News, Events & County History

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.

What a great turnout we had for our annual ice cream social on July 13! Cowboys, cowgirls, young and young at heart came to enjoy a cool treat on  us and check out the museum. After the social, the Kearny County Saddle Club hosted a bicycle rodeo for the wee ones. There were some fearless competitors in the pole bending and barrel racing. Fun, fun and more fun in the hot July sun!

Parents and grandparents, grab your children and head to the museum to participate in our summer scavenger hunts. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult who can assist them, but any child up to age 17 is eligible to participate. Participants are given a sheet of clues. All of the answers can be found in the museum with careful observation and reading of informational signs. Children who complete the hunt receive an old-fashioned candy stick. If all of their answers are correct, they are entered into a drawing to receive a special prize at summer’s end. Children may participate in the hunt three times. A different set of clues is given each time.

There is no fee, just a lot of fun!