Greetings from the Lincoln County Museum! This is a quick update on what’svbeen happening with the museum and the Historical Society.
Thanks to sisters Carlene Friesen, Kay Gabelmann and Carol Lingenfelter, the Lincoln County Historical Society has a second schoolhouse. (Topsy is the first.) Surprise school, in Marion Township, was district No. 58. It was made of limestone and is in excellent shape. The deed transfer has been completed and the sisters donated additional funds for the upkeep. A metal door is probably the first item on the to-do list.
The schoolhouse will remain in the country, in a beautiful setting with a merry-go- round and a nearby pond, and the LCHS will look for ways to hold programs and events there. Thanks to the “Gabelmann girls” for the priceless gift!
Annual meeting
Our speaker was Jim Mayhew, president of the Smoky Hill Trail Association, who talked about the people who passed through Kansas on their way to Colorado to mine. Jim brought artifacts from that period and was very interesting. We’d like to have him back sometime with a bigger audience.
In the museum we’ve finally got item cards on the farm equipment on the overhang in the main room. Thanks to Stan Crawford for help with that. Items on the porch are next!
We bought a new bookcase for the Cooper room to fit the notebooks of “It Happened in Kansas” originals. Pam finished an index of those, which will help. The Cooper display has been extensively culled and labeled. Still work to do in there but it’s in better shape.
We had several different Denmark displays so those have been combined in the main room. Still work to do there, too, but getting close.
Request for photographs
We try to avoid accepting pictures of unnamed people, BUT we could really use photos of businesses and homes in the county. Even if the house is in the background of a photo, it would be helpful. For instance, I have a fairly poor photo of my grandfather in front of our old house on School Street – but the house is clearly identifiable. I will add that to the archives. Knowing where the house is – also helpful but we can usually track them down.
Lincoln businesses on Main Street are on my mind right now as we plan a walking tour in conjunction with our next Founders Day. Remember, you don’t have to give us the original if you don’t want to part with it. Bring it in and we can scan it, usually right then, and return it to you. We don’t have nearly the number of business photos we should.
New signs
After some pandemic-related displays, the LCHS has started putting up the 25 signs marking important historical spots in the county. Mike Day and Cooper and Carter Rathbun install a sign at the Lincoln Cemetery.
Director
Museum director Tracee Hamilton (who is writing this) is stepping down as director and Dana Chapman is taking over. Dana has great love for Lincoln and for the museum and is enthusiastic about it all! Tracee will continue to volunteer.
