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Albert Curley

Curley was instrumental in the creation of the Buffalo Soldiers Memorial in Junction City. He is one of the last surviving of the Buffalo Soldiers regiments, all-black units formed just after the Civil War and deactivated near the end of World War II.

For Curley, who served 28 years in the Army, including World War II, Korea and Vietnam, Fort Riley is home. Like so many military retirees in the area, he enlisted at Fort Riley and has always felt an attachment to teh area.

Read more in KSNT Story, February 2007

The Gilbert Hammond Family

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Hammond are descendents of one of the founding African American families.

Hammond is a longtime member of the Kansas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The Gilbert family has been active in civic affairs over the many decades of Junction City's history.

The Waters Family

Seated: Betty and Bob Waters. Standing: Clarence (l) and Jim Waters

Representing business/commerce , Waters True Value Hardware Store is the oldest continuously operating business in Junction City.

Family patriarch, Bob Waters was born Oct. 21, 1920, and passed away in January of this year. He attended Kansas State University, where he was elected president of his sophomore class and played on the K-State football team. He entered the Army in 1942 and was stationed in England. On June 15, 1949, he married Betty Rolfs.

He worked for the next 62 years and never retired. Among his many activities and associations, he was perhaps most proud of his work with the Boy Scouts of America. He received the Eagle Scout rank in 1934 and, later was Scoutmaster of Philanthropy, Heritage Society Member, James E. West Fellow, Silver Beaver, District Award of Merit, Vigil honor of the Order of the Arrow, Founders Award Order of the Arrow, Wood Badge and the Distinguished Eagle Award.

He also collected Native American artifacts and was very interested in the history of the Great Plains.

For more than 100 years, Waters True Value has operated in Kansas, and now has stores in Junction City, Salina, Great Bend, Manhattan, Emporia and Dodge City.