By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Condensing Kansas history into a few words can be tricky. Travel writer Roxie Yonkey, with 30 years of experience writing about Kansas, is up for the task. For her latest book, "Historic Kansas Roadsides," she's focusing on the history of 80 communities around the state. She recently passed through Barton County to include Great Bend in the book that will be available in August.
"Great Bend, you have world-class birding," Yonkey said. "Zebulon Pike and the Southwestern Expedition camped along the Ark River by Great Bend for two weeks. You have Fort Zarah, you have the Santa Fe Trail, and you have the Battle of Kansas. Here are these mechanics working outside, trying to get B-29 bombers ready for the first raid on Japan. That first raid was an all-Kansas airplane affair, and I have to tell the story in 250 words."
Yonkey, a Nebraska native, has written several other books, including "Secret Kansas," "Amazing Kansas," and "100 Things to Do in Kansas Before You Die." While promoting the former, she began research for her latest book. She ventured off the major byways to include a few stops like Lawrence and Lecompton, but most of the book will feature stops along major Kansas roadways. The Great Bend section will also include details about the Norden bombsight.
"The Norden bombsite was this top-secret device that, theoretically, enabled more precision bombing," said Yonkey. "Unfortunately, as I understand it, they did not test it at the high altitudes so it wasn't as precise as it was cracked up to be. And the enemy already had it anyway, so all the secrecy was for naught."
Yonkey's latest book will include photographs and thumbnail descriptions from each stop, including Ellsworth, Ellinwood, Claflin, and Larned. You can purchase her previous books at Miss Pretty Pickles, 1214 Main Street in Great Bend, or by visiting roxieontheroad.com.