TOPEKA – At its regular quarterly meeting held at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka on Saturday, the Historic Sites Board of Review voted to list two properties in the Register of Historic Kansas Places. They also forwarded 17 nominations to the office of the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C., to be evaluated by their professional staff. If they concur with the board’s findings, the properties will be included in the National Register. Twelve of the National Register nominations are the result of a partnership between the Kansas Historical Society and the National Trails System of the National Park Service to document historic resources along the Santa Fe Trail.

The National Register of Historic Places is the country’s official list of historically significant properties includes the Red Barn Craft Studio at 212 S Main, in Lindsborg.

The Red Barn Craft Studio is an assortment of interconnected buildings and sheds that artist Lester Wilmer Raymer used as his studio and residence for more than 45 years.

The property, which later became known as simply the Red Barn Studio, served as his art studio, gallery, and residence from 1945 to 1991, and it continues to function as a gallery and museum dedicated to Raymer’s art.

During the years Raymer was associated with the property, he remodeled and transformed the early 20th century buildings using recycled materials and the result is a unique property that very much displays Raymer’s folk art abilities and his evolving skill of working with a variety of mediums.

The period of significance begins with Raymer’s acquisition of the property in 1945 and extends to 1975, with the last of his major exterior renovations to the property. In addition to the sprawling studio, the property includes an early 20th century residence, a free-standing one-car garage, and a shed.

It was nominated to the Register of Historic Kansas Places for its association with artist Lester Raymer and for its expression of Raymer’s artistic abilities.

The National Register of Historic Places includes Manweiler-Maupin Chevrolet at 271 S Main Street, in Hoisington

The Manweiler-Maupin Chevrolet Dealership in downtown Hoisington in Barton County was constructed in 1944. The building serves as the third location of the Hoisington-based dealership, which was founded in 1928 by J.B. Slade.

The business not only survived the Great Depression, but outgrew its original location and relocated in 1932. Slade sold the business to his two sons-in-law, August Manweiler and Wayne Maupin, in 1937.

It was during World War II that the two partners decided to build a new facility, and one of the most unique aspects of the building’s history is the timing of its construction during the war when auto assembly had come to a halt as production shifted to the war effort.

Plans and specifications were provided by Mann and Company of Hutchinson. The building reflects the Streamline Art Moderne style with the curved showroom, rounded corner, use of glass block and horizontal banding around the building. Today the business continues under the ownership and operation of Slade’s great-grandson Gene Manweiler.

It is nominated to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Roadside Kansas multiple property nomination for its local significance in the areas of commerce and architecture.