal.

Attendees of the market this year will also be able to take advantage of all of the updates to the park and pavilion, including the newest addition a train sculpture from local artist Pete Felten.&nbsp;

"It's crazy. The pavilion has been there for two years now," Bloom said. "We keep improving the space. ... We added the parking lot and the Pete Felten train sculpture and security cameras last year, and we are continuing to look for ways we can build up that area because that really has become the primary gathering place for outdoor events on the Bricks," Bloom said. "It's been absolutely wonderful, and I&nbsp; hope the community is enjoying it."

For more information about the market visit the DHDC website,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/downtown-hays-market">downtownhays.com/downtown-hays-market</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DowntownHaysMarket">visit their facebook page</a>.

<div><iframe title="Downtown Hays farmers market returns this weekend" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=cn86z-1049b57-pb&from=pb6admin&download=1&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3&btn-skin=3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe first <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DowntownHaysMarket">Downtown Hays Market</a> is set to return Saturday morning, with many regular vendors ready to return and a mix of new vendors.Beginning this week the market is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Saturday through October 23 at the Downtown Pavilion in Union Pacific Park, 110 E 10th St."We are very excited. We have a ton of new vendors that have already signed up," said Downton Hays Development Corporation executive director Sara Bloom.Those vendors will bring a wide variety of items to the market, from fresh produce, stained glass, custom handmade candles, clothing, jewelry, arts and crafts, fresh honey and more."We have vendors coming from Nebraska. We have vendors coming from Missouri," Bloom said. "Of course, we have the same vendors that you know and love that will be coming back, like&nbsp;Svaty's Produce. Several new produce vendors have signed up. Several new craft vendors have signed up. ... There is going to be so much there this summer."And while the season is likely to be bigger than ever, Bloom said the first market of the season brings with it a unique energy."The first market is one of my favorites. Everyone is just so excited for the season to get started that they come out in hoards," Bloom said.&nbsp;She also said the end of a year of COVID-19 precautions will likely drive more people to the market as life returns to normal.Attendees of the market this year will also be able to take advantage of all of the updates to the park and pavilion, including the newest addition a train sculpture from local artist Pete Felten.&nbsp;"It's crazy. The pavilion has been there for two years now," Bloom said. "We keep improving the space. ... We added the parking lot and the Pete Felten train sculpture and security cameras last year, and we are continuing to look for ways we can build up that area because that really has become the primary gathering place for outdoor events on the Bricks," Bloom said. "It's been absolutely wonderful, and I&nbsp; hope the community is enjoying it."For more information about the market visit the DHDC website,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/downtown-hays-market">downtownhays.com/downtown-hays-market</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DowntownHaysMarket">visit their facebook page</a>.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDowntownHaysMarket%2Fvideos%2F485632369434982%2F&show_text=false&width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

Downtown Hays Market returns this weekend

Filled with anticipation for the new semester and re-energized after taking advantage of the privilege to rest and enjoy a long winter break, I find myself thinking about some of the people I admire and/or have gotten to know better this past year because of the pandemic. Here are just a few: our Hays city commissioners, our county health administrator and a group I refer to as our city rallying team.

Our city commissioners – Michael Berges, Sandy Jacobs, Ron Mellick, Shaun Musil and Mason Ruder – have always had important, and sometimes controversial, decisions to make, but who could have prepared for 2020? Just when the emotionally-charged debates over the roundabouts began to settle, along came the pandemic, and among the many critical decisions that had to be made was the mask ordinance.&nbsp;

Although I have attended city commission meetings in the past and interacted with commissioners at meetings and events, the pandemic provided me a different look at them as a leadership team. Here is what I learned. First and foremost, they are committed, hard-working people who have the courage to serve, listen and make tough decisions. Second, they are open-minded and willing to listen thoughtfully to a variety of perspectives. Several commissioners reached out to local and state leaders prior to the mask ordinance meeting to solicit different perspectives and to better understand emerging knowledge about the pandemic. Third, citizens were given the opportunity to speak at meetings and every voice was heard and respected. Fourth, when each commissioner voted, they stated their “whys.” The “whys” for each commissioner was different. Commissioners demonstrated the strength of their commitment to the people they serve by candidly disclosing their thoughts, each in their own style, with great passion. And finally, they did not vote the same. Watching our commissioners in action made me admire and respect them even more.

I have no evidence to back this up, but I believe among the most challenging jobs of 2020 was that of a county health administrator. I heard of several counties in Kansas that had difficulty hiring or keeping county health administrators during this pandemic. Hats off to Jason Kennedy, who continually showed up to meetings – night and day – presented data, developed protocols and kept our community informed. I imagine being in the public eye so much was indeed a big shift in his daily routine. Honestly, I did not know Jason until the pandemic (thrilled of course to learn he is a Fort Hays State grad), and I really valued his guidance as I made decisions for the university. I also think some of the hidden heroes of our times are the family members of those, like Jason, who serve the citizens of our community as public health administrators. I can only image the impact this pandemic had on the family life of these dedicated professionals.&nbsp;

My final shout out goes to the group I refer to as our city rallying team: Sara Bloom of the Downton Hays Development Corporation (DHDC), Melissa Dixon of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Sarah Wasinger of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. They all approach each day with a “can-do attitude,” high energy and a remarkable capacity to reinvent, re-imagine and find solutions to complex challenges. Their resiliency throughout the pandemic was remarkable. Whenever something fell apart, they simply found new ways to put it&nbsp; back together again.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The DHDC, for instance, created the “Stronger Than Ever” gift card program that generated almost $50,000 in sales for 40 downtown businesses during the mandatory shutdown. Most of that money was raised in the first 48 hours of the campaign. Similarly, the Chamber sold $92,000 in Chamber Cheques (which support local shopping) in 2020, a six-year high for the program. The DHDC also secured more than $20,000 in donations in five weeks to turn the Downtown Pavilion into an ice-skating rink this winter so the community would have access to a fun and safe outdoor activity during the pandemic. I love how this community steps up. The generosity of the neighbors in our community never ceases to amaze me. &nbsp;

Creative efforts earned the DHDC two first-place Marketing Awards. March to Main went completely virtual but still highlighted the best parts of our community and engaged thousands of students. Dining with Downtown (a new event) created intimate dining experiences inside boutiques, art galleries, furniture stores and more, allowing participants to socially connect while physically distancing. It was so successful, DHDC plans to host two of these events in 2021.

