SUBMITTED

The 30th annual meeting of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays will be held at 2 p.m. Sun., Jan. 29, in the Fort Hays Visitor’s Center.

The meeting will begin with a program by Dr. Leo Oliva who will talk about the Hancock expedition and Hancock’s War of 1867.

Hancock marched 1,400 troops, including the Seventh Cavalry under George A. Custer, from Fort Riley to Fort Larned, burned a Cheyenne and Lakota village in present Ness County, and crated a war where none had existed.

Fort Hays as well as Forts Harker, Larned, Dodge, and Wallace were involved in the conflict.

One of the decisions made on this expedition was to move Fort Hays closer to where the railroad was coming through. This move allowed Fort Hays to become a supply fort.

This year, 2017, marks the 150th anniversary of Fort Hays in its present location. 2017 is also the 150th anniversary of the founding of Rome, Hays City and Ellis County.

Sunday’s program is the first event of several celebrating the sesquicentennial.

The program is open to the public. There is no charge to attend the program and meeting.

After a break, a meeting of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays will be held. The Friends members will hear the progress that has been made in developing the site and plans for this year’s sesquicentennial celebration.

For more information, call the Fort at (785)-625-6812.