As promised last week, we are continuing our story on the Kearny County Historical Society’s museum located on Buffalo Street here in Lakin, Kansas, USA!
The museum’s main building, dedicated in May of 1980, houses our lobby, library, early business displays and staff offices. The lobby includes a historical timeline of Kearny County, tributes to the O’Loughlin Family and charter members of the KCHS, and pictorial collages and information about both past and present communities of Kearny County. Visitors can view videos about our history in the Otis and Mary Lee Molz Theatre, and souvenirs and literature are also available here. In our town square display, visitors stroll back in time in through the general store, dentist and doctor’s offices, newspaper shop, drug store, clothing shops, barber shop and more. Researchers will find a wealth of information in our library which includes so much more than books! Extensive files are kept on local history and families and include original documents, publications, photographs and microfilm.
After the main museum building was completed, people started bringing in items to fill the museum, and by the end of 1981, the building was full and the KCHS began contemplating erecting another building to accommodate the overflow. In January of 1983, the go-ahead was given to begin ordering necessary supplies to build the 50×86-foot annex. Once completed, the annex was used for fundraisers like garage sales and square dances with the proceeds used to help finish its interior. At the same time, work was going on to refurbish Lakin’s depot. Built in 1882 just off Main Street, the depot closed in 1982. It was purchased and refurbished by the historical society, some of the funds being raised through the “Save the Depot” campaign. Jim Thomas, the grandson of John O’Loughlin and a retired Santa Fe engineer, was instrumental in the restoration and in equipping the depot. An open house was held in June of 1984 for the depot and the annex. While an assortment of telegraphic equipment, train memorabilia, insulators and Santa Fe calendars are on display in the depot, the annex transports visitors further back in time. Mastodon tusks, fossils and Native American artifacts give visitors a glimpse into the lives of the earliest creatures and humans to call Kansas “home.” An 1831 Conestoga wagon, Santa Fe Trail exhibit, military display and much more can also be seen in the annex.
Also in 1984, Paul Bentrup donated to the KCHS 10 acres of land about four miles east of Lakin that contain Santa Fe Trail ruts. These ruts are known as “Charlie’s Ruts” in honor of Bentrup’s father who made it clear to Paul that he wanted the ruts to be kept open to the public for all time and for visitors to be able to walk in the ruts. In 2023, the KCHS received the Hathaway Gaines Memorial Heritage Preservation Award from the Santa Fe Trail Association for our efforts in preserving Charlie’s Ruts.
In 1994, the Farmer’s Cooperative offered to sell their fertilizer repair shop and old office/scale building along with four lots across the alley from these buildings to the historical society. Realizing the need for additional property to house and display articles, the KCHS sealed the deal in 1995. While the old Co-op office is utilized for storage, the shop houses a grain wagon, fuel wagon, several tractors, 1964 fire engine, and other assorted machinery. There is also a one-room soddie created by Norman Simshauser and Charles “Doc” Merz from adobe bricks saved from the Columbia Grange Hall which stood 10 miles north of Lakin. Miscellaneous collections of antique stoves, washing machines, barbed wire, etc. are also on display there.
In June of 2000, the Kearny County Historical Society purchased the 12-sided round barn from the Robert Duncan family using donations and museum reserves. Built in 1909 by Robert Glass, a surveyor and superintendent of the Amazon Ditch Company, the barn contained stalls for four horses and six cows with a well in the center and a windmill on top to pump it. The barn changed hands a few times over the years before the Duncans acquired it. Other owners included William Carlile, Oliver Coder and Jack Kopfman. Russell Construction Company began restoration work in August of 2000, and the barn was moved to the Museum complex in January of 2001. Later that year, the Kearny County Museum received the Nyle H. Miller Award from the Kansas State Historical Society for preserving the unique structure.
Finally, the Deerfield Texaco Station was purchased by the KCHS in 2006. Harold Smith can be credited with the vast amount of paperwork that went into restoring the 1926 building and getting it placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The interior is decorated with miscellaneous gas and automotive memorabilia.
It would be next to impossible to name all the faithful volunteers, dedicated board members, and generous donors who contributed to the museum’s success. Currently serving on the KCHS board of directors are Linda Peters, Carol Bless, Bob Price, Marilyn Wolfe, Joe Eskelund, Karen Burden, Donna Neff, Judy Scott, Judy Moody, Brenda Rios, and Robbie McCombs. In the early years, volunteers kept the museum open for visitors, did repairs, curated collections and constructed displays. Then in 1983, Lucile Dienst was appointed as the first Executive Director. In 1986, Jill Johnson was hired as director followed by Nancy Gillock in 1989. Pat Heath took over the director role in 1991. Harold Smith joined the team as assistant director in 2004, but when Pat had health problems, he soon found himself in the role of director, a position he held until the end of 2013. Amy Baxley served as director until resigning in May of 2014, and Julie Grubbs McCombs has been at the helm ever since. Amy Fontenot, assistant director, recently completed her 11th year. In addition to greeting guests and giving tours, staff is kept busy with cataloging donations, researching and updating files, writing and producing social media posts, doing minor maintenance around the complex, coordinating special events, and fulfilling informational requests like those recently received from the Kansas State Historical Society, Kansas News Service and High Plains Public Radio.
Not many communities our size have a museum like ours. We hear it all the time when travelers stop in for a “quick” peek and then realize they should have carved out more time in their schedule to view all our buildings and artifacts., Please stop in and check out your local museum. If you haven’t been in in a while, you might just be surprised at what you find!
