Z-bar Ranch
Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch
now part of the
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
the Z-bar ranch house
Spring Hill Farm house
Cattleman Stephen F. Jones built his home in 1881 with hand-cut limestone. The 11-room house is characteristic of the Second Empire style of 19th century architecture. The springs on the hillside provided water to the house - thus the name. Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch. Nearby are the massive three-story limestone barn and Lower Fox Creek School. a one-room schoolhouse. The ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark in February 1997.
rear view of the farm house
side view of the farm house
interior parlor
detail of the quilt frame
the fireplaces in the parlors
massive post of the interior stairway
bed room
what the ranch needs to function
the limestone built necessity house
two holer
smoke house
spring house
water flows from the spring house
through the basement room under the smoke house
to keep a cool place to preserve food
crocks used to preserve foods
farm building
Phillip's 66
the Farm
the barn
incline to the upper barn bay
view of the Tallgrass Prairie from the barn opening
now part of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
the Prairie
for many years wind power has
pumped water for the cattle
but now landowners seem reluctant to use wind power to generate electricity
by installing modern wind turbines and using the abundant wind of the Flint
Hills
