Officers and members of the Pittsburg ArtWalk Association unanimously voted to rename the group Pittsburg Arts Council during its board meeting Saturday, March
Author: Chris Wilson
Pop-up exhibit: An immigrant miners prized possessions
A new exhibit showcases items an immigrant traveling from Europe would have brought to the New World.
K-State Spring Community Visit to Crawford County
K-State will visit Crawford County on Tuesday, March 28. The visit includes a day of activities to engage with, listen to and learn from Kansans in Pittsburg, Girard and the Crawford County region.
48th Annual Four State Farm Show: May 19-21 on PSU campus
Around 800 vendors are expected at this year’s Four State Farm Show
A Night in New Orleans – A Creole Style Shrimp Boil and Party
Join us Saturday evening, April 1, 2023 at Miners Hall Museum, Franklin, Kansas and spend a night in New Orleans.…
Writing festival to bring poets laureate, singer-songwriter to Pittsburg State
High school students, the public, and university students will have the opportunity to learn from the masters at WritersFest, a literary festival planned by Pittsburg State University’s Creative Writing Program in March, with workshops and…
Campus will come alive with music events in March
The community and the campus can choose from among seven concerts planned for March by the Pittsburg State University Music…
PHS Theatre bringing SpongeBob to life as musical
Pittsburg High School Theatre will bring to life all the beloved characters from Bikini Bottom — Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, Squidward, and the rest! — when it produces The SpongeBob Musical at 7 p.m. March 9-10 and at 2 p.m. March 11 at Pittsburg High School.
Feminist author, podcaster to kick off Women’s History Month at PSU
Women’s History Month will kick off at Pittsburg State University on March 1 with a lecture from a national speaker as part of the long running Women in Government Lecture Series.
Diversity Week hosted by PSU student organizations
Students in a variety of organizations are collaborating to hold Pittsburg State University’s first Diversity Week with several events open to the public.
Experience the world at the International Food and Culture Fair
Guests can once again go around the world in a few hours when the International Student Association at Pittsburg State University hosts the annual International Food and Culture Fair on Saturday, March 4, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Poet Joan Kwon Glass to read at Pittsburg State University
What does grief feel like when “the landscape doesn’t change // but everything else does?”
Kansas City artist’s ‘Real Abstraction’ exhibit opens February 15 at PSU
An exhibit “Real Abstraction” by artist Nick Gadbois will open at the Harry Krug Gallery in Porter Hall, home to the Pittsburg State University Department of Art, on Feb. 15.
Pitt State Theatre brings trailblazing woman’s story to life
Emilia Bassano was a trailblazer 400 years ago, but her story is almost completely lost to history.
Prize winning string quartet to perform at Pitt State
From Carnegie Hall to McCray Hall, the Calidore String Quartet will perform at Pittsburg State University on Friday, Feb. 17, as part of the Department of Music’s Solo & Chamber Music…
Pitt State Wind Ensemble concert to feature “Rhapsody in Blue”
The Pittsburg State University Wind Ensemble is planning a free concert on Thursday, Feb. 16, that explores to what extent…
PSU announces initiative to bring business college to downtown Pittsburg
Pittsburg State University is launching a bold new initiative to expand PSU’s educational footprint in downtown Pittsburg.
Self-Guided Tours
Historically preserved buildings with beautiful architecture. Gorilla statues and other monuments, plus murals. Whatever your interest, Crawford County, Kansas has it.
Exhibit features portraits of superstars
An exhibit by celebrated photographers open Monday, February 6 at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at Pittsburg State University, 1711 S. Homer. Images from…
PSU Opera Theatre presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S Pinafore
Posted on behalf of Pittsburg State University PSU Opera Theatre will take audiences to the open seas on Feb. 3…
Myth Or Fact?: Diamonds Are Made From Coal
Southeast Kansas and, in particular, Crawford County have a strong history in coal mining and the question, “Are diamonds made from coal?” often arises when discussing the topic.
World Radio Day (2/13): Making (radio) waves in Crawford County at KKOW
Originally posted February 12, 2017 to celebrate World Radio Day on February 13 Today a local favorite among country listeners,…
Growing Businesses Find Fertile Ground in Crawford County
Originally posted February 10, 2017 Many people associate Crawford County with the best of the Midwest: Close-knit communities, hardworking people,…
Miners Hall Museum quarterly exhibit: Of Money and Metals: Doing Business in the Mining Era
Join us as we begin 2023 with our first quarterly exhibit. “Of Money and Metals: Doing Business in the Mining Era”.
