Edwards County Museum, 9/01/2015

Today, on our last day of sightseeing in this area, we went to the Sod House and Museum located just down the street from the 4 Aces RV Park where we are staying in Kinsley, KS.  This location is midway between New York City and San Francisco as displayed on this sign at the entrance to the museum...1,561 miles from each!

The Museum was established by the Edwards County Historical Society in 1958 and has exhibits of many artifacts from the late 1800 and early 1920s. Admission is free but donations are accepted. There is one large room with exhibits and then 2 smaller rooms on each end. 

There is an extensive collection of vintage clothing, including shoes and beaded purses.

Below are some of the dolls on display, including a rare male doll.

This lacemaker was fascinating. Shown below are the patterns that could be used and the finished product. It looks like an amazingly tedious task!

Many quilts were on display, too, including this one made in 1838. 

Roomettes of a 1910 parlor, 1920s kitchen and dining room, child's room, and a Victorian music room display furniture, clothing, and other period pieces.

Here is a vintage desk and calculator. Offerle (a nearby town) State Bank donated this bank safe that weighs in at 12,280 pound!

This is an advertising cloth banner for Kinsley Bank. 

This one-seat open buggy was used between 1890-1920.

Three residents of the county who had lived in sod houses, built this one in 1957. They replicated the building techniques used in the early 1870s. This one is larger than most earlier sod homes (10' x 14'). Also, originally sod was used for the roof and there were dirt floors. 

There are many interesting and unusual  items including a barbed wire and fun collection, railroad dispatch and manual switchboard, a blacksmith shop, many vintage photographs, and more. Outside is a Locomotive 3424 (used from 1921-1953) that was donated by the Atchinson, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, and a display horse-drawn farm equipment. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church (1884) was moved to the museum grounds and is available for weddings and other special events.

For additional information about this local museum, please see their website.

Website: www.edwardscountymuseum.info

At the picnic area were two bicyclists taking a break from the intense heat of the day. We stopped to chat with them and learned that they are cycling from Jackson, MS, to San Francisco, CA. They ride 60 or more miles a day (sometimes 100!) and carry camping equipment with them. They were a lovely young couple from Bristol, UK.

When we were driving to Pueblo from Kinsley two days later, we saw them cycling along Rte 50 in Kansas. What an amazing journey for them. We exchanged information and will be following their travels. 

Website: www.fregsandsophusa.tumblr.com