Lewis Dyche
Lewis Lindsay Dyche was born March 20, 1857, in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. When he was 17 Dyche enrolled in the State Normal School, now Emporia State University, in Emporia, Kansas. After graduating Dyche attended the University of Kansas (KU) where in 1885 he became an assistant professor of zoology. In 1889 Dyche became an official professor of anatomy and physiology, and a curator of mammals and birds. In 1894 and 1895 Dyche made two Arctic explorations where he captured mammals and birds to add to his collection back in Kansas. On the first expedition his ship hit a reef and sank, and Dyche lost most of his cargo. Dyche was given another opportunity to return to the Arctic, and he was able to collect a number of other animal species. In 1909 Dyche became the game warden of Kansas, and lobbied for stricter rules regarding hunting in Kansas. Although this position was unpopular, the Dyche Bill was passed March 9, 1911. Dyche died January 20, 1915, in Topeka, Kansas, and the Dyche Museum of Natural History at KU was built in his honor.
Entry: Dyche, Lewis
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: June 2012
Date Modified: September 2015
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
