Author: Museum Staff

Kearny County Museum values the health and well-being of our guests, community and staff. As a precautionary measure,we are closed to visitors until at least April 1. As the threat of Covid-19 increases and authorities make ever-changing recommendations and policies, we anticipate that we could be closed longer.

We apologize for any inconvenience and encourage you to practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings of people and stay at home if possible to protect yourself and your loved ones from the Coronavirus.

Our staff will still be available by phone during regular business hours should you have a question or need research assistance.

 

In keeping in line with the CDC’s recommendation that events involving groups of 50 or larger be postponed or cancelled, the Kearny County Historical Society will NOT be having its Annual Meeting on March 28. If possible, we will reschedule at a later date. We apologize to our members and friends. Please stay home and stay safe!

The 62nd Annual Meeting of the Kearny County Historical Society will be Saturday, March 28, at the Deerfield Community Building. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and a meal of beef and noodles with mashed potatoes and all the fixin’s will be served at 6:30. The meal is being catered by Kandy Katz.

A short business meeting will follow the dinner. Election of board members will also take place. Only members of the Historical Society may vote.

Guest speaker for the evening will be Hannes Zacharias. In the summer of 1976, Zacharias put his kayak in the Arkansas River at his hometown of Dodge City and traveled all the way down the river to New Orleans. He promised himself that he would one day make the trip again. In 2018, the then 64-year-old fulfilled that promise, but this time he traveled the entire length of the Arkansas from its beginnings in the Rocky Mountains to Venice, Louisiana. Zacharias will be talking about his journey, and observations and friendships he made along the way.

The annual meeting and dinner are free, but reservations are required for the event. They can be made by calling the Kearny County Museum at 355-7448. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY 4 P.M. ON THURSDAY, MARCH 19.

Kearny County Museum congratulates second graders Renata Quinones, Miles Delgado, Briseis Ornelas and Alex Johnson. The four students were winners of our Kansas Day coloring contest. Each received a special gift for their efforts, and their pictures will hang in the museum lobby until the end of the month.

As part of their Kansas Day curriculum, second graders from Lakin and Deerfield visited the museum for tours of the main building, annex and school house. They learned about Kansas and local history during their visit.

Congratulations to Bruce and Linda Peters, the 2019 Kearny County Historical Society King and Queen. The Lakin couple were chauffered in the Lakin Christmas Parade on Dec. 14 by their granddaughter, Kaitlyn Peters. Bruce is a retired game warden, having retired from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks in 2003 after 37 years of service in southwest Kansas. Linda, a retired school teacher, taught in both Deerfield and Lakin schools. The Peters are both active in the Lakin Church of Christ, and Linda currently serves as the president of the KCHS as well as the Wagonbed Springs Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association.

Smoky Hills PBS’ local production of Traveling Kansas will highlight Kearny County on Thursday, December 12th at 7:00 p.m.

On this episode of Traveling Kansas, we follow the Santa Fe Trail to Kearny County. We will take a tour of the Kearny County Museum, view the Airshow in Lakin, and stop by Deerfield for their annual Summer Celebration.

“We had a great time filming this production of Traveling Kansas,” said Wayne Roberts, Corporate Support Rep for Smoky Hills PBS. “They have a lot going on throughout Kearny County and we were excited to showcase some of those great events!  More great communities in our great state of Kansas!”

This episode of Traveling Kansas will also premiere on the Smoky Hills PBS YouTube Channel on November 12^th at 7pm. (http://www.youtube.com/SmokyHillsPBS)

Traveling Kansas is a Smoky Hills PBS production that highlights Kansas communities, events, and natural wonders. Previous episodes can be viewed at www.smokyhillspbs.org.

Smoky Hills PBS serves 71 counties in central and western Kansas. It is available on many cable systems and DirecTV and Dish Network, which includes coverage in the Hutchinson and Wichita areas. More information on Smoky Hills PBS, its programs, and projects are available at www.smokyhillspbs.org or by calling 1-800-337-4788.

The Kearny County Museum, located at 111 S. Buffalo in Lakin, Ks. is currently accepting bids and proposals to construct a retaining wall and repair the driveway to the Farm Machinery Building directly across the street from the main museum building. For more information, please contact Julie McCombs, Director, at 620-355-7448 or stop by the museum during regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

The painters have finished with the exterior of the depot, and the historic structure is once again open to the public. The depot is kept lock, so you will need to stop in the main museum first. We will gladly unlock the 1882 building for you! Please note that our hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST, Tuesday through Friday.

Congratulations to Payton Allaman and Kade Hartman for winning the grand prizes in the summer scavenger hunt! Twenty-one children participated in this new activity, and many parents and grandparents tagged along to help those kiddos who were under 12. We are already looking forward to having this activity again next summer! A huge shout-out to all who participated!

The Depot located on the grounds of the Kearny County Museum is closed to visitors at present. Crews have been on sight making repairs and scraping in preparation for painting the 137-year-old structure. Lakin’s depot was built on south Main Street in 1882 and served this community for 100 years, its value to the growth and economy of Lakin immeasurable. When the railroad closed the depot in 1982, the Kearny County Historical Society purchased the historic building and moved it to the museum grounds. Railroad enthusiasts have been admiring the depot and its contents ever since. In addition to railroad memorabilia and equipment, the depot also houses the museum’s extensive collection of insulators, most of which were graciously donated from the collections of Jim Thomas and Web and Velma Cox. Stay tuned for updates on when the depot will be open again and until then, enjoy these photos of moving day in October 1982.