WELCOME
Visit the Barton County Historical Society Museum and Village for a fascinating glimpse into the past. Located on five acres, just south of Great Bend on US Highway 281, across the Arkansas River Bridge, the Village boasts several authentically furnished period buildings and collections which tell the story of this area from the Paleo Period through the Indian Wars to World War II and beyond. Click
here to read a brief history of the Museum and Village and here to view back issues of our newsletter, The Village Crier.
Civil War Sesquicentennial
There is a huge interest in this anniversary of the Civil War, and its Sesquicentennial presents a distinctive opportunity to capture the imagination of current and potential visitors to America’s Byways®, public and tribal lands, and the National Park System. The National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, National Scenic Byways Program, and federal land management agencies have formed a partnership to promote America’s Byways and America’s public and tribal lands. The goal is to engage a larger and more diverse audience – well beyond those with a professed affinity for battlefield stories.
The Barton County Historical Society and the Barton County Arts Council have initiated two events toward this National Celebration.
The first, “The Civil War and The Exodusters in Central Kansas” includes displays and a brochure that highlight the Sparks of Conflict, Western Migration, Honored Memories, and Independence to Influence (from the Exoduster Movement through the legacy of its descendants, including black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux).
The second, “Standing on the Border of Two Worlds: Mourning Our Civil War Dead in Garden Cemeteries” on October 24, 2011, offers an evening with the director of the National Park Service’s Memorial Research and Preservation Planning program. Dr. Dennis Montagna will focus on how the garden cemeteries along the Kansas Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway reflect this national movement to recognize this important chapter in our Nation.
Celebrate Kansas! 150 Years Young in 2011
Join us in celebrating the history and heritage of our great state during our Sesquicentennial year in 2011. Download our Sesquicentennial brochure and visit the official Kansas Sesquicentennial website.
Santa Fe Trail Interpretive Site
From Plum Buttes to the Walnut Creek Crossing to Pawnee Rock, the area that is now Barton County played a major role in the history of the Santa Fe Trail. Collections and displays maintained by the Historical Society tell the story of this region from the Native Americans of the Paleo Period through the development of the trail, the trading posts and Fort Zarah, to European settlement.
B-29 Bombers and Great Bend Army Air field
During World War II, Great Bend Army Air Field trained many members of "the greatest generation," the pilots and crew members who flew the B-26 and B-29 planes that helped win the war. The Historical Society maintains a collection of memorabilia, memoirs and artifacts telling the story of a defining era in United States history.
Mission:
"The Barton County Historical Society endeavors to preserve the history of Barton County and to promote opportunities to examine our rich heritage."
Donations
Before you throw away items that might be useful in telling the story of Barton County, please contact us.
Wish List:
- Reference books on Kansas, Barton County, Santa Fe Trail
- Great Bend Army Air Field Memorabilia
- Information on 1930s era WPA projects
- Monetary donations are, of course, always welcome
Due to lack of space, we cannot accept duplicates of items, especially large ones, and we cannot accept items that are too fragile to preserve. Also, we cannot accept pictures of unidentified people, unless they are associated with identified buildings or events. For further information, please telephone the museum or e-mail: