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Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc. records, 2004-2025

1    COLLECTION SUMMARY

1.1      Introduction

“Our mission is to heighten appreciation and knowledge of the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie (“Remembering,” 2025).” Symphony in the Flint Hills was a 501c (3) non-profit organization that started in 2004. They ceased operation in 2025. They accomplished their mission through educational outreach and collaborations with local musicians, artists, historians, scientists, and community members. Their main outreach consisted of their Field Journal and the Signature Event (aka the annual prairie concert).

1.2      Abstract

The material reflects the organization’s administrative business and outreach efforts from 2004 to 2025. The collection includes 9 cubic foot boxes, 1 oversize flat box, and 2 oversize photographs already in a designated file cabinet. There is a digital file on the KHS server of an oral history with Sandy Carlson, editor of the Symphony in the Flint Hills Field Journal,and Kelly Tastove, Operations Director. The materials include photos, audio-visual, clippings, ephemera, and administrative documents spanning four subjects: publications, the Signature Event, board meeting minutes, and contracts.

1.3      Dates

2004-2025

1.4      Quantity

 9.84 cubic feet

1.5      Creator

Symphony in the Flint Hills

1.6      Title

Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc. records

1.7      UID and/or Call #

533708

1.8      Language

English

      1.9     Notes

This finding aid describes materials held by the Kansas State Historical Society. Materials may be used in the Research Room during regular research hours. Support for telephone, mail, email, and online research and reference is available through email: KSHS.reference@ks.gov, phone: 785-272-8681, ext. 117, or on-site: Tuesday-Friday 9:00-4:00 and Saturdays 9:00-12:00.

      1.10   Repository

Kansas Historical Society

 

2    BIOGRAPHY OR HISTORY

“Our mission is to heighten appreciation and knowledge of the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie (“Remembering,” 2025).” Symphony in the Flint Hills was a 501c (3) non-profit organization that started in 2004. They ceased operation in 2025. They accomplished their mission through educational outreach and collaborations with local musicians, artists, historians, scientists, and community members. Their main outreach consisted of their Field Journal and the Signature Event.

The Field Journal “recognizes the Flint Hills and all its uniqueness. Through art, science, word and poetry, the book includes original pieces from artists and authors who expand our knowledge of the Flint Hills (“Field Journal,” 2025).” The lastField Journal, volume 17 (2025), is an anthology of their “best stories from the past, celebrating the vibrant history, culture, and beauty of the Flint Hills (“Field Journal,” 2025).” All journals are available online through Kansas State University Libraries (Kansas State University Libraries, n.d.).

The first Signature Event, also known as the annual prairie concert, was in 2006. It was an annual event “that honored music, art, and the unique ecology of the Flint Hills” through the collaboration of local organizations and community leaders as mentioned above (“Signature Event,” 2025). For the final Symphony in the Flint Hills Signature Event, they partnered with the Kansas City Symphony and guest vocalist Katharine McPhee to celebrate its 20th Anniversary Grand Finale on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Evans Family Ranch in Chase County, Kansas. The final event saw almost 8,000 attendees (Prothro, 2025). The Signature Event brought out many people from across Kansas and out of state to share in the celebration and appreciation of the Flint Hills (Lawrence, 2025).

The Flint Hills is a tall grass prairie region, which once spanned from Texas to Canada and as of 2025 only 4% of it survives. That 4% is now located in eastern Kansas to northern Oklahoma (“What are the Flint Hills,” n.d.). It is home to over 150 bird, 40 reptile and amphibian, and 35 mammal species with fossils over 250 million years old underneath (“What are the Flint Hills,” n.d.). It is the largest remaining expanse of an intact tallgrass prairie ecosystem in North America (Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Kansas, 2022). Its unique structure of thin, rocky soils and steep slopes make it ideal for cattle ranching, and it is still utilized for that in 2025 (Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Kansas, 2022). Symphony in the Flint Hills envisioned “a future where [their] efforts inspire[d] people to strengthen the Flint Hills by sustaining the region’s unique culture and landscape (“Remembering,” 2025).” Although the Symphony in the Flint Hills permanently closed its doors, there are local, private, and government entities that continue their mission and vision.

 

3    SCOPE AND CONTENTS

This collection has 9 cubic foot boxes, 1 oversize flat box, and 2 oversize photographs. There are different material types including photos, AV, clippings, etc. These materials cover the same subjects. The materials are divided into 4 series based on the subjects seen in the collection. The series are Publications, The Signature Event, Board meeting minutes, and Contracts. There is a chronological order within each series.

The Publications series has 8 subseries to separate out the multiple publications found in the collection. The series follows a chronological order from there. There is a general subseries that has a description of what’s included, which are one-off publications they collected (e.g. – Kansas magazine and Smithsonian magazine).

There are administrative type files that accompany the Publications and The Signature Event series. For example, there are binders that discuss the Signature Event logistics and planning that are in the Signature Event series in the chronological order the series is in. There are administrative files that are editor notes, drafts, and samples for their publications. These files are in front of the corresponding publication.

