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Leavenworth County Historical Society About Us |
Newsletter Historical Society Gazette A quarterly publication for the members of the Leavenworth County Historical Society Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Date Summer 2002 KANSAS SAMPLER FESTIVAL The Kansas Sampler Foundation was established to educate Kansans, and all others who might visit Kansas, about our cultural heritage. The eight elements of the program are Architecture, Art, Commerce, Cuisine, Customs, Geography, History and People. The Kansas Sampler Festival was begun to provide an opportunity for towns and counties to share their tourism highlights and to network with each other. Marci Penner of Inman is the executive president of this organization that is dedicated to preserving and sustaining our rural culture. On May 4 and 5, the Carroll Mansion and five other museum organizations from Leavenworth and Lansing were represented at the Kansas Sampler Festival in Independence, Kansas. Bob Topping coordinated the display that filled three adjoining 8' X 8' exhibit spaces. Two of these spaces were paid for by the Leavenworth Convention and Visitors Bureau and the third was furnished by the participating museums. In addition to L.C.H.S., they were the Richard Allen Cultural Center, the Harvey House, the Parker Carousel, First City Museum, and the Lansing Museum. The Festival was attended by about 9,000 people during the two-day event. The various counties, cities, and towns were divided into six geographic regions. Each of these was housed in 50' X 100' tents in the beautiful Riverside Park. The displays highlighted the history, the natural beauty and events available to travelers in the Sunflower state. In addition, there were many great food vendors including one from Harper selling homemade ice cream. A stage for musical performers, a nickel per ride historic carousel, a tent for Kansas entrepreneurs and their products, a beautiful garden display from local greenhouses and 250 helpful volunteers from the Independence area made May 4 and 5 a great weekend for all attendees. In addition to Mr. Topping, Ralph Beckwith, Harvey House; Shanay Tate, Lansing CVB; and Matt Nowak and Sally Hatcher from the L.C.H.S. visited with a steady stream of potential Leavenworth tourists and tour group coordinators, passing out material including the new Carroll Mansion brochure. The 2003 Kansas Sampler will again be in Independence on May 3 and 4. The volunteers for this year are committed to returning with an improved display. People dressed to represent our history, such as Buffalo soldiers and a steamboat captain and others, should be added to the Victorian lady and prisoner who were there this year. Sally
Hatcher Administrator's Notes Much has happened since the last newsletter. Our Annual Meeting on March 15 drew ninety-six people to the Riverfront Community Center, where Dr. Bill Worley of the University of Missouri-Kansas City discussed five persons who had a dual connection to Greater Kansas City and Leavenworth. That meeting marked the retirement of our President Emeritus, Beverly LaRocque and the accession of our new President Wes Ludwig. I wish to thank Beverly for her hard work and personal support and look forward to two years of growth and progress with Wes. Retiring board members Dennis Seeler, Tony Baker, Julie Anderson and Sue Peterson received recognition for their contributions to the Museum. Their successors are Ken Bower, Holly Snyder, Hazel May Fackler, Martha Stephenson and Matt Nowak. Later in March we began the spring session of Living Museum. When these presentations ended on April 24, we had hosted 308 children and adults. Many thanks to our costumed volunteers-Nettie Graden, Ralph Griffin, Edna Bair, Wanda Holder, May Thomas, Betty Ludwig, Doris Cooley and Rosemary Sachse. Hallmark Cards, Inc. awarded us a grant for $1,500.00 on April 16 to help us repair the lower driveway and sidewalk. The old concrete will be removed and replaced with brick (including the sidewalk). Thanks to Hallmark for their generosity and support. The work will be completed this summer. On April 29, we received an award letter from IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) for a Museum Assessment Program. The award is for $1,775.00 for consultant services in the form of a peer review. This assessment will enable us to evaluate our overall operation and develop short, medium, and long-term objectives for the future. This is the first step in a four-year process to acquire accreditation from the American Association of Museums (AAM). This accreditation is a prerequisite for many federal grants. May 4 dawned warm and sunny. Perfect weather for the Eighth Annual Herb Market brought 712 eager shoppers to the Carroll Mansion to purchase baked goods, craft items, gift shop merchandise and, of course, seedling herbs and other plants. When the proceeds were tallied, the Museum had a net gain of just over $5,100, the best figure to date. This represents a 25% increase over the previous high in 2001. Thanks to all the volunteers, board members, and donors of baked goods and plants. Thanks to Gordie Davidson, whose Monkey Organ was a new addition to the event. Thanks to broom maker Bill Soetaert and his lace making spouse Toni for their costumed demonstrations. Thanks to all the crafters who participated. Special thanks go to the Herb Market Committee members, whose months of hard work contributed greatly to the success of this event. They are: Ginny Johnson, Sue Gervasini, Jane Gies, Sara Niemann, Sally Hatcher, Be, JoAnn Hendricks, Pam Westmoreland, and Cristel Ludwig. May 14, our intern from Park University, James Slavens, completed our One Room Schoolhouse Traveling Trunk. The trunk contains lesson plans, vocabulary and activities appropriate for fourth to sixth grade based on research that he conducted on rural Leavenworth County schoolhouses. The trunk will be available for the schools in the fall semester. Good work, James! Hallmark Cards, Inc. provided the funding for the trunk. Thanks go to them for their support. On May 18 Rebecca Phipps, our Curator, received a Master of Arts in Historical Administration and Museum Studies with honors. Well done, Rebecca! Mark
Bureman Museum and Office Summer Hours The museum is now operating on the summer schedule, which will be in effect until the end of August. Both the museum and office hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10:30-4:30 and Sunday 1:00-4:30. The museum is closed on Monday. The staff would like to ask that office visitors observe these hours and suggest that office visitors call ahead to make an appointment. Everhard Update As of May 21, volunteers and staff have cataloged 8,340 negatives. That number constitutes approximately 23.8% of the collection. We still need volunteers, so if you are interested in helping please call Rebecca at (913) 682-7759. Leavenworth County Historical Society is proud to introduce the museum's new greeting card line featuring images from the Everhard collection. The cards are blank for your personal message. On the backside there is information about the image along with the attributed photographer's name and the date the picture was taken. These are unique cards and your family and friends would love to receive them. The cards are available in limited quantities in the new gift shop-The Victorian Shoppe. Rebecca
Phipps 2002 LCHS Board of Directors Executive Board: Board
Members at large: Staff Museum
Wish List
From the Files: Wild Bill in Kansas James Butler Hickok (popularly known as Wild Bill Hickok), the legendary figure of the old West, had close ties to Leavenworth. In 1855, he left Illinois and came to Leavenworth by steamboat from St. Louis. He worked for a farmer named Richard Budd west of Leavenworth. He was with Jim Lane's Free State Army in 1858, and was constable at Monticello, Kansas (now a part of Shawnee in Johnson County Kansas). He was a driver for Russell, Majors, and Waddell in 1859 and 1860 and met William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill Cody). During the Civil War Hickok was a scout and Union spy. He frequently was with the Red Legs (pro-Union Kansan guerillas), though not formally a member of this group. In 1866, Hickok was at Fort Ellsworth (renamed Fort Harker now in central Kansas). He also served as a guide for General Sherman. In 1867, Hickok was a scout for the 7th Cavalry at Fort Riley. From 1868 to 1870, he was a deputy U.S. marshal and principal peace officer at Hays. In 1870, he had a Wild West show, which may have given Buffalo Bill Cody the idea. Hickok's show lasted just one performance. In 1871 and 1872 he was city marshal at Abilene and spent time in Topeka and Leavenworth. In 1873, Hickok joined Cody on the stage in Scouts of the Plains. Unlike Cody, Hickok did not care for acting and left after a year. He had left Kansas and was in Deadwood, South Dakota when he was murdered in 1876. For the record: There is no evidence that Hickok was romantically involved with Calamity Jane. The story is a myth contrived by Calamity Jane and nurtured by Hollywood. Wanda
Holder Living Museum The spring Living Museum Program concluded on April 24. 308 elementary students from six different schools participated. Some schools brought only one class, while another brought five of their classes to the Carroll Mansion. The Living Museum Program is a historical portrayal of "a day in a Victorian house". Volunteer actors in costume tell the children about the house, Victorian times and Leavenworth County history. The children are encouraged to participate with questions and comments throughout the presentations. Living Museum is presented to Leavenworth County fourth grade on Wednesday afternoons in the spring and in the fall. The annual program is free to the schools and is partially funded by donations from Hallmark Cards, Inc. Living Museum is very popular and has been presented to the community for over 25 years. The next Living Museum will be in the fall of this year. More volunteer actors are needed. If anyone is interested in participating in this program please contact Christine Bauer at the museum. A special thanks to the many devoted museum volunteers who have faithfully participated in this special program this spring: Edna Bair, Dorris Cooley, Nettie Graden, Ralph Griffin, Wanda Holder, Betty Ludwig, Scarlett O'Hara, Rosemary Sachse, and May Thomas. Christine
Bauer We need your help! Docents Gift Shop
Help Gift Shop
Help Collections
