Sit down and get comfy.

Another dose of Hattebergs people is just what the doctor ordered.

Coming up, what would happen if and this is what we've done, we've we've said what if and how do we do we react?

If the Federal Reserve Bank had a survival plan for nuclear war that was centered deep underground in Kansas, see what it was like in the 1980s and learn what's become of it since.

Also.

When people come to town, the first question they always ask is, Well, where are the springs?

Now we can show them where the springs are.

Decades after the well ran dry.

See how Conway Springs was able to once again live up to its name.

Plus, I wish there was still like it was.

16 years ago.

Well, the sands of time take their toll on all of us and our surroundings.

Although Maria Baumgartner persevered and still found joy in going to work every day at her little country store.

You'll learn the backstory and why she just didn't want to give it up.

And we'll also bring you this.

Idea, whole thing for how you make your kids have fun.

And then we have fun and you go home satisfied.

And night you made some kid happy.

What's more wholesome and down home than the Kansas State Fair?

We're going to visit the 85 Fair and meet a man whose greatest joy was operating the merry go round.

It is a priceless time capsule preserved for the ages.

Hello, I'm Susan Peters.

And I'm Larry Hatteberg.

Those are just some of the stories that are queued up and ready to roll for this edition of Hattebergs People.

These stories are like old friends.

Their lives radiate from the screen, like prophets of the past.

They were teachers, but not in a classroom.

Instead, they taught about life to those around them who cared to listen.

And I was their student.

Tension, fear, uncertainty.

We all learned to live with those emotions for nearly 50 years during the longest war in American history.

Now, the Cold War was a conflict unlike any other, and the stakes were almost unimaginable.

There was a plan for everything in the event of nuclear war, and Kansas played an important role in protecting one of America's critical institutions.

Here's what I discovered in 1984.

In case of war, this mineshaft at the Kerry Salt mine in Hutchinson would be the only entrance to the Federal Reserve banks.

Alternate headquarters.

Bye.

Bye.

Bye.

650 feet underground in the salt mine.

The underground vault in storage company leases space to those who want to store documents, films or any other important item must be stored in perpetuity.

It's here that the Federal Reserve Bank keeps an office.

Bank Vice President for Public Relations Barry Robinson gave us a tour of their facility.

Second reason we have this facility here is to provide a relocation site for the bank staff in case of a national emergency.

The staff would, with enough notice, come here and be in a position to perhaps reconstruct the financial doings of the institutions in the Federal Reserve District.

Based on the records that are kept here.

This vault adjacent to the work area acts as a repository for the bank's activities.

Reports are received daily, so information received in this room is always updated and accurate.

But there are problems.

In case of a nuclear war, there is some doubt that this area could really function effectively.

For example, the office equipment is early 1960 vintage.

There are no computers, even though almost all bank transactions are computerized.

This telex machine connects the room to the outside world via a telephone line, a line that would be rendered useless in case of war.

While this facility was established here in the early 1960s, after the Cold War period of the 1950s, when there was a lot of backyard and fallout shelters being built, this kind of thing, in the intervening 15 or 20 years, public priorities toward civil defense have been much less intensive, leading to a situation where we have found that this particular facility is has stayed pretty much the same as it as it was in the early sixties.

Another question in case of war, who would want to leave their family and come down here to work?

Well, the bank says they made provisions to bring down the employees entire family.

They have on hand here a large supply of food, cots to sleep on water and other provisions, which would while certainly wouldn't be like staying at the Hilton.

It would help preserve those folks and their families so that when the time came, we could get back to the work of doing the central banks business in the in the in the region.

But it's not wrong.

The plan it's right the plan to at least think about the other side of that, saying what what would happen if and this is what we've done.

We've we've said what if and how do we do we react if if the unspeakable occurs, the Federal Reserve Bank's function would be to reestablish policy on how many grows and how it is spent.

Information essential to preserve a banking system.