One of the things I found beneficial as I navigated decisions for the university was meeting with my CEO colleagues who freely shared their thoughts, plans and lessons learned on their campuses and communities as they, like me, worked to create safe learning environments. While I engaged with my colleagues, our chamber provided similar opportunities for our community’s leaders and business professionals. Partnering with the FHSU Management Development Center, the chamber offered complimentary virtual lunch and learn sessions. In November, the Chamber acquired a Leadership Transformation Grant for 2021 from the Kansas Leadership Center, which provided 46 spots for participants to attend a workshop titled, “Your Leadership Edge, Lead for Change or Equip to Lead.” &nbsp;

Our Convention and Visitors Bureau has the unenviable task of creating new and compelling ways to bring visitors to our town. In a COVID-19 world, where travel, lodging, commerce and even basic human-to-human contact was so limited, how did the CVB respond to this unprecedented challenge? By adapting and reimagining their role. It pivoted to using the pandemic as an opportunity to focus on taking care of our community. In a normal year, the Welcome Center sells colorful Hays postcards to visitors in its welcome center. This year, the staff of the CVB printed positive messages on these cards and delivered several hundred of them to local assisted living facilities for their residents. They also partnered with FHSU’s College of Art and Design faculty to clean and restore 29 bronze markers on the Downtown Hays Historic Walking Tour. Now these markers are bright and readable. The CVB has plans to create a mobile version of the tour for visitors as well. Residents and visitors alike can also look forward to a CVB-designed driving tour of the iconic Pete Felten sculptures around Hays.

Remarkable leaders. A remarkable community. This is Hays, America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302014229.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Filled with anticipation for the new semester and re-energized after taking advantage of the privilege to rest and enjoy a long winter break, I find myself thinking about some of the people I admire and/or have gotten to know better this past year because of the pandemic. Here are just a few: our Hays city commissioners, our county health administrator and a group I refer to as our city rallying team.Our city commissioners – Michael Berges, Sandy Jacobs, Ron Mellick, Shaun Musil and Mason Ruder – have always had important, and sometimes controversial, decisions to make, but who could have prepared for 2020? Just when the emotionally-charged debates over the roundabouts began to settle, along came the pandemic, and among the many critical decisions that had to be made was the mask ordinance.&nbsp;Although I have attended city commission meetings in the past and interacted with commissioners at meetings and events, the pandemic provided me a different look at them as a leadership team. Here is what I learned. First and foremost, they are committed, hard-working people who have the courage to serve, listen and make tough decisions. Second, they are open-minded and willing to listen thoughtfully to a variety of perspectives. Several commissioners reached out to local and state leaders prior to the mask ordinance meeting to solicit different perspectives and to better understand emerging knowledge about the pandemic. Third, citizens were given the opportunity to speak at meetings and every voice was heard and respected. Fourth, when each commissioner voted, they stated their “whys.” The “whys” for each commissioner was different. Commissioners demonstrated the strength of their commitment to the people they serve by candidly disclosing their thoughts, each in their own style, with great passion. And finally, they did not vote the same. Watching our commissioners in action made me admire and respect them even more.I have no evidence to back this up, but I believe among the most challenging jobs of 2020 was that of a county health administrator. I heard of several counties in Kansas that had difficulty hiring or keeping county health administrators during this pandemic. Hats off to Jason Kennedy, who continually showed up to meetings – night and day – presented data, developed protocols and kept our community informed. I imagine being in the public eye so much was indeed a big shift in his daily routine. Honestly, I did not know Jason until the pandemic (thrilled of course to learn he is a Fort Hays State grad), and I really valued his guidance as I made decisions for the university. I also think some of the hidden heroes of our times are the family members of those, like Jason, who serve the citizens of our community as public health administrators. I can only image the impact this pandemic had on the family life of these dedicated professionals.&nbsp;My final shout out goes to the group I refer to as our city rallying team: Sara Bloom of the Downton Hays Development Corporation (DHDC), Melissa Dixon of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Sarah Wasinger of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. They all approach each day with a “can-do attitude,” high energy and a remarkable capacity to reinvent, re-imagine and find solutions to complex challenges. Their resiliency throughout the pandemic was remarkable. Whenever something fell apart, they simply found new ways to put it&nbsp; back together again.&nbsp; &nbsp;The DHDC, for instance, created the “Stronger Than Ever” gift card program that generated almost $50,000 in sales for 40 downtown businesses during the mandatory shutdown. Most of that money was raised in the first 48 hours of the campaign. Similarly, the Chamber sold $92,000 in Chamber Cheques (which support local shopping) in 2020, a six-year high for the program. The DHDC also secured more than $20,000 in donations in five weeks to turn the Downtown Pavilion into an ice-skating rink this winter so the community would have access to a fun and safe outdoor activity during the pandemic. I love how this community steps up. The generosity of the neighbors in our community never ceases to amaze me. &nbsp;Creative efforts earned the DHDC two first-place Marketing Awards. March to Main went completely virtual but still highlighted the best parts of our community and engaged thousands of students. Dining with Downtown (a new event) created intimate dining experiences inside boutiques, art galleries, furniture stores and more, allowing participants to socially connect while physically distancing. It was so successful, DHDC plans to host two of these events in 2021.One of the things I found beneficial as I navigated decisions for the university was meeting with my CEO colleagues who freely shared their thoughts, plans and lessons learned on their campuses and communities as they, like me, worked to create safe learning environments. While I engaged with my colleagues, our chamber provided similar opportunities for our community’s leaders and business professionals. Partnering with the FHSU Management Development Center, the chamber offered complimentary virtual lunch and learn sessions. In November, the Chamber acquired a Leadership Transformation Grant for 2021 from the Kansas Leadership Center, which provided 46 spots for participants to attend a workshop titled, “Your Leadership Edge, Lead for Change or Equip to Lead.” &nbsp;Our Convention and Visitors Bureau has the unenviable task of creating new and compelling ways to bring visitors to our town. In a COVID-19 world, where travel, lodging, commerce and even basic human-to-human contact was so limited, how did the CVB respond to this unprecedented challenge? By adapting and reimagining their role. It pivoted to using the pandemic as an opportunity to focus on taking care of our community. In a normal year, the Welcome Center sells colorful Hays postcards to visitors in its welcome center. This year, the staff of the CVB printed positive messages on these cards and delivered several hundred of them to local assisted living facilities for their residents. They also partnered with FHSU’s College of Art and Design faculty to clean and restore 29 bronze markers on the Downtown Hays Historic Walking Tour. Now these markers are bright and readable. The CVB has plans to create a mobile version of the tour for visitors as well. Residents and visitors alike can also look forward to a CVB-designed driving tour of the iconic Pete Felten sculptures around Hays.Remarkable leaders. A remarkable community. This is Hays, America.

