Footsteps: The Fort Larned Podcast

Hosts: Ben Long and Kristin Keith Guests: George Elmore, Mike Seymour, and Pete Bethke The last episode of Season 2 of Footsteps is here and is totally different than all the other episodes this season. In this episode, we sit down and hear from our hosts as well as some other staff members about some of their favorite stories as they relate to Fort Larned.

Hosts: Ben Long and Kristin Keith Guest: Heather Brown Enjoy this episode as we talk with Heather Brown, the Chief of Interpretation at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Join us as we discuss the intricacies of preserving both natural and cultural resources and the challenges that come with them.

Hosts: Ben Long, Kristin Keith, and Liz Rasmussen Guest: Eric Leonard Enjoy this episode as we talk with Eric Leonard, the superintendent of the High Plains Group in Colorado and New Mexico. The parks he manages include Amache National Historic Site, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Capulin Volcano National Monument, and San Creek Massacre National Historic Site.

Guest: Luecreasea Horne Hosts: Ben Long, Kristin Keith, and Liz Rasmussen This episode, we talk with Luecreasea Horne, a Park Ranger at Nicodemus National Historic Site and a sixth generation descendent of the original settlers of Nicodemus. Join us as we talk about the history of Nicodemus and its connection to Fort Larned!

Guest: Dr. Doug Scott Hosts: Ben Long, Kristin Keith, Liz Rasmussen Join us as we talk with Dr. Doug Scott, a career archeologist who has worked the National Park Service as well as other agencies as he has sought to uncover the stories of those in the past. Dr. Scott's work has taken place not only within the United States, but internationally as well.

Guest: Judy Readding Hosts: Ben Long, Kristin Keith, and Liz Rasmussen Join us as we talk with Judy Readding, a Larned native and someone who lived on the Fort Larned Ranch before it became a National Park Service site. Judy's perspectives offer a unique look into the Fort's early years as a historic site as well as its life as a working ranch.

Guest: Celeste Dixon Hosts: Ben Long, Kristin Keith, Liz Rasmussen Join us this season as we examine how and why the National Park Service preserves both cultural and natural resources and how the stories within are discovered, preserved, and told. Enjoy this episode as we talk with Celeste Dixon about her experiences as a Park Ranger at Fort Larned National historic site as well as other National Park Service Sites.

Host: Ranger Ben Long Co-Host: Intern Carter Atteberry Description: As the culmination of Season 1 where we looked at Fort Larned's Past, Present, and Future, in this episode, we hear from a few volunteers and visitors to get their perspective on Fort Larned, how it tells the story of the past, how it's preserved today, and how we hope to keep in around for generations to come.

Host: Ranger Ben Long Co-host: Volunteer Emma Thompson Guest: Friends Group Chair, Kristin Keith Description: As the Chair of the Fort’s Friends Group: the Fort Larned Old Guard, Kristin Keith helps lead the Old Guard to fill in some gaps in funding, projects, and acquisitions that the park is unable to fulfill on its own. Join us as we discuss the plans for the Village site, Fort Larned’s future, and the Old Guard’s role in it all.

Host: Ben Long Co-host: Canvas Lovesee Guest: Kevin Eads Description: As the fort’s Superintendent, Kevin Eads’ job revolves around looking into the future of the park to not only ensure it remains for future generations, but to improve it as well. Join us as we dive into the uncertainty that is Fort Larned’s future and the role visitors, volunteers, and staff play in it.

Host: Ben Long Co-host: Lynn King Guest: Tyler Blind Description: As the Fort's Carpenter/Historic Preservationist, Tyler Blind not only sees firsthand the repairs that need to be done to the Fort's historic structures, but he's also one of those making the repairs. In this episode, Tyler discusses historic preservation techniques and their importance to historic preservation and the importance of keeping what's here, here.

Host: Ben Long Co-host: Jeff Weisbeck Guest: Bill Chapman Description: As Facilities Manager, Bill Chapman oversees his team as they maintain the buildings and grounds of Fort Larned NHS. In this episode we take a look at the challenges that come with being Facilities Manager as well as the challenges of keeping what's here at Fort Larned, here.

Guest: Mike Seymour Host: Ben Long Co-Host: Elizabeth Rasmussen Topic: As the fort’s Museum technician, Mike Seymour talks about the fort’s past, how we can better tell those stories through the items we have in our museum collection, and the care that goes into preserving these items. These items carry the stories of the past people who have used them. In this episode, we also talk about some of the items that have found their way to Fort Larned and some that have been unearthed right here at the fort.

Guest: George Elmore Host: Ben Long Co-Host: Carter Atteberry Topic: Fort Larned certainly has a multi-faceted past with many different stories — stories that Chief Ranger George Elmore has spent his entire career studying. In this episode we hear the stories of not only when Fort Larned was an active military post, but some of the actions in the past that brought us to where we are today in representing Fort Larned's past.