Motoring Monday: Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

From 1917 to 1936, Martin and Osa Johnson researched far-away lands in East and Central Africa, the South Pacific Islands and British North Borneo, a time when few Americans ventured beyond our shores. The Johnsons were the first to send back photos and film of Africa and the South Seas. They also photographed wilderness areas in Kenya, the Congo, British North Borneo and the Solomon and New Hebrides Islands.

The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum opened in June 1961 in Chanute with a core collection of the their films, photographs, manuscripts, articles, books and personal belongings donated by Osa's mother.  Educational programs are offered for children and adults, and the museum has established an African ethnographic collection. The museum has grown throughout the years and now includes a large research library with more than 10,000 volumes covering a variety of natural history and cultural subjects.

Learn more about the Johnsons and the museum at http://www.safarimuseum.com/

Throwback Thursday

Here's a look of the grand opening of I-235 and K-96 north of Wichita.  Can you guess what year this was?  Hint: let's hope none of these guys was the "Coward of the County."  Give us your guess below and check back in the comment section to find out the answer later today.

The next leap in transportation technology

When comes to transporting heavy cargo to remote areas are hybrid airships the wave of the future?  Check out the video below to learn more.

What's your take on roadside memorials?

Travel on any city street, county road or state highway in Kansas and, odds are, you will see a roadside memorial at some point during your trip.

Such markers are not banned, but those located along state highways are subject to review by KDOT officials for any safety hazards they may pose to the traveling public and KDOT maintenance crews.  As long as the marker is unobtrusive and located well off of the road, there will likely be no issue with its placement. However, if a marker is not maintained and falls into disrepair, it will be taken down. KDOT will then try to notify the responsible party about the matter.

Opinions differ as to whether or not roadside memorials have an impact on driver behavior. Some drivers find themselves slowing down when they see a marker, while others think the markers are too much of a distraction and impair their driving. What’s your take on roadside memorials? Sound off in the comments.

Motoring Monday: Ellis Railroad Museum and Doll Display

Railroad memorabilia fills four rooms of the Ellis Railroad Museum in Ellis. As an added feature, the museum also houses a 1,650 piece doll display. The museum is complete with a BK&E miniature train outside that operates a 1/3 scale General Motors Aero Streamliner traveling along a 2.5-mile track from Memorial Day to Labor Day, weather permitting. 

A yellow Union Pacific caboose is located next to the restored depot, which is used as the train ride boarding point. The museum is open at various times during the year, check the website here for more information.

And while in Ellis, stop by another historical transportation museum – the Walter P. Chrysler’s Boyhood Home and Museum. Chrysler was born in Wamego, but lived in Ellis from ages 3 to 22. He went on to lead one of the largest corporations in the world. Find out more here.

Throwback Thursday: Then & Now

Here's a look at Topeka in 1968 near the corner of 7th and Kansas Avenue.  Here's that same spot today.  Can you tell which buildings have changed?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

More than $3 million in construction projects approved in May letting

An intersection improvement project at K-4 and 46^th Street in Jefferson County is one of the projects approved in the May 20 construction letting.

The project will construct a left-turn lane for northbound K-4 and realign 46th Street to provide a perpendicular intersection with K-4 to improve sight distance for the traveling public. Hamm Inc. of Perry will be the prime contractor on the $1.7 million project.

More than $3 million worth of projects were let. To see all the projects that were approved from the May 20 letting, click here.