By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

The tale of two women struggling to homestead land in Thomas County will be among a series of pioneer stories included in the Smithsonian Institution's traveling exhibit.

While the series will start later this month in Lindsborg, the exhibit won't make its way to the Prairie Museum of Art and History in Colby until Jan. 8. The exhibit will remain there until Feb. 21.

The Thomas County connection will detail the story of two women, Melissa Alger and Alice Williams. Both sought to homestead land in Thomas County in 1885.

Both women took out homestead papers on land next to each other and built dugouts close to one another.

"They took turns staying in each other's dugouts to combat loneliness and to fulfill their requirement of living on their land half of the time," according to a statement issued by the Kansas Humanities Council, which is coordinating the traveling display.

Breaking the ground was a difficult task as well. Alger hired a man to plow the land, but had troubles seeing that the work was done.

After the ground was worked a third time, she planted corn.

Neither woman remained on the land for long. Williams sold her land in 1886 and married.

Alger married James Wallace on Oct. 20, 1886, the 19th couple married in Thomas County.

Wallace stayed on the homestead with her husband. Today, her headstone bears the image of her sod house.

"Melissa Alger and Alice Williams were two of the thousands that came to Thomas County in the 1880s," according to Sue Taylor, director of the Colby museum.

The Colby museum will have a companion exhibit, High Plains Journeys, which will showcase local journey stories.

For more information on the Colby museum or the statewide traveling series, contact the Prairie Museum of Art and History at (785) 460-4590 or check out the Web site at www. prairiemuseum.org.

The Humanities Council can be reached at (785) 357-0359 or online at www.kansashumanities.org.