MASON: Remarkable leaders, a remarkable community

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

"This piece of art belongs to all of you and it's here for you to touch."

Hays native John T. Bird, 72, is sharing his love of trains alongside his interest in art with the entire community.

Bird recently purchased a 300-pound limestone locomotive carved from native Kansas post rock by renowned local sculptor Pete Felten, another Hays native.

Bird donated the sculpture to the city of Hays in a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday at the Downtown Hays Pavilion. The pavilion is located in Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main, next to the railroad tracks.

Felten left the stone's natural flaws and fossils intact. Bird loves the minor imperfections.

"He worked around the 200-million-year-old stone worn by the bodies of tiny little sea creatures that fell to the bottom of the Kansas sea and became stone," Bird told the crowd.&nbsp; "It's the same stone you see buildings around us built out of," including his own law office.&nbsp;

Bird said he happily watched many trains pass by his family farm when he was a boy.&nbsp;

Felten replicated features of a 1890s steam-powered locomotive in his hand-chiseled carving, pointing out the details as Bird considered its purchase.

"He told me how this part is where they put sand, so that when they went up an incline they could drop sand down on the rail and gain traction.&nbsp; This is where they put the water. This is the coal that they hauled across the prairie so they had the fuel to continue to go out to Colorado to pick up the next load.

"And behind it were the cars, he told me, that hauled probably the timber for the building that my law office is in now."

Bird knew he had to have the sculpture. He also knew he had to share it.

"This pavilion is a gathering place. Even in today's tough times, this is a place we can come.

"Visitors to our community will see this piece of art and they'll appreciate the fact that Hays, and the railroad, the people who live here, are all part of one big family.

"I hope this beautiful piece of art will continue to be here for people to look at and touch ... for another&nbsp;hundred million years," Bird said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2b536a10-db18-433d-8354-9d7a69999aab">RELATED CONTENT: Pete Felten talks about his work</a>

Felten, 87, continues carving and selling his limestone art. Many of his public sculptures can be found throughout Hays and in the Kansas state capitol building. His work is also in many private homes and businesses.

A modest man, Felten did not attend the dedication ceremony.

His close friend and fellow artist, Bruce Burkholder, spoke about Felten's creativity.

"Maybe for the new generation or people that don't want to pay any attention to it, maybe we can open our eyes to our history through this.

"Pete has graced me. He has graced the city through his fine work," Burkholder said.

The artwork sits at the northwest end of the pavilion.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599239930563.jpeg" alt="A limestone train locomotive by Pete Felten and donated by John T. Bird is installed in the Downtown Hays Pavilion.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>A limestone train locomotive by Pete Felten and donated by John T. Bird is installed in the Downtown Hays Pavilion.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays Post"This piece of art belongs to all of you and it's here for you to touch."Hays native John T. Bird, 72, is sharing his love of trains alongside his interest in art with the entire community.Bird recently purchased a 300-pound limestone locomotive carved from native Kansas post rock by renowned local sculptor Pete Felten, another Hays native.Bird donated the sculpture to the city of Hays in a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday at the Downtown Hays Pavilion. The pavilion is located in Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main, next to the railroad tracks.Felten left the stone's natural flaws and fossils intact. Bird loves the minor imperfections."He worked around the 200-million-year-old stone worn by the bodies of tiny little sea creatures that fell to the bottom of the Kansas sea and became stone," Bird told the crowd.&nbsp; "It's the same stone you see buildings around us built out of," including his own law office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IlH5GS4INYs"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bird said he happily watched many trains pass by his family farm when he was a boy.&nbsp;Felten replicated features of a 1890s steam-powered locomotive in his hand-chiseled carving, pointing out the details as Bird considered its purchase."He told me how this part is where they put sand, so that when they went up an incline they could drop sand down on the rail and gain traction.&nbsp; This is where they put the water. This is the coal that they hauled across the prairie so they had the fuel to continue to go out to Colorado to pick up the next load."And behind it were the cars, he told me, that hauled probably the timber for the building that my law office is in now."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599240916772.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bird knew he had to have the sculpture. He also knew he had to share it."This pavilion is a gathering place. Even in today's tough times, this is a place we can come."Visitors to our community will see this piece of art and they'll appreciate the fact that Hays, and the railroad, the people who live here, are all part of one big family.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599238208850.jpeg" alt="Bird encourages visitors to touch the sculpture carved from ancient limestone.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Bird encourages visitors to touch the sculpture carved from ancient limestone.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>"I hope this beautiful piece of art will continue to be here for people to look at and touch ... for another&nbsp;hundred million years," Bird said.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2b536a10-db18-433d-8354-9d7a69999aab">RELATED CONTENT: Pete Felten talks about his work</a>Felten, 87, continues carving and selling his limestone art. Many of his public sculptures can be found throughout Hays and in the Kansas state capitol building. His work is also in many private homes and businesses.A modest man, Felten did not attend the dedication ceremony.His close friend and fellow artist, Bruce Burkholder, spoke about Felten's creativity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599240201856.jpeg" alt="Bruce Burkholder" />
 <figcaption>Bruce Burkholder</figcaption>
 </figure>"Maybe for the new generation or people that don't want to pay any attention to it, maybe we can open our eyes to our history through this."Pete has graced me. He has graced the city through his fine work," Burkholder said.The artwork sits at the northwest end of the pavilion.&nbsp;

