The original site where the song "Home on the Range" was written
Dr. Brewster M Higley wrote a poem titled “My Western Home” to describe the beauty of the site he had chosen for his Kansas Homestead in 1871. He penned this now-famous work on the bank of the West Beaver Creek in Smith County, Kansas, where along with the help of a few friends, he also constructed a cabin on July 4, 1872.
Dr. Higley presented the poem to his friend Dan Kelley who set it to music and then gave it to John Harlan, the leader of a family band that included Kelley. The song “Home on the Range” was born.
The Home on the Range Cabin is listed on the National Historical Register. The entire site is privately owned and managed by the Peoples Heartland Foundation, a 501c3 charity. Thanks to the donations of individuals, companies and other charities, the Cabin was completely restored to its original form in 2013. The Cabin is open for visitors daily from daylight to dark.
“When one visits the site of the Higley Cabin you are automatically drawn to the fact that this is where the “Home on the Range” was written and you can almost visualize what it would have been like to have been here those many years ago. Those of us who have gathered here understand the “SPIRIT OF PLACE” that this cabin has and why it is important for us to preserve this site. Our next challenge is to make sure the next generation understands why this site is worth preserving and maintaining for other future generations.”
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