Hoy family to discuss their ranching heritage at historic Flint Hills ranch

The story of a Flint Hills multi-generational family will be told Saturday at Pioneer Bluffs, a historic ranch in Chase County near Matfield Green.

The event begins at 2 p.m. and will feature Jim and Cathy Hoy, Josh and Gwen Hoy and Farrell Hoy Jenab along with other members of the Hoy family.

The Hoys have been ranching in Kansas since the 1870s.

Jim and Cathy Hoy of Emporia were instrumental in the development of the Flint Hills Discovery Center at Manhattan, Symphony in the Flint Hills, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and Pioneer Bluffs. Jim is director of the Center for Great Plains Studies and is a professor emeritus at Emporia State University.

Josh and Gwen own and operate the Flying W Ranch near Clements, which is a 7,000-acre working cattle ranch and is also a guest ranch.

Jenab is director of the Kansas Studies Institute at Johnson County Community College.

There is no charge for the event; however, donations will be accepted for Pioneer Bluffs, which is located on the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway K-177, 14 miles south of Cottonwood Falls or 1 mile north of Matfield Green.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 6:50 AM with the headline "Hoy family to discuss their ranching heritage at historic Flint Hills ranch."