🎥 Donated train sculpture dedicated in Union Pacific Park

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2e807532-42fe-4d3d-a9b3-6a4984ae7be7">UPDATED 12 p.m. Oct. 28, 2021: HPD seeks person of interest in statue vandalism. Click here for more.</a>

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Pete Felten is not sure how long he has been working on his latest sculpture to be on display in downtown Hays.

At model of a steam engine, Felten, 86, said he could be have been working on the 300-pound sculpture for about 10 years.

"When you have been carving for 60 years, it gets a little bit fuzzy in the back, you know, trying to remember everything," he said from his Stone Gallery on Sixth Street in Hays.

The steam engine is carved from native Kansas post rock limestone. It may have originally been cut for a building step, Felten said.

The post rock limestone is the stronger of the two limestones found in Kansas, but can difficult to work with because of its layers. The stronger layer tends to be in the middle of the stone, which made the fence posts it was used for stronger. However, it means the sculptor has to work with with varying hardnesses.

Felten used the same pattern he used for a similar sculpture that is on display at Hays Regional Airport.

He wanted the engine to be patterned after the locomotives that traveled through Hays. He studied a engine that is on display at Fort Riley. Felten estimated the train he modeled the sculpture after was in use in about the 1890s. He even researched the guts of the great machines.

He compared research on the engine to the knowledge he gleaned of bison anatomy to carve the many sculptures of the creatures he has created over the years.

"You got to [do the research]," Felten said, "or someone is going to say that you've got that all wrong. You better know what you're doing.

"When I carve a buffalo, I know their anatomy. I know what I am carving. If you don't know, it shows right away."

Felten carved the locomotive and all his sculptures with simple hand chisels, similar to what Michael Angelo used hundreds of years ago. Carving goes back millennia to the earliest art ever created by man, he said.

Felten said he was pleased with the final train sculpture, saying that he was fortunate to discover as he carved the stone was fairly clean.

"You never know how they are going to turn out," he said. "You would think after 60 years of carving, you would get some knowledge, but you don't. Each stone's different."

Often the limestone contains fossils or is discolored by iron, something he doesn't always know until he starts to carve the piece.

He explained pointing to a small bison he is carving that was sitting on the back of his classic red pickup. As he was carving the piece, he revealed a fossil about the size of a teacup saucer in the midsection of the animal.&nbsp;

So the challenge now is to reshape the body to the level of the fossil, he said, running his stone-worn hands along the surface of the limestone and marking it with a red carpenter's pencil.

The challenge is what keeps Felten carving every day. He compared challenges of carving to the excitement of a game show.

"If you are trying to make a stone look like something, there's a lot of challenges," Felten said. "Usually it works out. ... It's a big challenge. It's a complicated challenge. It's fun."

Not all inclusions are a problem. Felten explained some people liked the fossil inclusion in the limestone, so he tries to preserve them on some pieces. A piece of what had been a fence post, propped up on the edge of the pickup bed, had two shell fossils distinctly visible at the top&nbsp;

He said he thought the piece would eventually be a figure, but he hadn't quite got the stone figured out.

Felten is not particularly sentimental about his sculptures. He didn't have any grandiose words about the engine and said he didn't plan to attend the dedication of the sculpture.&nbsp;

However, Felten's work has been an iconic part of the Hays and Kansas landscape for decades.

Felten's work in the State Capitol building in Topeka, in the form of statues of the “Four Famous Kansans” — Amelia Earhart, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Arthur Capper and William Allen White — has been seen and admired by hundreds of thousands of visitors, as noted by the Downtown Hays Development Corp., which has facilitated the project.

The first large Felten sculpture, of the iconic American buffalo, called Monarch of the Plains, stands sentinel at historic old Fort Hays.

Despite the fame of some of his other work, Felten said he has a fondness for the lawman outside Hays City Hall on Main Street.&nbsp;

"He turned out a lot better than I worried about," he said. "You never know what theses sculptures are going to look like. If you got it wrong and can't change it, what are you going to do?&nbsp;

"I look at him every day out of the kitchen window, so he's easy to live with."

The train sculpture, which was donated by local attorney John Bird, is supposed to be placed at the pavilion with the next several weeks.

Although Felten approached his latest downtown Hays installation with humility, Bird emphasized the importance of the sculpture to the local history in a letter to the DHDC.

“When I saw Pete’s sculpture of the locomotive, I knew it needed to stay in Hays, Kansas,” Bird said. “It represents the very beginnings of this community, as Hays was founded on the same day that the Kansas Pacific Railroad, now Union Pacific, reached Hays.

"Without the railroad, Hays would have not developed into the economic and educational center of this region."

Bird, whose family has resided in Ellis County since 1906, has restored numerous historic structures in Ellis County, several made of the same stone from which the steam locomotive by Felten is carved. The Bird family farm is on land that was originally owned by the railroad and sold to local farmers to fund its expansion.

"I was raised on a farm bordering the railroad tracks, and I tried to go out to watch every train that passed, counting the cars, and I still do,” Bird said. “This sculpture deserves to be seen and enjoyed by all citizens of Hays and visitors to it. It was worth every penny I paid just to know that it would be preserved for display here."

Bird said he and his family traveled by rail in and out of Hays when passenger service was still available in Hays. He said the last time he took a train out of Hays was in 1971 when on his way to report for duty in the Marine Cops.

