FHSU University Relations

Patty Nicholas, archivist at Fort Hays State University’s Forsyth Library, received the Award of Merit from the Smoky Hill Trail Association for organizing and maintaining the Smoky Hill Trail archives.

Nicholas started the project in 2012.

“The trail is important because it was a road that was used for people going out to Colorado during the gold rush,” Nicholas said. “The trail later became important for the military that were moving along the trail.”

The archives are available to the public in the special collections room in Forsyth Library from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.