Bio
I am a Kansas native who studies the history and environment of the Great Plains. My current project is WINDSWEPT, a history of wind on the grasslands. It is second in a planned trilogy about the history of fire, wind, and water on the Plains. I teach courses on the American West, Great Plains, U.S. Environment, and the 19th century.
Ask a Historian
What is a memorable item you’ve found in the archives?
At the North Dakota Historical Society I found an account of a 1913 prairie fire that burned a rural school, killing the young teacher (an Iowa native) and several of her students. It was the first time I ever cried out of empathy in the archives. I still think about that teacher and what she went through to try and keep her students safe.