A free, open to the public talk about one of the most unlikely-sounding chapters in the history of The Institute Library: the chapter in which a group of members of this place, then known as The Young Mens’ Institute Library, decamped for Kansas to do their part to support the abolitionist movement in the developing American Midwest.
A man named Baldwin deeded land in Wabaunsee, Kansas, to the Library. Yes, for real. And then a bunch of Library members went out to settle the land and… yeah. History happened.





