Crane Hall Observatory, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas
Date: Between 1901 and 1920
This black and white photograph shows the Warner and Swazey telescope, inside the Crane Hall Observatory, on the Washburn University Campus in Topeka, Kansas. The university purchased the refracting telescope, in 1901, after the instrument was on exhibit at the Paris Exposition. The telescope, with a length of 165 inches and a weight of 1,000 pounds, survived the 1966 tornado that destroyed a large section of the campus. Today, the telescope is housed on the roof of Stoffer Science Hall.

Do you believe in keeping Kansas kash in Kansas?
Creator: Kansas Publicity Bureau
Date: Between 1910 and 1930
A small leaflet encouraging people to "Buy Kansan." It states that Kansas is first in many things such as college students, wheat, zinc smelting, and apple seedlings. It also compares the recent solar eclipse to Kansas' future growth.

Joe Henry Engle
Date: Between 1981 and 1985
A portrait of astronaut Joe Henry Engle, of Chapman, Kansas, who commanded the second Space Shuttle "Columbia" mission in 1981 and a Space Shuttle "Discovery" mission in 1985. Born August 26, 1932 in Dickinson County, Kansas, Engle graduated from the University of Kansas in 1956.

Kansas state flag
Date: 1984
A small Kansas state flag carried on the first mission of Space Shuttle Discovery by Steven Hawley. Hawley was born in 1951 in Ottawa, Kansas, but grew up in Salina. After graduating from Salina High School, Hawley attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with honors in 1973 with degrees in physics and astronomy. He received a doctor of philosophy in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of California in 1977. Dr. Hawley was selected to join NASA's astronaut program in 1978 and flew on five missions.

L. W. Halbe Collection
Creator: Halbe, L. W. (Leslie Winfield), 1893-1981
Date: 1908-1912
The L. W. (Leslie Winfield) Halbe photo collection consists of 1500 glass plate negatives produced by Halbe during his teenage years. Halbe lived in Dorrance, Russell County, Kansas, and began taking photographs of the region with an inexpensive Sears and Roebuck camera when he was fifteen years old.

Meteor that fell in Washington County, Kansas
Date: 1890
A photograph of a meteor that fell in Washington County, Kansas on June 25, 1890. It is reported that a Professor C. H. Snow of the University of Kansas, purchased the meteor for $600.

Rice Hall and Crane Observatory, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1930
This is a hand-colored postcard with two photographs of Rice Hall and Crane Observatory on the campus of Washburn College, Topeka, Kansas.