July 2018 Newsletter

July 2018 Newsletter

 

Wow!  What a spring and summer we are having at El Quartelejo Museum and the Jerry Thomas Gallery & Collection!  Special events have been offered for folks of all ages and all interests, and we hope you have enjoyed one or more of them.

               April brought the Annual Meeting of the Scott County Historical Society, with a return visit from popular speaker, Sara Richter.  She spoke about the innovative ways Plains women (and men) survived the Dirty Thirties.  Great photos enhanced her interesting presentation.

               May filled the galleries with end-of-school tour groups, and included several historic sites bus tours.

 

               June Jaunt featured our own outstanding Program Director, Stephanie Fisher, who presented a “Trunk Talk” for adults.  We were privileged to experience what has been a monthly program presented to school children since last September.  Trunks were furnished by the State Historical Society, each filled with items and information on specific themes.  The June trunk was “Kansas Women and their Quilts.”  This very interesting series of educational trunks was funded by a grant from the Western Kansas Foundation.  The historic sites guided bus tour was also offered that weekend.

               That was the first weekend in June.  We ended June with a three-day Pioneer Camp for kids, under the leadership of ever-popular Thad Beach and his wife, Theresa, plus Stephanie Fisher and local volunteers.  That event picked up on the dust bowl theme as well, and before it ended the kids designed a dust bowl display in the temporary gallery, which is still in place.  It’s very creative and you need to get by to see it.  Seems like everyone is fascinated by the Dirty Thirties, though no one wants to re-live those years!

               In between the first and last weekend in June, we also hosted the first ever Quilts of Valor event.  A group of local quilters has organized a branch of a national organization which recognizes military veterans for their service, and presents each nominee with a beautiful quilt.  For more information please contact Barb Dickhut or Dana Pfanenstiel.

               But – there’s more!  On Sunday, July 8th, we hosted the 35th Infantry Division Band from Olathe, Kansas.  The afternoon concert featured both a brass quintet and a woodwind ensemble.  Good music and a good crowd.

               And in and around and through it all, we have welcomed visitors from our own community, across the nation, and as far away as Mongolia!

               We are always honored to receive memorial gifts and recently have been given such gifts from the families of Perry Preusch and Jim Hess.  We had to say goodbye to long-time member, Calvin Kruse.  Calvin attended all our special events and was a generous donor.  Please welcome new members, Thurman and Delinda Dunagan and Matt and Shelby Bain & family.

               If you haven’t been in the galleries lately, you may not have seen Jerry Thomas’s newest paintings and some awesome additions to his archival collection.  Also, on display in the museum gallery is a delightful small collection of dolls, a recent donation from Albina Browning.  And we just received a new order of items for the gift shop, so we are fully stocked again.  We may be the only place in town to sell Kansas postcards, and we have other Kansas items and a wonderful selection of books for children as well as adults.  Come browse our gift shop.

               Plans are being made to observe the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Punished Woman’s Fork, on September 27th.  Watch for details in the upcoming weeks.

               This summer heat is a challenge for everyone, but each day brings us closer to autumn’s relief.  It will be here sooner than we think – it’s only five months until Christmas!!

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