Larry Hatteberg, KAKE Television News.

Fortunately, that outdated facility never had to be used.

Six years later, in 1990, after the Soviet Union collapsed, the facility was dismantled.

The food it was donated to local soup kitchens.

David Reed, who is curator at the Reno County Historical Society, says nothing is left of it today.

Larry, the things you find.

Who would ever know there was this thing under the city of Hutchinson in the salt mines?

You found it out?

I found it out because somebody told me about it and I couldn't believe that the Federal Reserve would be operating in case of nuclear emergency underground there.

But they.

And they could.

Right.

The good news is they didn't.

They didn't have to.

Thank goodness.

Okay.

Old timers knew the story.

But to a lot of younger people in Conway Springs, their town's name, well, didn't make any sense.

They had to wonder, where are the springs?

Are there any?

Well, nobody could seem to find them then.

In the 1980s, it all started to make sense again.

They're proud of their water in Conway Springs.

Pure, soft, clean water.

It's still gurgling out of the ground from the original wells in the town park.

So what's the big deal?

Well, it's the first time in 35 years since anyone has seen it.

In the late 1870s, one of the founders of Conway Springs was Hiram Kramner on his land, which is now the town park.

He discovered these flowing springs of pure water, and soon folks from all around were coming to drink the water that some said had healing qualities.

With the lowering of the water table.

In the 1950s, the water flow stopped and these spring wells were covered with cement.

In the past few years.

Towns folks noticed the water flowing again and city fathers decided to dig out the cement and to try and restore the original spring wells into their surprise.

The original pipes were intact and the pure water was still run.

In the springs and half of the town's name, Conway Springs.

And when people come to town, the first question they always ask is, Well, where are the springs?

Now?

We can show them where the springs are.

In the early days, this was touted as the purest water in the state.

Whether that's still true isn't known.

But local children still drink it right out of the ground.

A recent test by the state indicates the water to be pure and safe.

Ice cream owners great grandfather said it was more than just water.

Well, I think mostly he claimed it helped his kidney problems.

We don't know if it'll help kidney problems or not, but it does help the town's sense of identity.

City fathers hope to have the well placed on the state's list of historic sites.

It's not often a town gets a second chance to resurrect its heritage.

Conway Springs has a heritage that you can see, touch and drink.

In other words, the Conway Springs are back.

This is Larry Hatteberg.

Ash lived to be 99 and he just passed away a few years ago.

Meanwhile, the water continues to flow freely in Conway Spring.

The mayor says the city has continued to maintain the spring house to historical standards.

However, the water no longer considered safe to drink because of nitrates used in nearby farm fields.

You know, and you kind of get a picture in your mind like 50 years ago or 75 years ago, what those Conway Springs, what those springs were like down there.

I think it would be fascinating to see pictures.

From and maybe the pioneers happened upon those springs and thought.

Oh.

They thought they found gold.

Probably that would be the greatest thing of spring on the plains of Kansas.

Okay.

Our lives and our surroundings are ever changing, whether we like it or not.

But the woman in this next story had a routine, and she stuck to it.

Now, her name was Maria Bumgardner, and by 2009, she knew that her best days were behind her.

Same with her little town and her little store.

But even though the glory days were gone, Maria still found joy in the present.

Take a look.

Now I go to the house and help her out of the house and help.

Her over here.

That's Bill Fillmore helping Maria Bumgardner across L.A. Dales Main Street.

For a cup of coffee.

We sat here and waited until 630 and then 630 I leave.

It's an arrangement that's worked well over the years.

See how many people see my band over here?

Have a good day, hon.

Thank you.

And Barbara has been gone almost 13 years.

Bummy was her husband, Glen's nickname.

Together, they began this little Elm Dale store back in 1947.

I wish there was still like it was 60 years ago.

Since Bummy's death, Mariah has kept the store going.

Some say Mariah is in her middle nineties.

She says she's passed 39 her age to remain a secret.

