The 1907 Shirley Opera House nearly burned before it was built. A barrel of tar ignited and was extinguished but reignited later causing considerable damage to the construction. One of the workers fell from the rafters. No record of his injuries was listed. The Red Heifer Saloon, managed by Bert Hotchkiss, brought male violence within the walls. Rumors of a deadly shooting and of an Indian woman being thrown to her death from the upstairs … [Read more...]
Alice Kay Hill On The Historical “Queen Of The Prairie”
Dusty-backed rattlesnakes, coldly oblivious to an artificial world, were displayed in an unlikely place: the storefront windows of the two-story 1907 Shirley Opera House, Atwood, KS. Rawlins County boys tasted fear and conquered it by rapping on the wavery panes of original glass, hoping to create a strike. This was an ageless form of entertainment, baiting danger at the expense of a perceived enemy. It was not, however, fit entertainment for the … [Read more...]
Follow The Historic Events That Led To The Last Lynching In Kansas In UNDER A FULL MOON
About the Book UNDER A FULL MOON: The Last Lynching in Kansas tells of the tragic abduction and death of an eight-year-old girl at the hands of a repeat offender in 1932. This crime stands apart as the last mob lynching in Kansas. Based on true events, this account takes a deep dive into the psycho-social complexities of pioneer times and their impact on this particular crime and the justice meted out to the perpetrator. Beginning in the year … [Read more...]
UNDER A FULL MOON Gallery
Photos from Alice Kay Hill's new true crime detailing the events leading to the last lynching in Kansas … [Read more...]
Alice Kay Hill
I am a fifth generation Kansan on my mother’s side and have spent the majority of my life tending the soil and livestock. During just my lifetime the number of small family farmer/ranchers has dwindled to just over 1% of the US population from an average of 25-30% in the 1940’s. As the daughter of an Air Force Lt. Col, I was not born on a farm. My mother had inherited the family land from her grandfather, but it was managed by a local farmer. … [Read more...]
