Frank Carlson - Frank Carlson: Prairie Politician

Frank Carlson: Prairie Politician

In April 2011, the Frank Carlson Library in Concordia, Kansas received a mini grant from the Kansas Humanities Council to renovate the library’s Frank Carlson Room. The grant funded the development of a new exhibit dedicated to telling new generations of Kansans about Carlson’s life and political career. Coinciding with the yearlong Kansas 150 Commemoration, the renovation was part of a statewide initiative to preserve the memory of important people and events in the state’s past. Senator Frank Carlson is the only Kansan to have held four major public offices and is known as “Kansas’ Favorite Son”.

The renovation project replaced the original Frank Carlson display, created in 1976 and shown until the summer of 2011. The new exhibit, Frank Carlson: Prairie Politician, tells and preserves Senator Carlson’s story through an updated exhibit and modern archival techniques. The exhibit showcases Carlson memorabilia, photographs, and items from the Senator’s personal collection, which is housed in the Frank Carlson Library. Senator Carlson’s story is told in three parts, beginning with his childhood and church leadership in Concordia, Kansas, following him through his forty-year political career, and celebrating his legacy as a political figure and an important local figure.

Frank Carlson: Prairie Politician opened to the public on November 5, 2011. The open house was attended by Carlson’s family and friends, members of the local community, and state representatives. Library visitors can view the exhibit. Guided tours are available upon request.

The “Frank Carlson: Prairie Politician” exhibit is the only tribute of its kind to Senator Carlson’s life and political career. Until the publication of a forthcoming Carlson biography, the exhibit will serve as the primary space for the preservation and presentation of Carlson’s story. This effort to create a cohesive narrative about Senator Carlson will appreciate in value over time, as fewer Kansans have personal recollections of the senator.

The exhibit portrays Carlson as both a well-liked local farmer and a beloved senator who worked hard to represent the needs of his constituents. It conveys the positive feelings that the people of Concordia and Kansas have toward Carlson and their interest in celebrating his life. Carlson often said, “There are no self-made men. It is your friends who make you what you are.” The new display recognizes both his national importance and his legacy as a significant local figure. He is remembered politically as a great compromiser for his ability to garner support for legislation from both Republican and Democrat Congressmen. He is also remembered for his dedication to local youth programs, such as 4-H and FFA, for his determination to keep his farm running while serving in office, and for being an active and positive member of the Cloud County community throughout his life.

Among the items on display are a check from Dwight D. Eisenhower, written to Carlson in settlement of a friendly bet, several pens used by Lyndon B. Johnson to sign important legislation that Carlson supported, and Carlson’s elephant figurine collection. The exhibit also includes artifacts that tie Carlson to his hometown and home state. On display are the school bell from the schoolhouse Carlson attended in Cloud County, Kansas, caricatures and political cartoons drawn by fellow Concordian Don Musik, and keepsakes on loan from Carlson’s friends and family.