Beginner’s guide to indoor track meet preparation
Eight weeks. Eight track meets. From February to March 2018, the coordinator for the Robert W. Plaster Center walked the equivalent of going from Pittsburg to Greensburg, Kansas – and back. Most likely, he walked even longer than that.
National Pie Day (1/23): The Best Pies in Crawford County
Originally posted January 20, 2017 to celebrate National Pie Day on January 23 As David Mamet wrote in Boston Marriage,…
National Bootlegger’s Day (1/17): Staying Wet in a Dry Land
Rich soil and wine making traditions of immigrants positioned Eastern Kansas to rival California’s Wine Country. 67 years of Kansas Prohibition changed that.
January 14, 1914 – 6 killed in Mulberry mining accident
On January 14, 1914, six men were killed in an accident at a deep shaft mine one mile south of Mulberry, Kansas.
Innovative Education – A biography of businessman Harvey Dean
Take a walk inside the Robert. W. Plaster Center and you will likely notice the name accompanying the track: Harvey Dean.
National Spaghetti Day (1/4): History of Pallucca’s Meat Market and Deli
Originally posted January 3, 2017 To celebrate National Spaghetti Day on January 4, we took a visit to Pallucca’s Meat…
9 ways to celebrate a Crawford County Christmas
The holiday season is very busy in our corner of Kansas. If none of the activities or events listed here…
Get our monthly email
There’s always something going on in Crawford County, Kansas, you just have to know where to look.
KSHSAA Class 5A Football State Championship
Since 2014 the Kansas 5A Football State Champion has been crowned at historic Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg. Gameday happens to be Small Business Saturday. Eat like a local and enjoy small town deals.
The Amazon Army – Social Influence of the Coal Camp Women
Protesting unfit working conditions in area mines, thousands of women marched to block them. It’s a story that made statewide and national headlines.
Unconventional community guide earns tourism honor
A coloring book whose purpose is to teach guests and local children about Southeast Kansas recently won a statewide marketing award.
PSU Homecoming committee announces plans for 2022
2022 PSU Homecoming activities are scheduled for October 17-22, engaging current students and employees, bringing alumni back to town, and injecting crimson and gold spirit throughout the community.
Pittsburg Multigenerational Choir to perform at PSU
Returning to the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts for a concert on Oct. 19 is the Pittsburg Multigenerational Chorus with “It’s a Swing Thing,” featuring jazz standards and Big Band favorites.
Gorilla Capital of the World
What started as a pep club in 1920, then became the nation’s only college with a gorilla as its mascot, has now grown into a phenomenon.
National Author’s Day
Originally posted: October 1, 2017 On National Author’s Day, November 1, we’re featuring our favorite places to check out new…
Pumpkin Patches
Crawford County has three pumpkin patches open through October, each offering something different for visitors.
Experience Crawford County, one day at a time
Ask someone what would make a good day trip, and thoughts may stray to a ticketed attraction that draws thousands of visitors. A zoo, perhaps. Or a botanical garden. You won’t find those in Crawford County.
Fall ArtWalk returns to Downtown Pittsburg
The Fall ArtWalk will be held Friday, September 23, 2022, from 5p-9p, in downtown Pittsburg, Kansas.
International Night Market to be held in Pittsburg
An International Night Market with a variety of nation and ethnic booths featuring music, games, street food, wares, and more will…
Model T Club to tour Southeast Kansas
Several Antique Model T’s will be seen throughout Southeast Kansas during the week of September 7-11, 2022.
Labor Day in Crawford County: Social Progress of the Everyday Worker
Labor Day began as part of the late 19th century Labor Movement, becoming a national holiday in 1894 as “a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
Little Balkans Days Carnival, PASSPORT Events & Train
The 37th Annual Little Balkans Days Festival in Pittsburg, Kansas is scheduled for August 29 through September 4, 2022 Numerous activities will be available, including an Arts, Crafts & Food Show, the Folk Life Music Festival, and numerous PASSPORT events.
Plan a Bucket List Trip to Pittsburg
We asked a travel writer to take a look around town, let us know how her day went, and what some of her favorite places were…
34th Little Balkans Quilt Show
September 3rd, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, September 4th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Little Balkans Folk Life Music Program
Join emcee J.T. Knoll on Saturday, September 3rd at the Little Balkans Folk Life Music Festival at the west end of Pittsburg’s Lincoln Park.
