By: Lauren Gray, Head of Reference
Share the gift of history this holiday season.
Day 5: Coasters
(Part of the 12 Days of Archives DIY Series)
Uncle Phil (and his coffee cup ring stains on the good furniture) may not be visiting this year, but you can still get these coasters ready for next season. And what better gift to give than a splash of Kansas history across your coffee table? Coasters are great conversation-starters and the ultimate furniture-savers. We’ve picked our favorite scenes below.
Coasters are pretty easy to make, if a little sticky! You’ll need small tiles, Mod Podge (a multi-purpose adhesive available at most craft stores), spray sealant, paint brush or sponge, felt pads for underneath the tile, and your photos, printed and trimmed to the size of the tiles. Glue each photo to a tile using your sponge and Podge, then apply three layers of Podge evenly over the photo with your sponge (be sure to wait for the Podge to dry completely between each round). Once the final layer is dry, take the tiles outside and spray on the sealant in another three rounds, waiting between each for the layers to dry completely. (Make sure to spray the entire tile: front, back and sides.) Wait 24 hours for the sealer to dry completely, then glue the felt on the bottom of each tile. Easy peasy, and Uncle Phil and your furniture can now rest easily – on a piece of Kansas history!
You can still visit the Lawrence rail depot today. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and still has an active rail track next door.
The Kansas capitol as you’ve rarely seen it before. It took over 30 years (and three million dollars + inflation) for construction to finish on this historic building.
Another entry from the Register of Historic Places, the Hotel Jayhawk is a familiar site in downtown Topeka. Sorry, Wildcats, it’s nothing personal!
Train enthusiasts will recognize this as locomotive #3783. Others will recognize it as a larger metaphor for American expansion – robber baron capitalism, anyone?