Mini Wheat State Tour
The Hall Center's Mini Wheat State Tour gives faculty and staff a chance to learn about the geography and history of Kansas and the region
2024 Mini Wheat State Tour: Kansas City
The Hall Center's Mini Wheat State Tour gives faculty and staff a chance to learn about the people, geography, and history of the region to which they have moved for work. It provides new and seasoned faculty and staff an opportunity to learn more about (1) the communities from which many of their students come; (2) their colleagues in other disciplines across campus; (3) opportunities for research and outreach collaborations, both on campus and off. The trip also enables folks in other parts of the state and region to understand KU faculty are invested in them.
In November 2023, the Hall Center's Mini Wheat State Tour took a group of faculty and staff west, on an overnight exploration of Lucas, Wilson, and Nicodemus, Kansas. This year, we’re heading east for a one-day trip!
Itinerary: Friday, Oct. 18, 2024
- 9:00 AM – Bus leaves from the Hall Center parking lot (900 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence)
- 10:00 AM – Museum of Deaf History, Arts, and Culture (Olathe)
- 11:15 AM – Quindaro Ruins Overlook Structure (Kansas City)
- 12:30 PM – Mattie Rhodes Arts Center (Kansas City, MO)
- 1:15 PM – Black Archives of Mid-America (18th & Vine district) – tour + BBQ lunch
- 3:00 PM – National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (near the UMKC campus)
- 4:15 PM – The Mutual Musicians’ Foundation (18th & Vine district)
- ~6:45 PM – Arrive back in Lawrence
If you are interested in participating, please contact Hall Center Director Giselle Anatol (ganatol@ku.edu) with your name, department/unit, and email address at your earliest convenience (before 5 pm on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.
2023: Lucas, Wilson, and Nicodemous
In November 2023, the Hall Center's Mini Wheat State Tour took a group of faculty and staff to Wilson, home to the state’s largest Czech population; the grassroots arts scene of Lucas; and historic Nicodemus, the last all-Black settlement west of the Mississippi River.
Tour Origins
The first Wheat State Tours began in the early 2000s and were designed to take faculty and staff, many new to Kansas, throughout the state to gain a better understanding of where many of their students come from and to learn more about the state they serve. It was in a similar spirit that the Hall Center revived a version of the tour in 2023.