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EVENTS AT BLACK JACK
Art on the Vine
Friday, September 30th 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park has teamed up with the Lumberyard Arts Center to present an artwalk with a twist: Art on the Vine!
The Pearson farmhouse will be filled with prairie themed art, created by local artists! Take an opportunity to walk through the historic farmhouse, tour the battlefield, sample a variety of wines, and support local artists! It's sure to be a great evening!
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Amber Scullery food truck will be set up on site!
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Stay and enjoy the sunset over our beautiful prairie!
This event is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged!
Movies on the Prairie
Grab your blankets and lawn chairs and join us for a thrilling Movie on the Prairie! We’ll set up our big screen and show the newest season of Matty D Media’s @freestatehorrorstories.tv featuring Black Jack!
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Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0JpryF-Dv0/
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Keep in mind that this is an outdoor event, and it may be chilly. If conditions are right, we will set up a campfire! The maple grove should be showing off its glowing autumn colors, consider arriving early to snap some photos!
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This is a free event, but donations and membership purchases are greatly appreciated! Your support helps us with operations costs and future goals!
We will keep an eye on the weather, if it is rainy, this event will likely be cancelled.
Battlefield Work Day
Friday, September 17th 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
We are seeking volunteers to help clean up the battlefield and lawn around the Pearson house. We'd like to tidy up the grounds, trim vines and clean up flower beds.
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When the Battle of Black Jack took place, the land was clear of trees and brush. Our end goal is to bring the site back to its 1956 condition, so that visitors can experience the battlefield in the same state that John Brown, Henry Clay Pate and their men experienced it.
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We will provide a couple weed eaters, chainsaw and a mower. Feel free to bring your pruning shears, rakes, clippers, etc. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for groundskeeping work. We will ask volunteers to sign a safety waiver before they are able to help.
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Make sure to only click “going” on Facebook or e-mail us at marketing@blackjackbattlefield.org if you anticipate attending, so that we can provide enough lunch for volunteers!
Civil War on the Border
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The 27th annual Civil War on the Border will have the theme of intersections between natural and cultural history. This four-day festival will include annual favorites like bus and walking tours of local sites and a moving memorial service for the victims of Quantrill's Raid, plus family programming and talks on different Civil War topics.
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For scheduling and tickets, visit www.watkinsmuseum.org/cwb2022
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Walking tour of Black Jack Battlefield is scheduled for Sunday Aug. 21st 5-6 PM
166th Anniversary Commemoration
Saturday, July 23, 2022, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
The commemoration of the 166th Anniversary of the battle that was fought on June 2, 1856, will be on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Visit the Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park for a reenactment of the battle from 1:00 to 3:00, followed by music and games of black jack and poker. John Brown and other reenactors will be available to chat with!
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This event is free, but we will be accepting donations! There will also be food on site for purchase. We hope to see you there!
Movies on the Prairie
Charlotte's Web
This event has been moved to the Baldwin City Library's activity room! We apologize for the inconvenience, but we felt the best decision would be to movie the event indoors due to excessive heat!
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Mid America Bank will provide ice cream sundaes so that guests can cool off while they enjoy the movie!
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This event is in partnership with Baldwin City Library's Summer Learning Program. Full calendar and sign up at baldwincitylibrary.org
Dawn tour of Black Jack Battlefield
Thursday, June 2, 2022, 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
There will be a guided tour of the Black Jack Battlefield on the date and at the time that the battle occurred 166 years earlier. Visitors should arrive not later than 4:45 a.m. that morning, consider bringing a flashlight, and wear appropriate clothing and footwear for hiking.
This event is free and open to the public.
Movies on the Prairie
Santa Fe Trail
Join us for the first of many Movies on the Prairie nights, Thursday May 19th! The classic film Santa Fe Trail will be projected onto a big screen, set up next to the Pearson farmhouse.
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Our night will begin at 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Marta Jardon. Marta is a local historian and a member of the Santa Fe Trail Association. We are excited for her to share her knowledge about the Santa Fe Trail with us!
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The film will begin at 8:00 p.m. Make sure to bring blankets and chairs so you can stay comfortable and cozy on the lawn! There will be drinks and snacks available for purchase!
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Donations are welcome!
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Visit santafetraildouglas.org to learn more about the Santa Fe Trail!
Earth Day Wildflower Planting
Join Grassland Heritage Foundation, Native Lands LLC, and Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park in a celebration of Earth Day on April 23rd at Black Jack Battlefield- a National Historic Landmark just outside of Baldwin City, KS.
We will be spending the afternoon planting native wildflowers and grasses into our prairie planting! We have lots of plants that we want to get into the ground this spring as we wrap up our prairie restoration project and we need your help to do it. This a great opportunity to enjoy the spring weather, get your hands in the soil, and help us add diversity to our prairie planting at Black Jack. This event is great for all ages and abilities!
AN RSVP is requested. Please RSVP using the following link: https://forms.gle/pvcuGkPHdNXfegkcA. We will send you a reminder email prior to the event, as well as notifying you if we need to reschedule the event due to weather.
Please come prepared for working outdoors. Be sure to wear long pants and sturdy, closed-toed shoes. Remember to bring along a water bottle, bug spray, sunscreen, and a hat if needed.
Black Jack Battlefield is located at 163 E 2000 Rd, Wellsville, KS 66092 (https://goo.gl/maps/8UseyDCLp5d634XJ8).
We are thrilled to be hosting this event and we hope to see you there! If you have any additional questions, please email Kaitlyn at grasslandheritage@gmail.com.
Flapjacks at Black Jack's
Egg Hunt
Join us for a pancake breakfast to celebrate our first annual rendering of Black Jack maple syrup! Enjoy syrup produced from the historic maple grove at Black Jack Battlefield. Pancakes will be prepared and served by our board members!
Pancakes will be served from 10:00 a.m. until noon.
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Suggested donation $10. Kids eat for free.
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After breakfast we will host an egg hunt for the children! We'll hide eggs around the Pearson house and on the battlefield.
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The egg hunt begins at 12:15 p.m.
Park Day 2022
Volunteers are needed to maintain nature trails, clear brush, remove invasive plants, pick up litter and debris from winter storms, and generally spruce up the Battlefield and the Park to get ready for this year's touring season. There will be work for both adults and children. Volunteers should have work gloves, wear sturdy clothing and footwear, and consider bringing appropriate tools. Water and food will be provided.