Mahaffie News
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Civil War on the Border Returns for 12th Year April 19 & 20 at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop Experience the 12th annual Civil War on the Border at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site on April 19 and 20. All activities will be held at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop, 1200 Kansas City Road, and in the City's Stagecoach Park, just south of the historic site. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 20. A free shuttle will bring attendees to the event from public parking located at Olathe North High School. The event is free, but a suggested donation of $2 for adults and $1 for children will help pay for event costs. More than 300 reenactors involved in cavalry, artillery, and infantry units representing Union and Confederate forces will encamp throughout the weekend and recreate a battle at 3 p.m. on Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday in Stagecoach Park. A returning favorite, the United States Army's Fort Riley General's Mounted Color Guard is scheduled to demonstrate cavalry tactics both days. Enjoy period music by the Gum Springs Serenaders during the day and at the participants' Saturday evening Civil War dance - to which the public is invited to attend. A nineteenth century church service will be held at 10 am on Sunday. Children will enjoy period games and other activities, and a variety of living history and military demonstrations will take place all weekend. Take a stagecoach ride in Stagecoach Park, and get your image taken at the Old-Time Photo Booth. A special guest this year, Clarina Nichols, abolitionist and woman's right activist of the 1860s, will address the public from the back porch of the Mahaffie home each day. Diane Eickhoff portrays Clarina and appears courtesy of the Kansas Humanities Council's History Alive program. The event will also feature food vendors as well as sutlers selling 19th Century merchandise. The event is sponsored by the City of Olathe, The Olathe Daily News, The Kansas City Star, Johnson's County Gazette, South Olathe Price Chopper, Comcast, Mr. Goodcents on Kansas City Road, Olathe Ford, Tractor Supply Company and Comfort Suites of Olathe. The final schedule of activities will be posted on this page early in the week of April 14. For more information, call Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site at (913) 971-5111.
Released 3/10/08 The much-anticipated opening of the Mahaffie Heritage Center will become a reality April 4 when the facility opens its doors for the first time to tell the story of the Mahaffie family and their connection with Olathe, Johnson County, Kan., and the Santa Fe Trail. Visitors to the Heritage Center, 1200 Kansas City Road, will receive an all-new Mahaffie experience aided by historic exhibits and audio-visual presentations. "The long-awaited opening of our beautiful new Heritage Center will boost tourism in the Olathe community and greatly enhance the experiences that visitors of all ages enjoy at the Mahaffie historic site. The Heritage Center will be a premier attraction for the site and our community and will allow us to tell more about the great story of the Mahaffie family and Olathe's proud beginnings," said Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland. City of Olathe Parks and Recreation Department Director Kevin Corbett said, "This is truly a great day for our city and the community that was made possible by numerous individuals and groups donating time and giving money, including community leaders, organizations, City staff and the great citizens of the Olathe community." The celebration for the new Heritage Center kicks off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon on April 4. Mayor Copeland and other city and county leaders will speak at the April 4 event and cut the ceremonial red ribbon - marking the official opening of the Heritage Center. A Heritage Center public Open House will be from noon to 4 p.m. April 5. Visitors to the Heritage Center during the public open house will be able to tour the new facility, view historical exhibits, listen to live period music and special presentations on Mahaffie history and enjoy refreshments. Also, the Mahaffie home will be open with cooking demonstrations and other living history activities in the historic house and the stagecoach will be operating with a fee per rider.
Heritage Center Highlights Besides the assembly space, the new facility features a gift shop, exhibit galleries for Mahaffie and the Olathe Historical Society, offices, and restrooms. Custom-engraved bricks, purchased by individuals and entities, will line the front sidewalk of the new center. Bricks can still be purchased and proceeds will benefit programming and operations of the new facility.
In the spring, landscapers will surround the exterior of the facility with native plants, trees and nineteenth century ornamental flowers. A unique aspect of the facility is that it will be available for rent for corporate meetings, business meetings, wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners, family reunions, and birthday and anniversary celebrations. "I can't help, but think that if JB & Lucinda (Mahaffie) were here today they would be amazed at the interest the community has in their farm and the outpouring of support for this great new facility," said Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop's Historic Site Manager Tim Talbott.
Funding Sources Used for the Building
The Mahaffie Historic Site contains the only remaining stagecoach stop open to the public on the Santa Fe Trail and is a certified historic site on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail by the National Park Service. For more information about the Mahaffie Heritage Center and the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site, 1100 Kansas City Rd., Olathe call (913) 971-5111.
American Bus Association Names Olathe's Civil War on the Border to "North America's 100 Top Events for 2008" List The American Bus Association (ABA) announced this week that it has designated the Civil War on the Border, to be held in Olathe April 19-20, 2008, as one of the "Top 100 Events in North America for 2008." The event is hosted by the City of Olathe at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that this event offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, said an ABA representative. "The staff at Mahaffie are very proud of our Civil War on the Border event," said Tim Talbott, Mahaffie's historic site manager. "At the City Council's directive, we've put a lot of effort into building the living history programming. Site staff have worked hard expanding the Civil War event over the last three years, and it has grown dramatically, thanks to our re-enactors, our sponsors, the Mahaffie Foundation, the Olathe Chamber and its Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), and the Olathe City Council and City staff. It's wonderful to be recognized by the ABA!" Stephen Koranda, vice president of the Olathe Chamber's CVB, submitted the event to the ABA for inclusion on the list. Civil War on the Border, held in Olathe annually for the last 11 years, is a re-enactment with Union and Confederate camps, battles, military demonstrations, living history activities, and children's activities. One other Kansas event, Dodge City Days, was also listed on the ABA's Top 100 list this year. With the release of the American Bus Association's 2008 Top 100 Events in North America, ABA celebrates more than 25 years of the Top 100 Events. What began as a way for motorcoach operators to incorporate new product into their itineraries has grown to one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motorcoach operators and the general public. "The attractiveness of the Civil War on the Border and Dodge City Days as don't-miss entertainment values is only part of why their selection this year is such a distinction for Kansas," said Peter J. Pantuso, ABA's president and CEO. "The real news here is that Civil War on the Border & Dodge City Days have both been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Kansas an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners." ABA's 2008 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected Civil War on the Border & Dodge City Days from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and convention and visitors bureaus. Judges considered the event's broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other criteria. The Top 100 Events list is available online at http://www.buses.org/.
Mahaffie Site Featured in AAA Magazine The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site was featured in the September/October 2006 issue of "Journeys" a AAA travel magazine. Click here to view the article. |
Civil War on the Border Returns for 12th Year April 19 & 20
Mahaffie Heritage Center to Open in April American Bus Association Names Civil War Event to Top Events for '08 Mahaffie Site Featured in AAA Magazine
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