Just a small town all gone by.

The view of.

Elm.

Dale is a town of yesterday.

The gold of the morning sun are the only riches left in the old bank building.

This Flint Hills town has no morning rush hour.

The post office flag warming itself and the sudden rise only disturbed by a wrinkle of wind.

It's quiet here.

I'm not all that busy, but it gives me something to do.

With sparse shelves neatly stacked.

Mariah sits close to the heater near the window.

Oh, if.

You.

Stop in for constant coffee, but no one ever asks for change.

Maybe somebody drove up.

Now you went there because of Mariah's failing eyesight.

Georgia Haley, the postmaster of Elm Dale, stops in to write checks for Mariah before she goes to work.

So I enjoy everybody that comes in.

Surrounded by pictures of the past.

Mariah sits among the history in this little place and ever moving far or fast.

Mummies.

Old soda fountain goes unused.

It's a place full of memories, a living museum and mummies.

Words decades ago echo true today.

I don't think either one of us could retire and be happy.

He was so right.

He's gone.

But Mariah continues.

I imagine there's going to be a quiet day.

I'll see you guys later.

Well, Mariah finally retired and closed the store in 2013.

Now, the mystery about her age, well, that ended when her obituary was published when Mariah died in 2018.

She was 102 years old.

Unbelievable.

She had a great life.

She and her husband ran that little store all of those years.

And the people in the community really supported it and protected her.

And I thought, that's just so sweet.

And it's what kept her alive.

It is.

You know what I've noticed about a lot of these stories that we update, Larry?

A lot of these people you feature live a very, very long life.

And it's probably because they're doing what they love.

And each of these stories, they're you're portraying them as doing something they love.

I hope so.

And so people can tune in when we're 102 and watch us do this right.

We love doing stuff.

All right.

The Kansas State Fair, we won't be 102 at the same time.

Well, we'll just say well, let's just say, okay, okay.

All right.

Kansas State Fair is a September tradition that goes back more than 100 years.

The rides, exhibits, attractions.

They're always changing.

But the joy this event brings to people, especially children, remains timeless.

Now, here's a trip back to the 1985 fair and a man who didn't want to share his name.

But he was happy to share how the fair made him feel.

Where we go.

I can.

You can go.

I like that rocking chair.

Yeah.

Here we go.

Well, you know, pretty good there.

Yeah.

She's your life.

A little one.

Can't wait that time.

We're going to stop in and man that hang out real tight and we're going to stop past 11 of the good 11.

And I enjoy working on the people and travel down that.

Come on up here, too.

Come on, Dad.

Get right up here.

Thank you.

All right, here we go.

Hang on tight.

Right now.

I like it, kids.

I've been working for 20 years now, and I've got to share that idea.

Whole thing behind you.

Kids have fun, and then we have fun and you go home and satisfy.

That night you made some kid happy.

That's the whole thing.

That's nice shot right there.

Yeah.

Hang on, Tiger.

Right to the right.

Stop, boy, get off.

Please stop.

Okay.

Come on, buddy.

Can I make off?

Oh, can you give me a how you day, huh?

All right.

Thank you.

Bye bye.

So that makes it worth.

I have a guy like that.

Pick him up, get a hug from you.

Right.

For you.

At least your name right there, no matter how tired you are, still makes you feel better.

Okay, hang on, everybody.

Hang on.

I'll go.

We're going to go.

Okay, spin it.

Higher tide, huh?

That's your hang.

I think you're.

Going to run around.

Oh, well, I know Susan has loved the fair, and we've seen carnival workers like the guy you just saw many, many times.

And you really enjoy going back.

I love the Kansas State Fair.

It is so warm.

Wonderful middle America.

It's what America is all about.

Right.

And I missed it last year for sure.

And this year we hope they start it up again.

And don't forget the merry go round.

The merry go round or the tunnel love, which is called the old mill.