The sculpture is being placed near the original railroad tracks in the city, which are still in service. Bird said rail service is still important to the Hays economy and would like to see passenger rail restored in the community.

"I hope that when people go to see it and take their kids to appreciate it that they will be reminded of the amazing history of our town and also will appreciate that we have a world-class sculptor residing in our midst, still creating works of art that will last centuries to come,” Bird said.

“Each time we hear the train’s whistle blow as it crosses Main Street in Hays, America, this stone locomotive will be proudly showing its modern successors how the pioneers came to Kansas to make a home for themselves and for us,” he said.

Bird concluded, “I am grateful every day for the opportunities being raised in Ellis County gave me, and this is one small way to pay some back for those opportunities.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594154557158.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten has sculpted a limestone train that will be displayed at the Downtown Hays Pavilion. The train is set to be placed in the next several weeks." />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten has sculpted a limestone train that will be displayed at the Downtown Hays Pavilion. The train is set to be placed in the next several weeks.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2e807532-42fe-4d3d-a9b3-6a4984ae7be7">UPDATED 12 p.m. Oct. 28, 2021: HPD seeks person of interest in statue vandalism. Click here for more.</a>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostPete Felten is not sure how long he has been working on his latest sculpture to be on display in downtown Hays.At model of a steam engine, Felten, 86, said he could be have been working on the 300-pound sculpture for about 10 years."When you have been carving for 60 years, it gets a little bit fuzzy in the back, you know, trying to remember everything," he said from his Stone Gallery on Sixth Street in Hays.The steam engine is carved from native Kansas post rock limestone. It may have originally been cut for a building step, Felten said.The post rock limestone is the stronger of the two limestones found in Kansas, but can difficult to work with because of its layers. The stronger layer tends to be in the middle of the stone, which made the fence posts it was used for stronger. However, it means the sculptor has to work with with varying hardnesses.Felten used the same pattern he used for a similar sculpture that is on display at Hays Regional Airport.He wanted the engine to be patterned after the locomotives that traveled through Hays. He studied a engine that is on display at Fort Riley. Felten estimated the train he modeled the sculpture after was in use in about the 1890s. He even researched the guts of the great machines.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594154454880.jpeg" alt="The new home for Pete Felten's train sculpture neat the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in downtown Hays." />
 <figcaption>The new home for Pete Felten's train sculpture neat the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in downtown Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>He compared research on the engine to the knowledge he gleaned of bison anatomy to carve the many sculptures of the creatures he has created over the years."You got to [do the research]," Felten said, "or someone is going to say that you've got that all wrong. You better know what you're doing."When I carve a buffalo, I know their anatomy. I know what I am carving. If you don't know, it shows right away."Felten carved the locomotive and all his sculptures with simple hand chisels, similar to what Michael Angelo used hundreds of years ago. Carving goes back millennia to the earliest art ever created by man, he said.Felten said he was pleased with the final train sculpture, saying that he was fortunate to discover as he carved the stone was fairly clean."You never know how they are going to turn out," he said. "You would think after 60 years of carving, you would get some knowledge, but you don't. Each stone's different."Often the limestone contains fossils or is discolored by iron, something he doesn't always know until he starts to carve the piece.He explained pointing to a small bison he is carving that was sitting on the back of his classic red pickup. As he was carving the piece, he revealed a fossil about the size of a teacup saucer in the midsection of the animal.&nbsp;So the challenge now is to reshape the body to the level of the fossil, he said, running his stone-worn hands along the surface of the limestone and marking it with a red carpenter's pencil.The challenge is what keeps Felten carving every day. He compared challenges of carving to the excitement of a game show."If you are trying to make a stone look like something, there's a lot of challenges," Felten said. "Usually it works out. ... It's a big challenge. It's a complicated challenge. It's fun."Not all inclusions are a problem. Felten explained some people liked the fossil inclusion in the limestone, so he tries to preserve them on some pieces. A piece of what had been a fence post, propped up on the edge of the pickup bed, had two shell fossils distinctly visible at the top&nbsp;He said he thought the piece would eventually be a figure, but he hadn't quite got the stone figured out.Felten is not particularly sentimental about his sculptures. He didn't have any grandiose words about the engine and said he didn't plan to attend the dedication of the sculpture.&nbsp;However, Felten's work has been an iconic part of the Hays and Kansas landscape for decades.Felten's work in the State Capitol building in Topeka, in the form of statues of the “Four Famous Kansans” — Amelia Earhart, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Arthur Capper and William Allen White — has been seen and admired by hundreds of thousands of visitors, as noted by the Downtown Hays Development Corp., which has facilitated the project.The first large Felten sculpture, of the iconic American buffalo, called Monarch of the Plains, stands sentinel at historic old Fort Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579709086305.jpeg" alt="Local attorney John Bird, who purchased the Felten train sculpture, said rail traffic has been an important facet of Hays history." />
 <figcaption>Local attorney John Bird, who purchased the Felten train sculpture, said rail traffic has been an important facet of Hays history.</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite the fame of some of his other work, Felten said he has a fondness for the lawman outside Hays City Hall on Main Street.&nbsp;"He turned out a lot better than I worried about," he said. "You never know what theses sculptures are going to look like. If you got it wrong and can't change it, what are you going to do?&nbsp;"I look at him every day out of the kitchen window, so he's easy to live with."The train sculpture, which was donated by local attorney John Bird, is supposed to be placed at the pavilion with the next several weeks.Although Felten approached his latest downtown Hays installation with humility, Bird emphasized the importance of the sculpture to the local history in a letter to the DHDC.“When I saw Pete’s sculpture of the locomotive, I knew it needed to stay in Hays, Kansas,” Bird said. “It represents the very beginnings of this community, as Hays was founded on the same day that the Kansas Pacific Railroad, now Union Pacific, reached Hays."Without the railroad, Hays would have not developed into the economic and educational center of this region."Bird, whose family has resided in Ellis County since 1906, has restored numerous historic structures in Ellis County, several made of the same stone from which the steam locomotive by Felten is carved. The Bird family farm is on land that was originally owned by the railroad and sold to local farmers to fund its expansion."I was raised on a farm bordering the railroad tracks, and I tried to go out to watch every train that passed, counting the cars, and I still do,” Bird said. “This sculpture deserves to be seen and enjoyed by all citizens of Hays and visitors to it. It was worth every penny I paid just to know that it would be preserved for display here."Bird said he and his family traveled by rail in and out of Hays when passenger service was still available in Hays. He said the last time he took a train out of Hays was in 1971 when on his way to report for duty in the Marine Cops.The sculpture is being placed near the original railroad tracks in the city, which are still in service. Bird said rail service is still important to the Hays economy and would like to see passenger rail restored in the community."I hope that when people go to see it and take their kids to appreciate it that they will be reminded of the amazing history of our town and also will appreciate that we have a world-class sculptor residing in our midst, still creating works of art that will last centuries to come,” Bird said.“Each time we hear the train’s whistle blow as it crosses Main Street in Hays, America, this stone locomotive will be proudly showing its modern successors how the pioneers came to Kansas to make a home for themselves and for us,” he said.Bird concluded, “I am grateful every day for the opportunities being raised in Ellis County gave me, and this is one small way to pay some back for those opportunities.”

