Butler County, which was home to Barack Obama’s grandparents and mother, needs to take a cue from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. A new Web site sponsored by the bureau has information on two dozen sites related to Obama’s past and present, including the hospital where he was born in 1961, the private school he attended from fifth through 12th grades, a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop where he worked, a favorite beach for bodysurfing and the USS Arizona Memorial (which the Obama family has toured). The bureau’s site kicks off with Michelle Obama’s quote that “you can’t really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii.” Butler County — and Wichita, for that matter — would seem to have potential for an Obama heritage tour.
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28 Comments
Barack Obama’s family ties in the Wichita area appear to need a lot more study. From my initial examination, it appears Obama’s ancestors, the Dunhams, etc. here in the Wichita area ub had stronger ties to the near west side (Delano) and the near east side, near Douglas Avenue, than is currently known.
Wichita probably needs a Barack Obama research coordinator for a year or so to sort this information out. Photos should be taken of related residences and business locations to help tell this important story.
Wichita’s downtown library would be the logical location.
NOTE: I am not interested in the controversy over where Barack Obama was born. It’s my opinion he was born in the Hawaii hospital as reported in his biographies. Virtually no chance that his young pregnant mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, traveled to Kenya to give birth. In fact, its doubtful she ever traveled to Kenya.
My main interest is in Barack Obama’s grandparent’s ties to Kansas. My preliminary study indicates their ties were stronger to Wichita than to Eldorado. I’m not sure where the Eldorado connection comes from.
This Wichita connection could be strong enough to provide a potential site for a future presidential libary. I do agree that Hawaii or Chicago would also be in the running.
And I’m not criticizing Kenya. Kenya is an amazing country in east central Africa. Its people are very smart and for years it has been a benchmark example for the rest of that troubled continent. Unfortunately this past year, Kenya and Kenyans got off track because of a disputed election, but I think that is more or less settled now.
Butler county as a tourist destination?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
JWink,
For geographical reference, what are/were the boundaries of the Delano district? I grew up on the west side, not far from Lawrence (Dumont) Stadium, but I don’t remember that area being called that until the past fifteen or twenty years. For the record, I’ve read the “cowtown” history of Delano, but don’t know the exact geographics.
Or should I just google it? sigh
“Butler County — and Wichita, for that matter — would seem to have potential for an Obama heritage tour.”
I think we should spend a quarter Mil and study it.
Fleetie! How nice of you to offer to provide money for the study!
The Supreme Court is refusing to hear the case that Obama was a British citizen when he was born.
Also, the case that he was not born in Hawaii was previously dismissed by a federal court.
Hawaiian officials have verified that the original long-form birth certificate which they do not make available for official copies shows that Obama was born in Hawaii just as the official copy verifies.
CONs got nothing. As usual.
“which they do not make available for official copies”
Something stinks.
I guess captain forgot this part.
“At least one other appeal over Obama’s citizenship remains at the court. Philip J. Berg of Lafayette Hill, Pa., argues that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii as Obama says and the Hawaii secretary of state has confirmed.”
PreD – Delano is generally the area west of the River. So L-D is in Delano.
Delano has always been the fun part of Wichita.
Jwink would make sense for Kansas to promote its Obama connection for tourism and so on. So you wont see it happen
Gee – I didn’t realize that El Dorado was in Kenya!
Delano’s modern boundaries are the Arkansas river on the north and east, Meridian Avenue on the west and Kellogg (US-54) on the south.
The people who currently own the old hardware store in Halstead have written a book that includes the history of the old cattle trails, how those trails moved westward with the quarantines. That was when Delano was finally included in Wichita — when those heathens quit coming through and the saloons and houses of ill repute were having to depend on the good gentlemen from Wichita for their support.
Back to the book. I bought one for my history-teaching son-in-law. Great maps, well documented history. And a visit to that old hardware store is always fun!
I work in Delano. I think the border to Meridian is a stretch, but that is what the association calls it.
I really think of Mclean to Senca as the heart.
It’s a great part of town.
More history here:
http://www.wichitadelano.com/history.html
Butler County as a tourist destination….
This might appeal to the type of tourists interested in seeing the world’s largest ball of Sisal Twine, or maybe those who make a pilmagridge to the Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States.
Maybe some local regional retirees on a day trip.
Anyone comparing Kansas to Hawaii as a destination spot needs their head examined.
But of course, some have called Obama the Chosen One, so maybe Kansas will see visitors in the number that visit Lincoln’s Tomb in Springfield, Ill..
http://www.visit-springfieldillinois.com/
The President-elect never even set foot in Butler County and most likely the state until January of this year.
Let’s not get crazy.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jan/30/nation/na-obama30
Just a side note. One time, during a vacation travel, I happened to start near the beginning of I-70 on the east side of the state. Was traveling to vacation at RMNP, Estes Park, CO.
Because I had some experience with local government and the small town tourism crap, I thought it would be interesting to count how many road signs point to tourist destinations on I70 west as I traveled across the state. Somewhere I have my notes, but there were like over 200 county museums and other small “historic” sites.
To be on an interstate route, there are requirements which must be met before approval of the signage. One requirement is to have the place open for a certain number of dates and times.
I’d venture to guess, for most of these “destinations” the only visitor each day is the person required to be there to unlock the door.
Kansas has value. But it’s not as a tourist destination. Hunting? History? Follow the various “trails” which all cross our state?
Need another hook.
Hunting can be an excellent hook.
I got it!
I need to get Obama to stop by my place. Just come close by.
I can then made a Bread and Breakfast and put the sign up saying “Barack Obama slept here”……
Just like George and Abe all across America.
Ching-Ching! Ching-Ching!
His grandmother was born in Augusta, Ks. Obama by the laws of Kenya had duel citizenship being his father was at the time a subject of great Britain as Kenya was a property of G.B. Under law Barrack being the offspring of a citizen of Kenya had citizenship until he reached the age of consent. But afterward he would have had to renounce his U.S. citizenship and swear to Kenya in order to be considered a citizen there.
Instead of “The Land of Oz”, we could use “The Land of Obama”
“Ching-Ching! Ching-Ching!”
Sorry to be pointing this out to challenged posters, but the correct statement is:
Ca-Ching. Ca-ching. (hard A’s on the first syllable).
See, and all this time I thought it was:
“Ka-ching.”
You remember the old manual cash registers any way you want. I know how they sounded to me.
You may stick to whatever everyone else says. The koolaide rules if you want.
And when Steven Davis has nothing productive to add (which is most of the time), he attacks the poster.
Turns out he is no better than anyone else trolling the weblog.