The old mill.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

During our lives, we seem to get all sorts of things thrown at us.

It's the people who learn to make the best of things that tend to be the happiest.

One such person was Melvin Gilkey, who learned to get by with a little help from his feathered friends.

Come on, let's go.

Come on, let's go.

Yeah, come on.

Melvin Gilkey likes animals, most of them.

Birds.

But his favorite ones bark.

Hey, here I am.

Come on.

Let's go.

Sparky.

Come on, man.

Old English Bantam Rooster.

Hey, let's go over here.

Come on.

Where's your hands?

Not far from the water tower.

And bell is where Melvin can be found most days among the birds, plants and the animals he loves.

But it's this little rooster that he hand-raised.

It's now Melvin's house, pet.

He's one of a kind.

You're never going to see another one like you.

But this little rooster isn't the only bird Melvin has.

He's got a couple of hundred back behind his house.

And just occupy your mind or you're not thinking about yourself.

It is these birds that help him launch smoke.

For the past decade, Melvin has been fighting a serious heart condition.

These birds and animals are his tonic.

He just a good pet.

He would follow me all day.

But it is old Sparky, the rooster who provides the magic.

Boy who loves to be held.

Better yet, sit in a chair and sit on my leg and go to sleep.

Well, I don't know of any others around that would do it.

It, just like I say, occupy your mind to where you're not worried about your health.

If you've got a problem with anything, you can get you an animal like this and watch him and work with him and it just occupy your mind or you're not thinking about yourself and care.

Get in here with him.

Working.

But didn't have him.

I'd be in pretty bad shape.

And yes, the rooster sometimes poops in the house.

And it gets a little messy once in a while.

But that's you got to live with or I got to do the cleanup.

That's.

That's number one.

Oh, yeah.

He takes the rooster with him when he goes downtown.

Yeah, yeah.

He'll go any place where I go.

He toys with me.

But you get an animal like that in common, and I don't care what it is.

Chicken or pigeons or dogs, anything.

And that's how you can keep your life intact better than everybody around here knows about him.

Everyone has their own way of dealing with a serious illness.

For Melvin Gilkey of Belfry, Kansas, these animals are just what the doctor ordered.

What's up?

And eat.

You want to eat, too?

Smoking.

Come on, let's go eat.

Well, despite his failing health, Melvin went on to live another eight years.

He passed away in 2015 at age 73.

And I'm sure when he was taking care of the chicken, he got some looks.

There's no question about it, Larry.

Where did you find the guy with the chicken?

Well, you know, you find these people.

People tell you about these.

So you go out to see for yourself.

And sure enough, he had a chicken and he loved the chicken.

Unbelievable.

In the 1980s, many of us were doing the Jane Fonda workout, or Richard Simmons sweatin to the oldies.

But the couple in this next story kept in shape by spending time together.

Walking.

Doesn't sound like anything special until you watch the story from 1984.

For most of us, this may be the greatest amount of exercise we get all day.

Walking down the stairs at the office.

Well, there's a guy in Kansas, couple who believes in the art and exercise of walking, and they do it every day together.

They're ready to hit the road, Mom.

Hit the road.

Then first hit her and hit her hard.

That's what we got to do.

Elmer and Chris Kimball hit that road every morning.

They walk from their home to Goddard and back for a total of six miles.

They walk for their health and for the fun of being together.

It's it's more or less having a lot of fun and enjoying it and feeling a lot better after we get through.

You'll see them every morning about eight along 54 highway.

You wave, they'll wave back.

They recognize me now.

It is key for them that now, way back at them.

It's really good to see that old Phil of 66 and it's time.

To go back.

It takes them about 50 minutes to get to their turnaround point at Goddard and another 50 to come home.

I can walk, Wolf.

That is the best thing in the world for you.

So I did it.

And by the way, I feel better.

Well, it's fun being together with us.

It's fun.

And we enjoy it.

And feel good.

Makes you feel good, right?