Felten train sculpture to have new home at Hays Downtown Pavilion

Terry Lee Stegman, 65, of Hays, passed away Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at her residence. She was born Jan. 19, 1955 in Hays to Joe Ward and Patricia (Felten).&nbsp;

Terry had worked as a clerk in convenience stores.&nbsp; She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Hays.&nbsp; She was proud of her Cherokee-Delaware Indian Heritage.&nbsp; She enjoyed baking and nature.

She is survived by one son Christopher and wife Jamie of Wamego; one daughter Tina Crispin and husband Jeff of Hays, one brother Joe Ward Jr. of Schoenchen; one sister Karen Munsch and husband Bob of Schoenchen, five grandchildren, Cody, Emma, and Brady Stegman, Landon and Karlee Crispin, and one uncle, Pete Felten Jr. of Hays.

She was preceded in death by her parents and Stan Stegman, who was her ex-husband.

Memorial visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

Memorial contributions are suggested toward wishes of the family.

Condolences may be sent to the family by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;or emailed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com">keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580240832861.jpeg" alt="Terry Lee Stegman" />
 <figcaption>Terry Lee Stegman</figcaption>
 </figure>Terry Lee Stegman, 65, of Hays, passed away Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at her residence. She was born Jan. 19, 1955 in Hays to Joe Ward and Patricia (Felten).&nbsp;Terry had worked as a clerk in convenience stores.&nbsp; She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Hays.&nbsp; She was proud of her Cherokee-Delaware Indian Heritage.&nbsp; She enjoyed baking and nature.She is survived by one son Christopher and wife Jamie of Wamego; one daughter Tina Crispin and husband Jeff of Hays, one brother Joe Ward Jr. of Schoenchen; one sister Karen Munsch and husband Bob of Schoenchen, five grandchildren, Cody, Emma, and Brady Stegman, Landon and Karlee Crispin, and one uncle, Pete Felten Jr. of Hays.She was preceded in death by her parents and Stan Stegman, who was her ex-husband.Memorial visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.Memorial contributions are suggested toward wishes of the family.Condolences may be sent to the family by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;or emailed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com">keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;

Terry Lee Stegman

The Downtown Hays Development Corporation has plans for improvements to the pavilion site in Union Pacific Park at 10th and Main that includes installation of public art. 

Executive Director Sara Bloom told Hays city commissioners Thursday a limestone train sculpture by local artist Pete Felten has been donated by owner John Bird.&nbsp;

"That pavilion is based off the depot. It's right next to the railroad. It'd be really great to incorporate that somehow, " Bloom said.&nbsp; "And since we were already talking about improving the other side, it was just a perfect fit. DHDC is still paying that lease as agreed upon on that land and we want to continue you to invest in it and make that a great location for downtown and our community."

Other improvements to the pavilion include adding crushed concrete and gravel fill to the west parking lot as well as improving the retaining walls. The work will be done by Commercial Builders, Hays.

The city agreed to pay for a little less than half of the $12,420.20 project. A $500 donation has already been secured from the Thunder on the Plains car show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579709250362.jpeg" alt="A depiction of improvements to be made to the&nbsp; pavilion in downtown Hays." />
 <figcaption>A depiction of improvements to be made to the&nbsp; pavilion in downtown Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure><div>By BECKY KISER Hays Post</div>The Downtown Hays Development Corporation has plans for improvements to the pavilion site in Union Pacific Park at 10th and Main that includes installation of public art. Executive Director Sara Bloom told Hays city commissioners Thursday a limestone train sculpture by local artist Pete Felten has been donated by owner John Bird.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579729964015.jpeg" alt="John Bird with his limestone train sculpture by Hays artist Pete Felten in Felten's workshop. Bird has donated the artwork to DHDC. It will be installed in the downtown pavilion in Union Pacific Park. (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>John Bird with his limestone train sculpture by Hays artist Pete Felten in Felten's workshop. Bird has donated the artwork to DHDC. It will be installed in the downtown pavilion in Union Pacific Park. (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>"That pavilion is based off the depot. It's right next to the railroad. It'd be really great to incorporate that somehow, " Bloom said.&nbsp; "And since we were already talking about improving the other side, it was just a perfect fit. DHDC is still paying that lease as agreed upon on that land and we want to continue you to invest in it and make that a great location for downtown and our community."<div><iframe width="871" height="490" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r6LSCRNYmxo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Other improvements to the pavilion include adding crushed concrete and gravel fill to the west parking lot as well as improving the retaining walls. The work will be done by Commercial Builders, Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579709271914.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The city agreed to pay for a little less than half of the $12,420.20 project. A $500 donation has already been secured from the Thunder on the Plains car show.