Help NEW BROCHURE A colorful, new brochure is now inviting the public to 'Revisit the Elegance' at the Carroll Mansion in Leavenworth. The brochure is the work of Heather Leavitt, graphic arts designer, and Advantage Printing. The Carroll Mansion appears on the front with the beautiful stained glass windows of the foyer also shown. A picture of Edward Carroll and the necessary information about touring the Mansion are included. The Leavenworth County Historical Society is very grateful to Commerce Bank, MidAmerican Bank, Armed Forces Insurance, Citizens Savings and Loan Assoc. and the First National Bank of Leavenworth for making this possible. The brochure is now available to travelers at four Interstate highway locations and a dozen sites in the Kansas City metropolitan area. This is one of the projects of the Resource Development Committee, Gary Bradley, Bob Patzwald, and Sally Hatcher. The Victorian Shoppe The museum gift shop has a new look, a new location and a new name, The Victorian Shoppe. Members had an opportunity to preview gift shop merchandise at the March Annual Membership Dinner. Hazel May Fackler, Board Member and Gift Shop Chairperson, dazzled members with a beautiful display of new Victorian-style gifts. Needless to say, we had several members come to the museum the following day to make purchases from the new shop. The Victorian Shoppe, as the name implies, offers Victorian-style gifts for all occasions. The shop is located in the former drawing room (square room) of the Carroll Mansion. The new location and merchandise seem to be very positive changes since sales are already up 143% from this time last year. You take a step back in time as you experience elegant shopping at affordable prices in a relaxed atmosphere. We will also provide you with good customer service. After finishing your shopping we can offer you a gift bag and greeting cards for all occasions. The Victorian Shoppe is open six days a week during the museum's hours of operation. There is no admission fee to customers not wishing to tour the museum and the shop is open to the public. As a Historical Society member, you will receive a 10% discount on all your purchases. Please come and browse and pass the word that there is a new shop in town- The Victorian Shoppe! Christine
Bauer, Asst. Administrator & Victorian Times: Facts of an Era Visitors often ask if the Victorians were shorter than we are today. Analysis of medical records, military records, and burial sites indicate that people living between 1837 and 1901 (Queen Victoria's reign) were shorter but not nearly as short as the modern general public believes. A recent report published by Robert Kuczmarski of the National Center for Health Statistics states that Americans in 1900 were on mean two inches shorter than people today. The mean height of an American man today is just under 5'10"; the mean height of men in 1900 was 5'8". The mean height of a woman today is 5'4"; in 1900 the mean was 5'2". The difference between 1700 and 1900 is another two inches. According to Carolyn Freeman Travers, who wrote an article regarding the heights of American colonials for the Plymouth Plantation, it is important to note that during the 17th and 18th centuries the average heights of Europeans remained virtually unchanged. Americans, however, grew taller which may be attributed to improved nutrition and ethnic intermarriage. Travers, points out that most reliable height analysis comes from American military records. These records show that the average height of soldiers during the Revolutionary War, Union soldiers during the Civil War, and American WWII soldiers were the same. Below are the reported heights of some Americans born or living during the Victorian era: Oscar
Wilde, author (1854-1900)
6'3" Rebecca
Phipps, Curator and Memorials
Remembrance Longtime board member, volunteer, supporter and friend Lola Lenore Beil died on May 19 after a short illness. A native of Paonia, Colorado, Norrie married James N. Beil in 1950, with whom she had four children-Steven, Betty, Michael and Bevery. In 1952 she graduated with a B.S. in foods and nutrition from Colorado A & M. The same year James began an Army career that culminated in Ft. Leavenworth in 1980. Norrie had lived in the Leavenworth area since 1966. She enjoyed family, friends, reading, writing, cooking, and visiting friends and neighbors. She collected recipes and hundreds of teddy bears. Norrie was very active at the Main Post Chapel, serving as Director of Religious Education for twenty-one years. At the Carroll Mansion we remember Norrie for her many years of devoted service and friendship to everyone she worked with here. She served on the Board of Directors from 1992 to 1998. She was always available to do any volunteer task from docent work to stuffing newsletters or phoning members for baked goods. She never had an unhappy disposition or an unkind word for any person in the three years that I knew her. My present grief at her loss is tempered by the happiness I gained from my friendship with Norrie Beil. Mark
Bureman Mary Everhard took a picture of Greg Hines in the late 1930s or early 1940s. We are looking for information about Mr. Hines for our records. If you know him please call the museum at (913) 682-7759. Thank You for your Monetary Donation. Anne H.
Snyder Thank You for your Donation William G.
Barnett Thank You for your Assistance Bud
Tordorff Ice Cream Social Plan to join us on the Carroll Mansion grounds Sunday June 28 from 2-5:00 p.m. for the Annual Ice Cream Social. Bring the whole family for music, entertainment, cake, pie, and ice cream. Tickets will be available soon at the Museum ($6.00 adults, $5.00 seniors, $3.00 children 5-12). If you would like to donate cakes or pies, please call us at 682-7759. Article Submissions Museum committees and related groups (i.e. Herb Market Committee, Vintage Homes, Membership Committee) are invited to submit articles for future newsletters. Articles should be typed in Microsoft Word and delivered to the museum on a floppy disk. The Newsletter Committee may edit the articles for content and/or length. Submissions for the September 2002 newsletter are due August 19th by 4:00 p.m. |
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