As they get closer to home, this retired couple starts sounding more like two teenagers on a date.

He wants me to carry him home.

No.

I'm about to run out of gas.

Larry.

Feel it.

When you sit down, as long as you're going.

When you're all right.

But when you bend over, sit down.

Oh, I'm trying to keep it.

His death.

Way.

My trying.

That's not fair.

Right, Mom?

Maybe I should be carrying you there.

You know.

Sometimes the secrets to happiness in life are the simple things.

Like a walk with that special person.

Elmer and Chris Kimball are in touch with life's simple pleasures.

Ready to go.

In?

You betcha.

More about that.

It's been a good walk, though.

I love it.

You betcha.

This is Larry Hatteberg.

Now, Elmer lived to be 81, and Chris lived to the age of 94.

And as they would be walking along 54 highway out there, people would honk and wave, you know, be their friends.

And people just expected to see them out there walking every day.

That's a long way.

That's a long way to walk.

But they loved it.

They had a great time.

Kept them healthy.

A father and daughter in Wichita had a different way to stay active.

But for them it was more than just exercise.

As Larry reported in 1986.

Maureen Stambaugh, a retired Sedgwick County farmer and 11 time winner of the Kansas State Horseshoe Championship.

His daughter, Marianne, penning her current Kansas State Horseshoe Champion together.

They're pretty darn formidable opponents.

In the National.

I had 22 straight ringers and I really would have had 32, but I lost one ringer right ahead, 32 doubles in succession.

Well, it's been really lots of fun because one of the things my dad never got upset with me if I'd missed.

You know, if I throw.

Well, why?

Great.

And if not, why?

Fine.

That's fine, too.

Well, Dad didn't have much to worry about.

Mary Ann became the 1985 Kansas State Horseshoe Champion by throwing in the local Sunflower League.

Good job.

They practice and hold their meats here at Frontier Lanes in West Wichita.

But throwing horseshoes indoors is not how Mary and Dad began.

Yeah, that's where I got started.

Behind the old barn.

This picture hangs on a bulletin board in the throwing arena.

Maureen said it reminded him of his early days.

Yeah, exactly.

That's been 50 years ago.

I'm very lucky, though.

Not very many people at 81 years old can throw 40 feet and shoes are no good.

Old friends practice with Maureen's and his daughter.

They feel the outcome of the game is predictable.

I just get nervous.

I don't know whether I'm even playing horseshoes or not.

It's just something you can't keep up with.

Yes.

When you start throwing ringers, it's a lot of fun.

And then if you get in the rhythm, nothing to it.

And now for some horseshoe facts.

A horseshoe weighs £2, eight ounces, but varies with the player.

Regulation horseshoes won't fit on real horses.

And you've got to make sure you move the clay in the pit so it won't back up on you.

And don't forget, professionals use paint to spray the poles.

We have that calipers measures the horseshoes and filed.

If you get a burr on the horseshoe and then I carry a towel by horse who gets wet the sticky I clean my horse, you walk with it and then if I lose a game, I can wipe my tears away.

Obviously they don't lose many games.

We didn't used to have all the rigamarole like we have now, but yeah, I just threw horseshoes now.

Maureen said several more years of pitching in him.

He passed away in 1999 at age 95.

Marion went on to win the Kansas State Women's title 16 times.

Now, the last time was in 2000 for she was a top ten finisher in the World Horseshoe Tournament multiple times.

She passed away in 2008 at age 73.

As people doing what they love doing and getting great joy out of pitching horseshoes, it is Kansas.

That's true.

That's true.

But none of us would ever get that much joy out of it.

But they did.

And that's what makes us all different.

That's the important thing.

And that's what makes us all potential Hattebergs people.

There you go.

That's all this week for Hattebergs People.

hattebergspeople@kpts.org is our email address.

Until next time.

I'm Susan.

Peters.

And I'm Larry Hatteberg.

We're going to see you again soon.