Mitchell County Museum
402 West 8th •
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Waconda Chapter of This Museum has been provided through the interest,
goodwill, cooperation, and generous donations of the people of
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In 1929 the present Mitchell County Historical Museum was built originally as the Nurses' Home in conjunction with the Mitchell County Community Hospital. The Hospital was replaced in 1971. Interested citizens throughout the county wished to preserve the beautifully styled "Williamsburg" design brick building and renovate it into a place of nostalgia and educational value.
The Mitchell County Commissioners granted permission, funds were raised, and the work began.The Solomon Valley Art Guild expressed interest and assisted.
The Waconda Chapter of Kansas Anthropological Association has an area room on the first floor. The Indian Artifacts Collection of Ackles W. Pfaff, given by Claude and Nettie (Pfaff) Butcher, is on display there along with many local artifacts and fossils.
The Mitchell County Historical Society is housed in the museum.
$#160; To the east are the 1st National Bank and Guaranty State Bank rooms.
The Hattie Hoy Williams annex honored the BiCentennial, with Cerebration Mementos, as well as her own dishes and furniture of yesteryear.
The west hall leads to the Chapelette which features pictures of Mitchell County churches (past and present), an organ and other items.
A furnished parlor, with access to a completely modern kitchen, can be rented by clubs and other groups. A speaker or program is available by appointment. The Mae Thierolf Cowman Room at the far end holds many priceless antiques of china, silver and glassware, as well as a collection of Oriental Objects d'Art.
The stained glass windows in the ladies restroom, (upper hall) and the ceiling of the Mae Cowman room are from the former Methodist Church in Beloit, Kansas.
The 2nd floor consists of 7 rooms, each furnished by a town in Mitchell County: Beloit (County Seat) Cawker City, Glen Elder, Hunter, Scottsville, Simpson, Asherville, and Tipton. Also an early day Kansas kitchen, parlor and bedroom are displayed.
The Veterans' Memorial Room has been dedicated to those from Mitchell County who served in the armed forces.
A circular stairway, entered from the second floor, leads to the third floor. It came from the Beloit Milling Co. building near the Solomon River in the late 1800's. Other things of interest include a scale model of the early day Creitz farmstead, a rare antique mortuary display and a horse harness exhibit.
Research materials include the following: 1880 Census, 1899 Mitchell County Directory, old maps, atlas index, marriage books, cemetery records, etc. There are an obitituary databank and old original newspapers from 1870 to 1960. Vertical files were started in 1995. They include all towns in the county, including the lost towns, family history, businesses and milling.
The east end room displays tools, etc., used in early day Kansas.
The northwest room has a complete dentistry equipment display used by Doctors Louise & Minnie Thiessen in Beloit, Kansas, in the early 1900's. Early day Mitchell County scenes, pictures of people, school and athletic, and other historic events, along with many other interesting mementos, are displayed.
The southwest "Research" room contains scrapbooks, hotel registers, Mitchell Co. Atlases and business record books, etc. Genealogy/family or county history help is available in the office.
The west end of the basement hallway contains a collection of clothing from days gone by.
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Beloit Area Chamber of Commerce
(785) 738-2717 • belcham@nckcn.com
123 N. Mill · P.O. Box 582 · Beloit, KS 67420
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