🎥 Donated train sculpture to be installed at downtown pavilion

One-hundred thirty-nine years ago, a man laid a large cut stone onto the empty dusty plain. He had a dream, not only of a house but of a culture, a town and a university —&nbsp;a dream that wouldn’t be fulfilled in his lifetime, but after 139 years, we are all living in the realization of that vision.

That man was Martin Allen, and brick by brick, just like his home, Hays City would take shape, modeled after his vision. But much like the city, his home would see decades of prosperity, dampened by periods of grief.

Allen built his home a mile north of the few hundred residents that called Hays City home, a stalwart of modernity in an area that was anything but.

Accounts over the years attribute many dates to the home’s construction, but recent research by the Ellis County Historical Society, verified by contemporary news stories say work on the house began in 1877. At the time, Hays City had not yet been incorporated, and still mostly devoid of the Volga Germans that in the following years would leave an indelible mark on the area.

Originally, the home was known as Contest Grove, a moniker given after the battle to secure the land and home by Allen, but for most people today it is known as the Cody House, named for a man who is a local legend in his own right.

By the time Cody secured ownership, the colorful name had been dropped in favor of a pedestrian-sounding address, 2704 Woodrow Court, but his impact on the historic house remains to this day.

“Our family moved to hays in 1965,” said Loren Shaiken, daughter of the late Dr. John Cody, who recalls moving into the home at around 9 years old, after a summer of staying with friends of the family while the young family was looking for a&nbsp;permanent residence.

“At that point, it was in, as I recall, quite disrepair,” she said.

Before ownership by the Cody family, the home had been rented out by the Miller family. They obtained ownership and, by most reports, cared little for the house or its history.

But Cody would quickly bring the house back into shape adding a wrap-around porch and garage with a workshop above.

He would use that space as his studio over the years painting and writing on various topics, work that would make him known worldwide.

Cody also tore out the attic, adding an upstairs bedroom —&nbsp;accessed by a spiral staircase in the center of the room —&nbsp;and finished the basement, adding another bedroom and bathroom, completing that work by 1970. Until recently, that was the last time major work had been done on the home.

While living in the home, Cody founded the High Plains Mental Health Center&nbsp;and became world renowned as the Audobon of Moths.

He also spent time teaching at Fort Hays State University, a school that was first dreamed by Allen. Cody’s wife Dorothy&nbsp;was also affiliated with the university, serving as its first physician.

Cody had worked as a medical illustrator early in his career, a talent that can be seen in the murals in the upstairs bedrooms with knights and princess painted with meticulous precision.

“He’s a remarkable man, probably the most interesting man that ever lived in Hays,” said Hays resident Pete Felton, also known worldwide for his unique stone sculptures.

As with all things, the Cody’s long ownership of the home came to pass in June of last year and the home went on the market, again&nbsp;sparking interest in the home and its unique history.

“The history alone of that house makes it very desirable,” said Kris Munsch, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Technology at FHSU, who calls himself and old house “connoisseur.”

“When you look around and you imagine in your mind, whoever’s lived there over the years, coming in you think of the days when it was horse and carriage up to the last people that lived there. All the stories those walls tell. I hope that isn’t lost in that house, whoever buys it,” Munsch said. “That’s important because it’s so historical to our community, to our university. It just tells such a story. That’s why it’s worth the time and effort to rebuild.”

If the home could share its story, it would likely tell of its stretch as a solitary pillar overseeing Hays as the town crept toward it, eventually enveloping it within its boundaries. Empty space around the home, in fact, is still in the memories of longtime Hays residents.

“When I was a kid, it would be in 1943, during World War II, I went out there with a friend of mine and there was nothing there. I mean the house was bare, there was no grass, there was no trees, no plants, nothing,” Felten said.

Looking back, he said, he wishes he had taken a picture to contrast with what is there now.

From the time of that old memory, until the Cody’s ownership, building in the area began. When Shaiken lived in the home, Wilson Elementary School was already nearby and homes began to surround the house.

“At that time 32nd Street was the very last street. After that, is was fields,” Shaiken said. “That was pretty rural out that direction.”

“The problem was, after World War II, Realtors starting building houses on everybody’s front lawn,” Felten said. “All the big lawns are gone. It was out there pretty much by itself after the war, and then they said we have all this space, let’s build houses around it — so it became crowded. It’s a shame, but it happens all the time.

“Now it’s just crowded onto a little street there and you have to find it.”

“It was just like this stone house that nobody was tending to when my parents bought it,” Shaiken said.”It was really a desolate looking place,” she said of the big two-story stone structure with ranch style homes all around. “I remember a sense of pride&nbsp;because the house had been so neglected when we bought it and then pretty quickly my parents did a lot to it.

“This house is so much a part of my life.”

A home of any age needs constant repair, and even a home made from 3-foot-thick cut stone has, over the years, become wanting of some exterior work.

Many of the limestone lintels have fallen out over the years, cracks along the exterior walls have grown larger as parts of the house are settling faster than others, and plaster and woodwork inside shows its age.

But, structurally, it is sound and, despite many cosmetically unappealing aspects, the house still stands ready to be a home.

“That house is absolutely worth saving. That house has sat there for over 100 years with a limestone foundation. It’s not going to go anywhere if some steps are taken to make sure it can last another 100 years,” Munsch said.

He received a call last year to evaluate the home with a couple that was interested in purchasing the property.

The deal ultimately did not go through, but it left him full of ideas of what could be done with the house, through renovation or restoration.

To the outside renovation and restoration may be the same, but Munsch notes there is a very big distinction.

“There’s been some things have been done to that house over the years that they’re cool, but they don’t fit the period,” he said.

If the home were his project, he said, there are some things he would take out to return the house to its original look.

“There’s a fine line that you draw that becomes too modern and with a house like that. I hope that somebody can get that house and do a combination of restoration/renovation,” Munsch said.

“So let’s say a couple that has moderate skills go in there. They could hire some of the major work done,” he said, noting a major project like a new roof and installing drainage systems would likely need to be hired out.

