T.C. Cork, prolific local general contractor who came to this area in the late 1890s, will be the topic of the program given by Justin Engleman at 7 p.m., Monday, June 26, at the Barton County Historical Society, 85 S. Hwy. 281. The program will be held in the Ray Schulz library; cost is $5 and is free for members of the society.

Cork came to Hoisington in 1898 from Marshall, Ill., and began building houses and barns, and remodeling existing structures with his brother-in-law. Soon he was being called upon to build larger buildings, including the Railroad YMCA building in Hoisington, the Osborne County Court House, the Arkansas Valley Telephone office in Dodge City, and the First State Bank in Leoti.

As time passed, Cork built the First Congregational Church in Great Bend in 1910 and then in 1922 began construction of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, 2123 Forest Ave., a building that he considered his pinnacle. He also built and remodeled several schools and banks in central Kansas.

He remodeled the building at Forest and Williams, which became known as the Cork Building. It had been constructed as a three-story opera house until he converted it to offices with the Great Bend Commercial College occupying the upper two floors. For a time, KVGB radio studios were also on the second floor of the Cork building, later Steinert’s Furniture occupied the entire building.

Engleman has identified more than 70 structures Cork built or remodeled and will present the history and facts and figures of each of these structures.