I was born in Medicine Lodge in 1943, at which time there was no
     hospital in town. I was born in the home of my maternal grandparents,
     Mary and Fred Hamilton. My grandmother delivered me.
       My parents, Freda and Kenneth Hartzell, worked for Harold Roessler.
     We lived on his farm located seven miles northwest of town. We had
     no electricity at the farm and had water puppies in the cistern. I 
     was happy when we moved into Medicine Lodge.
       The first couple ofyears of school were spent in the old grade 
     school, which stood on the vacant lot across from the present day
     Methodist Church. The huge building had dim hallways and big stair-
     cases at each end of the building that towered upwards to the other
     levels. I remember seeing bats flying around the belfry, and how
     frightened I was of the school. The town's people voted for a new
     grade school to be built, and the old one was torn down. How proud
     we were to move into the new building.
       My father worked for the National Gypsum Company. On Labor Day
     the company used to treat their employees and families to a picnic 
     in the city park. We usually had Ham and Beans and all the pop we 
     could drink for most of the day. This was a fun time for all.
       Christmastime in the town was always ushered in with a community
     sing at the high school auditorium, while waiting for Santa to make
     his appearance. At the end of the program, we were handed a large sack
     if candy as we left the building.
       Fourth of Julys were special. People gathered at the park for sack
     races and baseball games, and the evening was ended with a beautiful
     fireworks display; compliments of the city.
       During summers, before Medicine Lodge had a swimming pool, we used to 
     cool our feet by wading in either the Medicine River or Elm Creek.
     Sometimes we took along a package of wieners and a loaf of bread and when
     lunchtime rolled around my Grandpa Hamilton, my brother John, my sister
     Evelyn, and myself found a place to cook our lunch on the sandy river 
     bank.
       The Peace Treaty years were lots of fun. Medicine Lodge buzzed with
     activity. The adults were busy with organizing and practicing, and the
     school was bustling, too. Little children were practicing to be prairie
     flowers and coyotes, and everyone was wondering who would be chosen for
     the part of the spirit of the prairie.
       May, 1961, was special, for those of us in the final graduating class
     at the old high school. The town voted and built a larger high school.
       In August, 1961, I moved to Halstead. In 1964 I met Richard L. Hopkins,
     we were married. We have two children, Gregory Alan born in 1967, and
     Cheryl Ann born in 1970. Richard is a police officer in Hesston, and we
     lived on a farm outside of Heston. Thanks for the memoris, Medicine Lodge! 
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 236
     Submitted by: Marie Hartzell Hopkins