** There is a digital file on the KHS server of an oral history with Sandy Carlson, editor of the Symphony in the Flint Hills Field Journal, and Kelly Tastove, Operations Director.

 

4     CONTENTS LIST

Box 1:

Oversize items – Includes printer samples of Journal; aerial map of Flint Hills land; blueprints; posters/flyers of Signature Event; maps of event sites

 

Box 2:

Series 1: Publications

 

Subseries 1: Symphony in the Flint Hills fields journal

*Includes journal mock-ups/editing files

*Years 2016 (v.8) and 2018 (v.10) are not in the collection. They were put in KHS’ library collection to fill missing gaps.

 

Subseries 2: Symphony in the Flint Hills commemorative program

Box 3:

Series 1: Publications

 

Subseries 3: Symphony in the Flint Hills media project

Subseries 4: Symphony in the Flint Hills newsletter

Subseries 5: Symphony in the Flint Hills weekend guide

Subseries 6: Symphony in the Flint Hills almanac

Subseries 7: Symphony in the Flint Hills field guide

Subseries 8:General

 

Series 2: The Signature Event, administrative files

*Includes event planning and logistics

Box 4:

Series 2: The Signature Event, n.d. – 2007

*Includes a binder of news articles from 2004 – 2007

*Includes a photo album of inaugural Signature Event in 2006

 Box 5:

Series 2: The Signature Event, 2006 – 2009

Box 6:

         Series 2: The Signature Event, 2010-2025

*Includes donor packet samples

Box 7:

Series 3: Board meeting minutes, 2004-2019

Box 8:

Series 4: Contracts, 2008-2017

  Box 9:

Series 4: Contracts, 2018-2025

 

5    RELATED MATERIALS

 

6    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Field Journal. (2025). Symphony in the Flint Hills. https://symphonyintheflinthills.org/field-journal/

Kansas State University Libraries. (n.d.). Symphony in the Flint Hills Field Journal. New Prairie Press. https://newprairiepress.org/sfh/

Lawrence, Marcia. (2025, June 16). Grand finale for Symphony in the Flint Hills Signature Event. The Emporia Gazette. https://www.emporiagazette.com/area_news/article_a21ec600-9654-4ada-84be-ca7877a1ec12.html

Prothro, Owen. (2025, June 16). One last family gathering in the Flint hills. KMUW-NPR. https://www.kmuw.org/music/2025-06-16/one-last-family-gathering-in-the-flint-hills

Remembering the Symphony in the Flint Hills. (2025). Symphony in the Flint Hills. https://symphonyintheflinthills.org/about-us/

Signature Event. (2025). Symphony in the Flint Hills. https://symphonyintheflinthills.org/signature-event/

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Kansas. (2022, March 5). Geology in the Flint Hills. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/tapr/learn/nature/geology-at-the-preserve.htm

What are the Flint Hills. (n.d.). Flint Hills Discovery Center. https://www.manhattanks.gov/3599/What-are-the-Flint-Hills

 

7    INDEX TERMS/SUBJECT HEADINGS/ACCESS POINTS

  • Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc
  • Kansas City Symphony
  • Music festivals -- Kansas
  • Concert programs -- Kansas
  • Ranchers -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Ranch life -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Ranching -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Farmers -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Farm life -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.) -- Social life and customs -- Anecdotes
  • Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.) -- Rural conditions -- Anecdotes
  • Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.) -- Anecdotes
  • Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.) – History – Pictorial works
  • Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.) -- Description and Travel – Pictorial works
  • Heritage tourism -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Historic sites -- Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.)
  • Flint Hills (Kan. and Okla.) -- In art

 

8    ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

8.1      Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

8.2      Restrictions on use

Notice: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The user is cautioned that the publication of the contents of this collection may be construed as constituting a violation of literary property rights. These rights derive from the principle of common law, affirmed in the copyright law of 1976 as amended, that the writer and/or producer of an unpublished letter, other manuscript or audio-visuals has the sole right to publish the contents thereof unless he or she affirmatively parts with that right; the right descends to his or her legal heirs regardless of the ownership of the physical manuscript itself. It is the responsibility of a user or his or her publisher to secure the permission of the owner of literary property rights in unpublished writing.

8.3      Custodial History/ Provenance

The Symphony in the Flint Hills organization created these records from their founding in 2004 to their 20th anniversary in 2025. The material reflects the organization’s administrative business and outreach efforts.

8.4      Alternate forms

No alternate forms.

8.5      Preferred citation

Note: [document and/or series description, date], Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc. records collection, Kansas State Historical Society.

Bibliography: Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc. records collection, Kansas State Historical Society.

8.6      Acquisition information (Accession #)

Sandy Carlson, editor of the Symphony in the Flint Hills Field Journal, donated the material to KHS in August 2025. The organization wanted to donate the materials due to its closure. The accession numbers are 2026-040, 2026-047, 2026-077.

8.7      Processing information (Processor name)

Olivia Banzet (Irwin)