Konza Prairie was founded in 1971 under the leadership of Professor Lloyd C. Hulbert of Kansas State University, after years of dedicated efforts to establish a field station for ecological research in the tallgrass prairie region. Several adjoining tracts, including the 2,923 hectare historic Dewey Ranch were purchased between 1971 and 1979. The station lands were purchased for Kansas State University by The Nature Conservancy with funds provided by Katharine Ordway. The site was originally named Konza Prairie Research Natural Area for the Kansa Indians, a Native American tribe that once inhabited the region. The large limestone ranch house and barn built in the early 1900s for the Dewey Ranch were renovated in 1996 and 2008, respectively and now serve as the station headquarters. The site was re-named Konza Prairie Biological Station in 2000. - Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS)