Legacy T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E R E N O C O U N T Y H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

19gear wornby minerson displayat strataca

16museum’s overflowfinds new

home

FALL 2013

hutchinson’s albright airfield played a major role in early aviation…page 4

I N S I D E

h

HISTORICAL SOCIETY STAFF (full-time)

Linda Schmitt, executive director, rchs linda@underkansas.org

Jamin Landavazo, chief curator, rchs jamin@underkansas.org

Gayle Ferrell, director of operations, strataca gayle@underkansas.org Tonya Gehring, docent supervisor, strataca tonya@underkansas.org

Dave Unruh, maintenance supervisor, strataca dave@underkansas.org

Lynn Ledeboer, curatorial assistant, rcm lynn@renocomuseum.org

Tina Moore, administrative assistant, rcm tina@renocomuseum.org

Kourtney Krehbiel, visitor services, strataca kourtney@underkansas.org

Myron Marcotte, mine specialist, strataca myron@underkansas.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shannon Holmberg, president • Richard Shank, presi-

dent-elect • Billy Klug, treasurer • Laura Snyder,

secretary • Nan Hawver • John Doswell • Tim Davies • Sherry

Mundhenke • Michael Armour • Elaine Fallon • Mary Wilson

Conrad Koehler • Bill Pfenninger • Lee Spence, ex-officio

Mike Carey, ex-officio

4 albright airport ...playing major role in early aviation

16 we found space for our overflow ...and just in the nick of time

18 star bonds paid off early ...thanks to tourism in hutchinson

19 a miner’s gear is showcased ...all part of a miner’s daily life

20 jamin says goodbye ...after nearly five years as chief curator

22 spooks, shopping and “murder” ...choose your fun from our packed calendar

24 a million thanks to our supporters ...new collection care fund benefits

Volume 25, No. 4Legacy is published quarterly by The Reno County Historical Society, Inc. 100 S. Walnut St., P.O. Box 664, Hutchinson, Kansas 67504-0664For advertising or membership information, call 620-662-1184.

© 2013 The Reno County Historical Society, Inc. ISSN 1045-3423All rights reserved. The RCHS disclaims responsibility for statements

of fact or opinion made by contributors.

THE JOURNAL OF THE RENO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Legacyh

ON THE COVERan unknown pilotappears ready fortake-off in thishutchinson airwayscorp. plane atalbright airfield.(187.164.25)

A

4

one aviation me-

chanic works on

the “stanolind”

aircraft, and

another appears

to be talking with

an interested

observer at the

albright airfield.

(1987.164.30)

By Phillip T. Schulz, Flight Instructor and Airplane Mechanic

Albright Airfield…serving the flying pioneers

couple of years ago I decided to find the exact location of Hutchinson's first airfield. The Albright Airfield and the Albrights served the flying public as well as the citizens of Hutchinson some 15 years from about 1915 through 1930. No problem, I thought, as only 70 years have passed since the closing of the airfield. After visit-ing several history sources

and asking around about the first airport, much to my surprise, I could find no local information about Hutchinson’s first airfield. Aviators of that period used automobile road maps for navigation as the current system of aeronautical charts didn't come into use until WWII. McNally road maps of the 1920s show a red arrow pointing to the center of Hutchinson as the loca-

tion of an airfield. The lack of much histor-ic data about the airport from the 1920-1935 era is missing or very rare. Most area residents and avia-tors of that time are gone. Over the years I made many trips to Fairlawn Cemetery, southeast of Hutchinson. When going through the Careyville area, my dad, Ben Schulz, always mentioned, “That farm field over there is

Read more about our author, Phillip Schulz of Stafford, on page 15.

