Iolan Bob Hawk will talk Saturday about how an early road helped Allen County’s growing communities develop in a rapidly changing Kansas frontier.
Hawk will speak about the Elizabethtown to Cofachique State Road’s origins at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Allen County Historical Society’s summer meeting. The program will be at the Frederick Funston Meeting Hall, 207 N. Jefferson Ave. in Iola.
The Elizabethtown to Cofachique State Road connected Garnett and Elizabethtown in Anderson County to Cofachique, Iola, and Humboldt of Allen County. Originally an old trail, the route was designated a state road in 1865, becoming one of the earliest formal transportation routes through Allen County.
This road played a pivotal role in shaping travel and settlement patterns in the region, providing a crucial link for pioneers, freighters and settlers to navigate.
Its establishment marked a shift from informal paths to structured infrastructure, laying the groundwork for future development and helping anchor the county’s growing communities.
The road also ran through the Hawk family farm and impacted the house by changing the road and road systems.
The public is invited.
ACHS museum added to Sunflower Summer program
The Allen County Historical Society is one of the stops in the 2025 Kansas Tourism Sunflower Summer program.
The Sunflower Summer Program is geared to encourage Kansas families with school-aged children to explore various parts of the state.
The program includes detailed information on more than 200 museums sites of interest across the state.
Eligible Kansas families can download the Sunflower Summer app to claim tickets to participating venues. One adult ticket is eligible for free admission with eligible students. (It should be noted the Allen County Historical Society Museum carries no admission fee, aside from free-will donations.)
“We are thrilled to have our local venue be a part of the 2025 Kansas Sunflower Summer program,” Allen County Historical Society Director Kurtis Russell said in a news release. “This opportunity allows us to welcome Kansas families to our area and provide them with an unforgettable experience.”
The program runs through Aug. 3.
Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce, aims to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities.
“Kansas Tourism is excited to have The Allen County Historical Society as a part of the Sunflower Summer program,” said Kansas Tourism Director, Bridgette Jobe. “This program is an amazing benefit for the residents of Kansas, and we are looking forward to growing the program in the 2025 season. The Allen County museum is an important part of making this the best season yet for the program.”
To discover more about the Sunflower Summer program, visit SunflowerSummer.org.