“What you have got to really do look at the mechanical. Those things that are going to save the house. … It doesn’t do a lot of good to have nice pretty cabinets if the roof is leaking,” he said.

Despite that, Munsch said the house is in livable condition and could last another 500 years if proper repairs take place, but modern conveniences must be considered, as well.

“It’s kind of like somebody that restores an old vehicle. It doesn’t have a purpose because it’s too nice. I would never want that house to be so nice you can’t live in it. It’s the same thing with cars — you want a car that you can take out and use,” Munsch said.

Shaiken also equated the home to an antique vehicle.

“It’s like the chassis of a classic car. You would like somebody to come in and put a motor under the hood and still have that beautiful classic car on the outside,” she said.

The cost of bringing the home into the modern age&nbsp;depends on the difference of restoration or renovation he said.

“If a person was going to go in there and make it a renovation project, you may spend a little less because you may not do the things that I would do.”

Many of the additions over the years, Munsch noted, are not in line with the original build, but the historical aspect of the tenants after Allen should be considered in renovation or restoration plans.

“The Codys are just as important as the Martin Allens because of their history with the house. You don’t want just eliminate them out of the middle,” he said. “You want to keep that historical part of them living there as well, so I think there is a lot of combinations that could be done over the years.”

The main reason the home still stands in solid shape is the material with which it was built. While homes today are built with wood, at the time of construction, the stone bricks were a more practical solution that would be difficult to reproduce.

“It would be possible,” to build a house like this today, Munsch said, but difficult.

“Where would you find a mason that is willing to set those kinds of stones? You’re not going to find it.”

The building materials would also be hard to find on the market today.

“You could get the limestone probably, but you’re not going to find limestone with that character,” he said.

But at the time of the homes construction, the stones used would have been easy to acquire, and the most cost-effective material of the day.

In 1872, a&nbsp;quarry was opened about a mile west of the college, and it quickly became in high demand because lumber was very expensive, according to Felton.

The stone was used to build homes, business in the area, including the college.

Those local quarries are no longer in operation, so stone would need shipped – a costly proposition in itself — and the stone now has become expensive.

“It’s an expensive material instead of a cheap material,” Felten said.

The skills need to build a home out of stone, however, are relatively simple.

A builder during the time of the home’s construction would often begin by placing stones directly on the ground.

“It was a technique that was low-tech and a lot of the people around here had some experience. You can learn about all there is to know about it in one day,” Felten said.

He recalls a story of a man who worked at the nearby quarry and would bring a brick or two home every day. In five years, he had a house.

That building still stands as is currently used as a dentist office in Hays. And work on those old homes requires little training, as well.

“If somebody hasn’t already fixed it up, it’s going to be a burden, but kind of a fun thing because you can always do it yourself. It’s not complicated,” Felten said.

Despite the time and effort required a home made with stone offers something rare in new construction.

“They are really great, because if you have a stone house, you don’t feel the wind. It just protects you from the wind all of the time,” Felten said. “They’re really nice for calmness. … They feel secure.”

The truly unique history of the house is felt by every resident in the area. When Martin Allen arrived in Hays City, there was little in the area outside of the nearby military fort, but quickly it became more — in no small part to his efforts as a real estate agent, horticulturist and champion for the university that would later become Fort Hays State University.

“Martin Allen was really influential in Hays, in order to promote himself a little bit he gave land for the courthouse in Hays,” Felten said.

Although that gift wasn’t entirely altruistic —&nbsp;he owned land around the area and wanted to sell it — the courthouse became, and remains the&nbsp;center of government for Ellis County.

While buildings and the school are impressive reminders of his vision, one of the more pressing issues facing early settlers was finding a stable source of food.

“He tried to grow everything he can find. He said if you’re gonna live out here on the plains, you gotta learn what grows,” Felten said.

Allen planted a large number of plants and trees around his home, meticulously testing suitable plants for the area. A bit of that legacy can even be seen today, with many trees still lining Fort Street having been planted by Allen himself.

His most lasting legacy, however, is none other than the university that has grown into a regional center for higher learning. Now called Fort Hays State University, when the idea was presented it was known simply as “Allen’s Folly.”

“When the word came out they were going to sell the land that the old Fort Hays was on, he ran for the Legislature to prevent that. So they could keep it in one piece and start an agriculture experiment station,” Felten said.

That land is still used by the university, with another large parcel becoming Frontier Park.

While the idea for the college directly came directly from Allen, he would be forced off of his land by mortgage holders in 1898 and soon moved to land owned by his son in Colorado. He would die months later, four years before the founding of the university.

His efforts, however, did not go completely unrecognized as one of the first buildings on the campus was named in his honor – a name that remains to this day.

His name is also attached to another well-known, but less cheerful piece of property in Hays – Mount Allen cemetery.

One of his daughters, Clara, died of scarlet fever in 1874, leaving Allen to search for a final resting place.

“He wasn’t about to bury her on Boot Hill, where all the desperados were, so he gave a piece of land to the city and they named it Mount Allen and it became our cemetery,” Felten said.

Clara would be the first burial in the cemetery, and his wife, Elizabeth would also be laid to rest there.

As the home sat empty after John and&nbsp;Dorothy Cody relocated, several ideas were floated. Munsch hoped FHSU would purchase the home to be renovated by students as a project, then used as a&nbsp;home by the university. The Ellis County Historical Society thought it could be a museum to share the history of the area.

Ultimately, fate stepped in and the house will continue as a private residence, just as it was intended so long ago.

As Jayson van Wooten was searching for a home he noted a listing that he believed to be the Cody home, not immediately recognizing the house with the overgrowth of plants and trees that had popped up over the years.

He had been searching for homes within his price range and, as a designer, wanted to find a home he could renovate, but loved the idea of a house with history attached to it.

“All of a sudden, this one popped up,” he said.

After realizing it was the Cody house, he immediately texted his real estate agent and was anxious to tour the property.

“I have to come see it,” he told her. “It’s mine. I knew instantly this is gonna be the house.”