Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department

History

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Abstract

This thesis provides an in-depth look into the Indigenous history of the area that would later become Western Kansas and Ellis County. Analyzing the history of the area from before European colonization to the Native American resistance against American expansion in the 1860s, this thesis illustrates the complex and layered history of the area. Even prior to European settler presence in the area, the native tribes felt the effects of European settlement and trade around them, leading to drastic changes in geographic distribution and access to new resources, particularly horses. Over the course of the nineteenth century, white settlement completely transformed Western Kansas and resulted in the removal of nearly all Indigenous presence in the area.

After white Kansans replaced the Indigenous tribes of Western Kansas and began their own developments, the public memory of Native Americans echoed the absence that existed on the landscape. Throughout the twentieth century, the institutions of Ellis County avoided discussion of Native American history or the role that white settlers played in removing them from the land. The representation of Native Americans in the county’s museums, historic sites, and books portrays Indigenous survival and existence as a thing of the past, no longer present. Those same institutions focused on the stories of white, settler frontiersmen in their commemoration of the area’s history, emphasizing their importance. The lack of historical context, ignorance, and commodification of Native American history that prevailed in Ellis County during the twentieth century continue through today. Information about Native Americans, their removal, and their history in the area is almost nonexistent on the landscape of Ellis County. The few representations of Native Americans that do exist in the county lack historical context, avoid responsibility, and commodify Native American imagery without providing context or information. The lack of authentic Indigenous stories and history on the Ellis County landscape has resulted in a situation where any representation of Native Americans is perceived as positive for the majority of county residents. The conversation over Native American representation in Ellis County has resulted in several debates over the past several years, which have shown Ellis County residents today are divided on how best to honor and remember Native Americans. There are some efforts to change the predominant narratives and create an environment of shared cultural authority in Ellis County, but so far, these efforts have not been successful and the average resident or visitor to the area misses the complex and extensive Indigenous history that exists in this county, and the relationships that settler institutions had with them.

Keywords

local history, Indian Wars, Smoky Hill Trail, public history, mascots

Advisor

Dr. Juti Winchester

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Thesis

Rights

© The Author

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