From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for June 26, 1912:

• “The Merchants Association is to have a share in the observances of the Fourth of July in Lawrence this year…. The executive committee is to confer and act with Rocklund and Peek, managers of Woodland Park where the celebration is to be held…. The appropriation is to be used to secure a balloon ascension, a free act or for fireworks. The balloon ascension is the most favored, and an effort will be made to book some balloonist for this date. Otherwise the observances of the day will be in charge of the park managers. A ball game is to be played in the morning at the park between two good teams…. A matinee race is to be put on on the race track while a band concert will be given in the park. In the evening the band will give another concert while the program will be concluded with a grand display of fireworks.”
• “B. W. Smith, secretary of the Golden Belt Association, drove through Lawrence yesterday and stopped long enough to tell the city what a splendid road there is between here and Topeka. Mr. Smith has made the trip many times, but stated yesterday that he had never seen the road in better shape than now. Mr. Smith was making a trip from Manhattan to Kansas City over the Golden Belt road. He stated that the roads are good all of the way through and that he expects to see many tourists passing through here soon.”
• “About eight o’clock last night thirteen Y.M.C.A. boys from Topeka arrived in Lawrence after making the trip across the country on foot. The boys were very tired, but reported that they had a splendid time on their trip from Topeka. W. E. Woodard, secretary of the Topeka Y.M.C.A., accompanied the boys. When they reached Lawrence, the boys went to the Police Station and obtained permission to spend the night in Central Park. They were up early this morning, and after visiting the local Y.M.C.A. started out on a trip about town. They will probably sleep in the park again tonight, and return to Topeka tomorrow.”