100 years ago in Kansas, August 2-5, 1917:

August 2, 2017

  • Army City, a town for soldiers, was being built near Junction City.
  • Milk infection was responsible for typhoid fever epidemics in many towns. The State Board of Health ordered vaccinations in Harper county, Herington, Leavenworth, Winfield, Coffeyville, and Augusta.  Leavenworth reported 12 deaths.
  • Henry J. Allen and William Allen White went to France in the service of the American Red Cross.  See the previous post:  https://www.kansasww1.org/kansans-of-the-great-war-era-william-allen-white/
  • The Washburn College Ambulance Co., the 347th, which was organized soon after the declaration of war, was sworn into service.  Most of the 120 members were native Kansans.  Dr. C.H. Lerrigo, Topeka, was captain.  See the previous post:  https://www.kansasww1.org/washburn-college-ambulance-company/

August 3, 1917

  • Ten carloads of seed wheat valued at $30,000 were shipped over the state by the State Council of Defense.
  • The Kansas State Historical Society was assembling a library for Kansas soldiers.  The books were collected by private donation.

August 4, 1917

  • Four French classes for army officers were opened at K.U.

August 5, 1917

  • The 35th Division, composed of the organized National Guard of Kansas and Missouri and 12,000 draftees, was mustered into federal service.

Blair Tarr is the Museum Curator of the Kansas State Historical Society. He oversees the three-dimensional collections of the Society, but has special interests in the Civil War, Wichita-made Valentine diners, and Leavenworth's Abernathy Furniture. In the last few years he has also done a lot of cramming on The Great War. He is a past president of the Kansas Museums Association and the Civil War Round Tables of both Kansas City and Eastern Kansas. He is currently a board member of the Heritage League of Greater Kansas City.