Pete "Fritz" Felten, Jr. was born and raised in Hays. Pete was a track star and expert swimmer in high school and spent one year at Fort Hays State College. His interest in art and sculpting began during his time of service in the U.S. Navy between 1952 and 1956 when he was able to visit art museums along the east and west coasts and Hawaii. Once he was out of the service, Pete then toured museums in St. Louis, Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Chicago, Boston, Hartford, and Baltimore. Pete then attended an art league school in New York for one month but returned to Hays to pursue his sculpting career.
We invite you to take a driving tour of Hays and enjoy 19 sculptures Pete has created here in Hays, and we will provide a listing of 10 others he has created for other communities. Addresses are available at the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau.