News, Events & County History

 

For the past 30 years, Ken Weidner has been donning Native American garments and participating in various living history camps from Wyoming to Texas. The Copeland farmer and rancher is also an artist, replicating tanned hides, beadwork, saddles and tools of the Indians. Weidner’s items have been displayed at museums and historical sites across the country including the National Museum of the American Indian (part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.) and the Gene Autry Museum in Oklahoma. As part of the Kearny County Historical Society’s 60th Annual Meeting, Ken will present a program focusing on how the lives of the Plains Indians were influenced by trading with the white man. Ken is also planning to bring many of his creations and artifacts with him.

This event will be Saturday, April 14, at the Deerfield Community Building. Doors open at 6 p.m., and at 6:30 we will begin the evening with a meal of pulled pork and all the trimmings. The evening’s agenda also includes a short business meeting and election of board members.

The dinner is by donation, but reservations are required. If you would like to join us at our annual meeting, you will need to call the museum and place your reservation by 4 p.m. on Monday, April 9.

 

Happy 157^th Birthday, Kansas!!

Although Kansas was admitted to the Union in 1861, Kansas Day was not celebrated until 1877. After two weeks of gathering information on the geography, history and resources of Kansas, Paola public school students spent the afternoon of Jan. 29, 1877, making presentations and sharing maps and drawings with parents, friends and residents of their community. Alexander Le Grande Copley, was the teacher at Paola that year. In 1879 he became superintendent of the Wichita schools, and Kansas Day was then observed there. Copley attended county teachers’ institutes and state teachers’ association meetings and encouraged the teachers to celebrate Kansas Day. In 1882 at the first meeting of the Northwestern Teachers Association, it was decided that a small pamphlet should be published including information about Kansas, its songs and sample speeches suitable for the observance of Kansas Day. The 32-page booklet was simply called, “Kansas Day.” At the next State Teachers Association meeting in Topeka, every teacher took home one or more copies. Purchased copies went to 65 Kansas counties, and for a short time the booklet was used as a textbook in the state normal school at Emporia. The popularity of Kansas Day continued to grow and is celebrated by teachers and students across the state today.

Last Friday, Lakin second graders visited the museum to celebrate Kansas Day. They learned about the history of Kansas Day, some of the first inhabitants of this part of the state, the Santa Fe Trail, how Lakin got its start, how the pioneers lived, the schools they attended and the first businesses here. In conjunction with the event, the museum sponsored a coloring contest for the second graders and awarded one child from each class with a special gift. Congratulations to our winners: Desi White, Claire Barnhardt, and Idaly Martinez! All of the second graders’ coloring pages will be displayed at the museum during the month of February.

Kearny Countians Fred and Billie Urie were avid collectors of Native American artifacts. Sunday afternoons were spent exploring Kearny County with their children: Harold, Sandra, Norman, Dennis and Margaret. They discovered many Indian campsites while on their adventures. Fred passed away in 1993, and upon Billie’s death in 2005, the Urie’s children graciously donated many of the family’s Native American artifacts. Recently Chad Myers, a Wichita State University graduate student in archeology, offered his services to sort and date the many Indian artifacts. He identified arrowheads, blades, drills, scrapers and knives and determined some artifacts date back to the Clovis Culture which is often thought to be the first civilization in North America. Those particular artifacts are between 13,800 to 10,000 years old. An additional case was needed to house the vast collection. We are  happy to report that  the Urie Collection is back on display for the enjoyment of our visitors. Please stop in to the Museum and check it out!

 

The Museum Annex is temporarily closed to the public as work is in progress on a much anticipated improvement. For years, museum staff and board have longed for air conditioning to be installed in the annex. In the summer months, being in the annex can be unbearable for our guests. Temperatures in the balcony reach well over 100 degrees. The extreme temperature is not only uncomfortable, but extremely hard on our artifacts. Museum professionals advise that fluctuating temperatures and humidity cause the most stress on artifacts, particularly textiles. In 2010, the American Institution of Conservation established that most cultural institutions should strive for a set point in the range of 45-55% relative humidity and a temperature range of 59-77 degrees Fahrenheit. Ramos Heating and Air Conditioning began work this week removing the old tube heater and installing a new AC/heating system. Next week Danny Crist will be here to plumb for natural gas, and we also anticipate the electricians to be here updating our system to handle the heavier load. We ask that you be patient during this process. We are very excited that this dream is coming to fruition for our visitors AND for the precious artifacts that we have been entrusted with.

 

Oh what a difference a fresh coat of paint makes!! The Great White House on the museum grounds is finally white again! The painters just recently finished this project which is one of many that have been on the to-do list for the oldest house in Lakin. A new roof was added last year, and the year before that work was done on the foundation to prevent future settling and cracks. There are some minor repairs still to come on the historic structure, but the old gal is looking pretty sweet! The White House is over 140 years old and was the home of Alonzo Boylan and his family. Boylan was the first railroad agent for Lakin. In 1916, the house was acquired by the O’Loughlin family and moved from its original location on the railroad right-of-way to Buffalo Street. In 1974, the house and the 1/2 block property it sits on were donated by the O’Loughlins to the Kearny County Historical Society. The pictures here show the finished project as well as what the house looked like prior to her new paint job. Doesn’t she look pretty?

One hundred years ago this week, the community of Deerfield bid farewell to some of its favorite sons who left to join Uncle Sam’s Army and put an end to World War I. The adieu included an open air dance with live music from the Deerfield Orchestra on the evening of August 2, 1917. The next morning the soldier boys of Deerfield Company F, led by Lt. Roy Thornbrough, met on Main Street Deerfield where “Rev. Gibbons of Lakin, made a very appropriate and fitting talk, in farewell to the boys.” A few more good-byes were spoken by friends and families, and then 10 of Deerfield’s finest citizens drove the boys to Larned where a reception was given to them upon their arrival.

 

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated the month of July as National Ice Cream Month and called for all people of the United States to observe these events with “appropriate ceremonies and activities.” The Kearny County Historical Society Museum did just that this past Saturday, July 15, 2017. Over 140 visitors, young and old alike, came out to enjoy free ice cream at our Annual Ice Cream Social.  

The Kearny County Senior Center recently implemented a new program in cooperation with the museum. Small groups of senior citizens visit specific areas in the museum on designated days. They then return to the Senior Center for lunch and a round table discussion or “memory sharing.” Last week the group visited the machinery building, concentrating on the washing machine and stove displays. The theme was “Women’s Work Was Never Done.” We heard several interesting comments about our equipment and how some had used the exact same thing in their younger years. This week they visited the depot. “All Aboard” was centered around memories of the train and depot. Next week, they will concentrate on the mens’ and womens’ clothing displays in the museum for “Dressed to the Nines.” If you would like to participate in this program, contact the Senior Center at 355-6482.