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OUR HISTORY

A Legacy on the Plains

First Settlers Arrive

1869

Battle of Summit Springs

1869

School Constructed

1875

Church Constructed

1878

Community Hall Built

1911

Preparation of Railroad

1915

Post Office Established

1919

Denmark Splits

1970

Foundation Begins

2016

Post Rock Pioneers Remembered

2017

Indian Raid Monument Erected

2019

Camp Piley Monument Dedication

2022

The History of Denmark

Founded in 1869 by Danish settlers, the city of Denmark has a rich history and a fascinating story of perseverance and togetherness. In May of the first year of the settlement, many of the original settlers lost their lives in a violent Indian raid. Today, the majority of Denmark area residents are descendants of those early settlers, four and five generations later. See the full history of Denmark below:

Beyond the Prairie Wind

History, Folklore, and Traditions from Denmark, Kansas

Beyond the Prairie Wind speaks to young and old alike as it tells a story of immigrants' dreams and their resolve and determination to make those dreams come true. It is a colorful story of adventure, heartbreaks, and joys on the Kansas frontier. The determination of early Denmark dwellers is seen on the faces of their descendants today. Many of their namesakes remain. Ruth Sorensen, who married one of these descendants, grew up near Denmark, Kansas, received a B.A. from Fort Hays State University, and then with her husband moved to a farm outside Denmark. Living on the Kansas prairie today, surrounded by scores of community friends eager to share their heart-touching stories of immigration and homesteading, she was inspired to record this story of Denmark, Kansas.

Home of an American Hero

Shannon Alan "Mac" McKinney, a resident of the Denmark area, was a retired sergeant major in the U.S. Army, the highest enlisted rank, and was the owner of McKinney Farms. He enlisted in the Army in 1988 and served 26 years before retiring in January 2015, passing away shortly after in 2016. His service included multiple combat tours totaling five years: seven tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, one in Bosnia, and one in Panama. The last 16 years of his service, after service as a Ranger and Green Beret, were in the Army's elite Delta Force. Over the course of his service, McKinney participated in hundreds of high-risk missions and operations. His many awards include the Legion of Merit, nine Bronze Stars (two with the "V" for valor in combat), and three Purple Hearts. In his first year in the Army, while with the Rangers in 1989, he was one of the first two people through the doors of the Panamanian Defense Forces headquarters.

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