Italian Bread: A Crawford County Flavor of Life
While Crawford County may be known nationally for its tasty fried chicken, another food could be even more popular in the area.
Fried chicken paradise
Since the 1930’s travelers have asked why fried chicken is so popular in the area. It’s a story about a delicious, inexpensive family meal, and survival.
An Annual Boom Town
Celebrate our Independence in Small Town U.S.A. Situated in extreme northwest Crawford County, sits Hepler, Kansas. This sleepy, little hamlet…
Painting a Picture: Pittsburg’s Art Scene
When a The New York Times writer stopped by Memorial Auditorium & Convention Center in Pittsburg on the advice of a local, who suggested he see Pittsburg Community Theatre’s production of “The Wizard of Oz” while he was in town, he was unprepared for what he stumbled upon: A sold-out show. And it was a great one.
National Nature Photography Day – June 15
As a child growing up in Crawford County, the day that the National Geographic magazine arrived at our home each month was the day that I curled up on the couch and traveled the world.
Student-run baseball club teams play for the love of the game, even in the World Series
Originally posted: May 13, 2018 PITTSBURG, Kan. – For the first time, several local high school graduates are representing Pittsburg…
Big Brutus
The world’s largest surviving electric shovel sits just across the county line.
Going Cross Country
U.S. Highway 69 mostly follows what was once known as Texas Road, and was used to drive cattle herds to…
Gus the Gorilla explores Southeast Kansas coloring book
Join the Pittsburg State mascot, Gus the Gorilla, as he explores Pittsburg and surrounding communities. Learn about attractions, parks, and…
Fishing For a Good Time
On an early spring day that seemed made for fishing, Tom Pebley, of Kansas City, cast his lure into one of the more than 1,000 strip pits that dot Crawford County.
Arma to be featured in Miners Hall Museum exhibit
Miner Hall Museum’s second quarter exhibit is “Little Balkans Coal Camp – Arma”, opening April 1 and continuing through June 26, 2022.
Request Explorer’s Guide
A FREE guide with tips on where to drink, eat, play, stay & get cool photos.
Outdoor recreation thrives due to unique habitat
This corner of the state was once primarily rolling fields of prairie grasses with wooded areas only along creeks, sitting on the edge of the Ozark Plateau.
Our Story
Southeast Kansas once looked and acted like the rest of the state, with prairies and farms as far as the eye could see. The search for coal changed everything.
Arma 75th Annual V-J Homecoming
A 75-year celebration marks the end of War World II, and the joy of coming home.
Little Balkans Festival Photo Contest goes digital
The Little Balkans Days Festival in Pittsburg, Kansas is seeking entries for one of its most popular events – the photo contest.
Plaster Center: If you build it, they will come
This week, the Plaster Center staff are rolling out the “green carpet” to vendors and attendees of the 36th Annual Four State Farm Show at what just might be the largest event that the building has hosted to date.
Big Kansas Road Trip moves to Southeast Kansas
From May 5-8, 2022, the Big Kansas Road Trip will showcase Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford counties in Southeast Kansas.
Friday Music on the Lake 2021 schedule
ar off due to the pandemic, Friday Music on the Lake returns to Crawford State Park near Farlington, Kansas.
Big Brutus to host Big Iron Overland Rally
Big Brutus National Historic Site will host the Big Iron Overland Rally from May 14-16, 2021.
Little Balkans Days Festival seeking vendors
Applications for vendors are now open for the Little Balkans Days Festival over Labor Day Weekend in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Little Balkans Days set for Labor Day Weekend
After canceling the Little Balkans Days Festival in 2020, the Festival Committee has announced the event will return in 2021.
Crawford County Tourism optimistic about 2021
Though lodging suffered in 2020 due to the pandemic, several destination businesses adjusted to the market and/or made changes to their marketing strategy.
100 year celebration of the Amazon Army
An exhibit at Miners Hall Museum in Franklin tells this story, which received national attention, and honors these women who marched to end unfair labor practices in local mines.
Fictional tale inspired by Southeast Kansas fried chicken
Learn the real story behind “The Chicken Sisters”, as well as the real story behind Southeast Kansas chicken: Kansas fried chicken drives narrative of novel.
Bootlegging exhibit comes to Pittsburg museum
Bootlegging in the Kansas Balkans in the 19th and 20th centuries comes alive for the first time in an exhibit at the Crawford County Historical Museum in Pittsburg.
