Chilocco Indian Agricultural School
The Chilocco Indian Agricultural School opened in 1884 in a single, two-story stone building on the open prairie south of Arkansas City, Kansas. Native children, initially from the plains tribes but eventually from across the United States, came to live and learn at the place known as "Prairie Light." Students were instructed in both reading and writing, but also in agriculture and domestic sciences.
For many years, native students were forbidden to speak their own languages, but policy changes in the mid 20th century encouraged students to embrace their own cultures as well as to learn new academic and trade skills. By the 1950s, the campus grew from a single building to a sprawling campus housing over a thousand students.
Changes in educational philosophy and government policy led to Chilocco's closing in 1980. The campus is empty, but scores of alumni still return each year to relive an important part of their lives.
Written by Jim Gabbert, Architectural Historian
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