Newsletter - Spring 2017
The Little Black Dress and More—50 Years of Fashion
Mark your calendars now for Sunday afternoon, April 23, 2:00, at Baden Square. An exciting event, “The Little Black Dress and More—50 Years of Fashion” promises to be an afternoon you won’t want to miss. What better way to experience history than through an elegant fashion show?
The fashion show will include live entertainment and refreshments reminiscent of former fashion show teas. “The Little Black Dress” through the years will be featured, but all those wonderful, or not so wonderful, fashions from 1960 to the present will be featured. Men’s fashions as well as women’s and children’s clothing will be shown. Fun trivia ranging from music to movies and more from each decade will be shared—how much do you remember?
Join in the fun! We hope many of you will want to wear a piece of vintage clothing from the ‘60s through the 90’s or a “Little Black Dress” of your own. Fun, fellowship, and fashion—an exciting afternoon for all ages, male and female.
We hope to see you there.
The suggested donation for each ticket is $15 and are available at the museum or at Graves Drug in Winfield. Tickets will not be held; they must be paid for at the time of purchase. They will not be sold at the door.
Call CCHSM, 620-221-4811, for more information or visit our website.
Kansas Sampler Festival—May 6 and 7, Island Park
CCHSM will again participate in the Kansas Sampler Festival. Our booth will be located in the Cowley County tent located at the entrance to Island Park. Look for the history area of this tent and come by and visit.
Tickets for the event are $5 per day. More information about the event can be found at KansasSampler-Festival.com or by calling the Winfield Chamber of Commerce.
Message from the Director by Shawn Marie Stover
Research: I find it exciting! It's like doing a really old puzzle which boggles the mind if you think about it. Why on earth do I get so excited about things that happened 100 years ago or more? It's not like finding these answers will avert danger (like a crime investigation) or make someone's life better (like medical research). I am so weird, but very fortunate to have a job to facilitate my particular brand of weirdness.
Take, for instance, a picture that has a small building with the words painted on it, "Dad's Cabin 1909."
I got on Newspapers.com and typed in those words, not the year. I only came across 6 references to "Dad's Cabin" but within those references were more clues such as “on the Walnut”, "Wild Cat Glenn", "Hill's Mineral Springs" and "Matt Hill". And I was off!
A search of "Wild Cat Glenn" got me lots of hits on the Newspapers.com website. I should also mention that I like to read the articles in chronological order. One article from 1910 was about Sigma Pi Phi having a "frolic" at Wild Cat Glenn. After the event, the ladies "returned by way of the Riverside avenue entrance, and took [a] car at the Santa Fe Station." Let me explain what was rolling around in my brain when I read this:
1.) Riverside Ave. was 14th Ave.
2.) 14th Ave. is where the Santa Fe station was.
3.) Hiatt's Amusement Park opened in 1911!
All of those clues had me thinking about the same area in Winfield. At this point, I assumed, incorrectly, that Wild Cat Glenn was later called Hiatt's Amusement Park.
As I later discovered, Hiatt Park and Wild Cat Glenn were indeed different locations. One article said that it was suspected that a cave at Hiatt Park and a cave at Wild Cat Glenn were attached. I have a map that shows Hiatt Park—I assume that Wild Cat Glenn was/is west of Hiatt Park. How I’d love to find a map that shows Wild Cat Glenn!
The name Matt Hill also came up with Wild Cat Glenn. He owned Wild Cat Glenn for several years. He enjoyed spending time on his property and compiled a “bird census”. He also found some impressive fossils. A newspaper article from 1918 says of one fossil find, “They are trilobites, an extinct form of crazyfish”. (What on earth were crazyfish?!!) Matt Hill donated some fossils to a museum in Chicago. I spent several days e-mailing strangers in Chicago until I found the fossils presently at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Those museum people were kind enough to send me pictures. Although I know nothing about fossils, I considered getting pictures of these fossils a big WIN!
I hope there is some redeeming value to this research. Two possibilities come to mind: the more immediate is the book that we are compiling, Cowley County Heritage, Vol. II, and the other is the calendar that I create each year. I put an immense amount of time into finding out what I can about our pictures and maybe you’ll see or read about them in our upcoming book or calendar.
Parking Lot & Brick Sale
2017 marks the Cowley County Historical Society and Museum’s 50th year in the former Bryant Elementary School on Mansfield Street. We hope you will join us in celebrating this important milestone! One of our anniversary year projects was constructing a parking lot in the northeast corner of our lot. The generosity of Contreras Construction and Daniels Concrete makes the estimated price approximately $24,000, and the parking is near completion.
Our events are drawing large groups, and the parking lot will provide us with additional handicapped parking spaces and easier access to our building.
Please help us with a moneymaking project - the sale of commemorative bricks which will be placed once the parking lot is completed. The area will be complemented by a much-anticipated butterfly sanctuary garden.
This fund raising effort will be ongoing and more bricks can be ordered and added as donations are received. The following are the levels of donations:
Flat red bricks with 2 lines of 12 characters each for a $75 donation
Flat red bricks with 3 lines of 12 characters each for a $100 donation
A contrasting brick with 3 lines of 12 characters each for a $500 donation
Fewer letters may be used if you wish, such as a significant year or initials.
Museum Friends
Museum Friends is a group of history minded individuals who enjoy participating in museum activities. Please join us the second Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. to see where you can become involved. After all, everyone needs friends, don't they?
Cowley County Heritage, Vol. II
Our book committee is working hard to produce our book, Cowley County Heritage, Vol. II. The story deadline is May 1st. We want a high quality book, and the story deadline may be extended so more stories can be included. Regardless of the deadline, the best time to preorder the book is NOW – after May 1st the price goes up ten dollars. Books may be ordered until the book is sent to be printed. That date is uncertain because we will take the time necessary to compile and edit it to our satisfaction.
The Cowley County Historical Society dates from 1931 with a major reorganization and move to our present location in 1967. The CCHS's mission is to preserve and make available the colorful history of the county. We also support and encourage activities pertaining to local history throughout the county. Our bookstore makes available an assortment of items dealing with local history. The historical society also maintains a fine collection of historical records and vintage photographs.
Let’s Celebrate!!!!
This spring CCHSM will celebrate 50 years at our present location. We’re planning a celebration Sunday afternoon, June 18. An exciting afternoon is planned, including a performance by the Winfield City Band. This is especially appropriate as they performed at the grand opening that first year. Special recognition of folks that have helped shape our museum through the years is being planned and tours of the museum will be given. Food is a must at any anniversary celebration, and that will be available as well. Watch for more details coming in May. Mark your calendars now and plan to spend a wonderful afternoon at the museum. Help CCHSM celebrate our anniversary in the former Bryant School building!