The Coldest Gorilla Century Ever
More than 460 cyclists took part in an annual ride through Crawford and Cherokee counties. Normally held in September, this year’s ride was in October – and it was cold.
Consultant recommends multi-purpose event space
Due to the lack of a large, flexible conference space connected to a hotel, Crawford County has missed opportunities to host many state-wide & regional events. That may change.
Crawford County boutique named the 2020 Best Store Front Boutique of the Year in Kansas
After more than 250,000 votes were cast by shoppers, Pearls & Curls Boutique on the Girard, Kansas square was named the Best Store Front to Shop in Kansas.
Celebrating das Vaterland on German-American Day
Imagine the U.S. without polka. A nation without the waltz, or lager-style beer. Or worst of all, brats!
Bicycle Routes through Southeast Kansas getting Wayfinding signage
Nearly 500 miles of the national U.S. Bicycle Route System is being signed through Kansas, including USBR-76, which primarily follows the same route as the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail and Trans Am Bike Race through the southeast corner of the state.
Popular roadside attraction now in Frontenac
A fiberglass Sinclair DINO (pronounced DYE-NO) now lives at Raider Express in Frontenac, Kansas. Around 580 DINOs are on display any given year – 16 in Kansas.
New historical marker at Lord’s Diner promotes Jefferson Highway
A new marker at the Lord’s Diner in Downtown Pittsburg hopes to be a reminder about a mostly forgotten piece of transportation history. The non-profit kitchen is located in what was originally built around 1915 as the Jefferson Highway Garage.
Southeast Kansas “chicken wars” makes international headlines
For a short time on April 30, 2020, “America’s ‘fried chicken war'” was a top headline on the homepage of BBC.com, one of the most visited news sites across the globe.
Outdoor recreation an option for physical distancing
Enjoy a natural habitat unlike the rest of Kansas at more than 30 community parks, 50 miles of shoreline along 1,500 acres of public water, and several trails.
Groundbreaking set for first storm shelter at a Kansas state park
Six years ago, Aggie Keesling had a dream, and that dream is about to come true. On Saturday, September 21, ground breaking for the new storm shelter, the first storm shelter at any state park in Kansas, will take place.
Record-breaking summer for tourism in Crawford County
A busy summer in Crawford County has led to a record number of visitors, with June totals surpassing 10,000 room nights in a month for only the second time in history.
Beach area to be focus of annual July 2 celebration at Crawford State Park
An Old Fashioned Independence celebration will once again be held at Crawford State Park on July 2, but this year it will look a little different to those who have been before.
Travel generates $10 billion in Kansas
This is National Travel & Tourism Week, a celebration of a growing sector in the Kansas economy. In Kansas, travel is a $10…
Foundation honoring #9 Dylan Meier to celebrate 9th 5K run
Get Busy Livin’ announces its 9th Annual 5K Run, Friendship Walk and Kids Fest to begin at 8:30 am on…
Mules in the Mines: The Unsung Heroes
An unsung hero in pre-steam power, pre-electricity United States, the mule was a catalyst for growth in many American industries.…
Then and Now: Crawford County’s Department Stores
Despite competition with online shopping options, today’s shoppers are still heavily reliant on brick and mortar department stores. Historically, department…
It’s a Grand Old Time at the Arma V-J Homecoming
Arma’s annual V-J Homecoming is a celebration of special importance. Having existed since 1946, the event is one of a…
A New Century of the Crawford County Fair
The Crawford County Fair is celebrating Year 1 of a new century. 2017 marks the 101st annual Crawford County Fair…
Lace up your shoes! Running in Crawford County
Crawford County is home to many recreational and competitive runners. From those who are looking to get fit (or find…
The Water Supply of Bone Creek Reservoir
Of the many lakes in the local area, Bone Creek Reservoir is one of the most important to Crawford and…
Digging Into the Outdoors at the Mined Land Wildlife Area
Sharp hills and thin lakes dot a well-used 14,500 acres of land in Crawford and Cherokee Counties. The area is…
Happy Walnut Day
Happy Walnut Day! We’re nuts about our small towns in Crawford County and on National Walnut Day we’re celebrating Walnut,…
A Passion to Teach – A Passion to Care
At Pittsburg State University’s Spring Commencement this morning, you are bound to see several graduation caps decorated with glittering apples,…
2017 Faces of Tourism in Crawford County
Crawford County Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director B.J. Harris understands the importance of tourism to Kansas: “Tourism in our…
You must be logged in to post a comment.