5

excitement is evident as a large crowd gathers around the planes that have landed at the albright airfield during the all-kansas air tour on april 2,

1928. the center plane, which has a white rectangu-lar sign on it, is the “stanolind,” the standard oil tri-motor ford aircraft. upon closer inspection, the sign appar-ently identified the aircraft and gave the crowd information about the plane. (1987.164.34)

where I learned to fly in the late 1920s.” Of course, I never asked Dad for the exact location. He was an aviation me-chanic and flying student who had attended the Mid-American Air College located on Avenue A in Hutchinson from 1929 to 1931. His flight instruc-tor was Ralph Heimer, an air transport pilot flying for the Air College and Hutchinson Airways Cor-poration. Dad always talked of the “Albright Airfield” and his lessons in the Spartan C3-120 with the Czech engine and “Frenchie,” the airplane mechanic who worked on the plane. And so my search for the Albright Airfield be-gan. After viewing many rolls of microfilm and numer-

ous old maps and avia-tion collections across the United States, this is what was uncovered about the Albright Airfield.

The years 1915-16 surface as the most likely time the airfield was opened to the flying pub-lic. During that time many towns painted their name on the roof of a large building to inform pilots of their location when flying overhead. Also, all airports

had only grass runways. (The Ford Airport in Dear-born, Mich., had the first paved commercial airfield runway in 1927.) The Department of Commerce “Airway Bul-letin,” dated October 9, 1929, lists the Albright Airfield and provides data about the airfield:• Class: Commercial Rating • Owner: Carey Real Es-tate & Investment Co.• Operator: W. E. Albright• Position: Lat. 38 degrees 04 minutes, Longitude 98 degrees, 00 seconds; Elevation 1,517 feet above sea level• Location: 2.5 miles southeast of the city; east of the Arkansas River• Size: 2,100’ x 1,800’• Markings: Hangar with HUTCHINSON painted on the roof

airfield

sported

grass

runways

dad always talked of the albright airfield and his lessons in the spartan C3-120 with the czech engine and “frenchie,” the airplane mechanic who worked on the plane. and so my search for the albright airfield began…

f

(See 100 ACRES, page 6)

(Continued from page 5)

6

mrs. albrightkey figure

in airfield’sdevelopment

• Accommodations: ser-vice personnel available, no landing fee, overnight storage fee in hangar for $1.00; guard provided• Communications: Telephone and telegraph available; no radio• A 100-foot-diameter circle painted white in the center of the airfield designated the area as a commercial airfield.

The landing and take-off area of the airfield consisted of some 100 acres. Pilots could take off in any direction on the square airfield as formal designated runways were not marked or lighted by runway lights during the airfield’s years of opera-tion. Two runways consisting

of alfalfa and buffalo grass were the most used areas. The north-south runway was 2,100 in length and the east-west was 1,800 feet long. There may have been a house just to the west of the Albright home

that limited the use of some 400 feet at the north end. The search for the airfield history turned up many interesting activities and anecdotes that took place on and around the

airfield. One very significant individual in the devel-opment of the Albright Airfield was Mrs. W.E. Albright, Emerson Car-ey’s sister (of the Carey Salt Company). She and her husband farmed Carey land southeast of Hutchinson. A pilot named Mickey Morean came to town with a couple of airplanes belonging to Clarence Barnes of the Barnes Auto Company. The sight of the airman and his big flying machines impressed Mrs. W.E. Albright so much that she wanted Hutchin-son to become one of the major air-minded towns in the country. Mrs. Albright suggested to Emerson that part of

100 acres of runways

unidentified young

men stand in front

of a plane at

albright airfield,

circa 1928.

(photo courtesy

of phillip schulz.

630086)

u

7

this unknown pilot stands by a hutchinson airways corp. plane at the albright air-field. (1987.164.24)

portation for the city,” said Mrs. Albright. “I have lived most of my life in this way,” as reported in The Hutchinson News. Mrs. Albright was not the only female enamored with the aviation industry.

ROMANCE BLOSSOMS An air romance started at the Albright Airfield when Willis Kysor landed in an Eaglerock Airplane at the field. Willis was the distributor for Alexander Eaglerock airplanes in the state of Michigan. In 1926 he was on a cross-country flight from the Eaglerock Aircraft factory in Colo-rado Springs. While in Hutchinson he met Miss Ruth Carey Albright (Mrs. Albright’s daughter) and they later married on September

(See FLYING, page 8)

the pasture land on his farm be set aside for an airplane landing field. And so a couple of hangars were erected and a gas pump installed with Mrs. Albright in charge of the airport.

THE GREATEST THRILLS “I guess I am the only woman in charge of an airport in the country,” Mrs. Albright once said in speaking of her [aviation] hobby. “Bridge appeals to some but to me the fas-cination of meeting pilots flying here from coast to coast and from border to border has the greatest thrills.” Many well-known pilots of the 1920s enjoyed stop-ping at Albright Airfield as they knew there would be a cheerful greeting from Mrs. Albright who was

always on the airfield. The Albright home served as the airfield office. “The telephone at the Albright Field is always available. The big roomy chairs at the Albright home make a mighty easy resting place while wait-ing for a taxi and there is always a good cold drink to be had,” according to an article in The Hutchin-son News. Mrs. Albright knew many notable airmen of the time – probably more than any other person in Hutchinson – such as Art Goebel and Martin Jen-sen, two of the flyers who made the Dole Race to Hawaii in 1927. “I have always been strong for Hutchinson having an airport and have done my best to develop this side of trans-

8

all-kansasair tour comes

to airfieldin 1928.

(Continued from page 7)

Flying honeymoon27, 1927. The couple left the Albright Airfield that afternoon in an Eaglerock Airplane for Niles, Mich. Mrs. Kysor became the first bride in Hutchinson to take an airplane honey-moon trip. Mr. Kysor taught Ruth to fly. She soloed an OX-5 Powered Eaglerock after nine hours of dual instruction, a feat witnessed by her father. Mr. and Mrs. Kysor flew into the Albright Airfield many times after their mar-riage. Willis went on to establish Niles Airways in Michigan, and later flew for an aerial photography company. It was reported that the Kysors landed at the Albright Airfield flying

an Eaglerock "Rocket" airplane on the way to Michigan for a short visit in 1930. The Albrights and Kysors weren’t the only Reno Countians whose imaginations had been

captured by aviation fever. The arrival

of the All-Kan-sas Air Tour at the Albright Airfield on April 2, 1928, was a

very big event for Hutchinson.

Eighteen aircraft flying with the All-Kansas Air Tour landed in Hutchin-son at 11 a.m., flying in from Newton. Hutchinson was the third stop on a tour of 24 Kansas cit-ies. The tour was initi-ated by Kansas Governor Ben Paulen who in 1928 led other aviators on a

state-wide tour intended to establish and promote aviation in Kansas. The Air Tour members were treated to a luncheon in the large hangar on the Albright Airfield. This flying group con-sisted of many of the “who’s who” in aviation at that time. Aircraft included the “Stanolind,” a Tri-Motor “Stout-Ford airplane owned by Stan-dard Oil of Indiana, car-rying eight passengers and flown by Standard Oil Company’s chief pilot, Perry Hutton.

ILLUSTRIOUS LIST The eight passengers on “Stanolind” were: Gov. Paulen; Alan Jackson, Vice President of Standard Oil of Indiana; C.F. Hat-maker, Assistant Manager of the western division of

above, uniformed men and others mill around the “stanolind” air-plane, owned by standard oil co. the very “unmani-cured” nature of the grass field is apparent in this photo.(1987.164.26)

9

Laird of Laird Aircraft of Wichita. The planes flew in groups of three in a “V” formation. The Ryan airplane, a sister of the Spirit of St. Louis, flew with the Air Tour group and land-ed at the airfield also. The local Hutchinson aircraft flown by George Harte with Hutchinson News reporter Larry Freeman had two forced

landings on the flight from Newton to Hutchin-son. The group of 18 air-planes then flew on to McPherson and then Sa-lina, where they spent the night. The group arrived at Wichita, their final

Standard Oil; R.S. Ord, Man-ager of Wich-ita Standard Division; W.F. Gates, Presi-dent of Prairie Pipeline Com-pany; Marcel-lus Murdock, Publisher of Wichita Eagle newspaper; Wilbur Neeley, Vice President of National Aeronautical Society; and tour organizer, Mr. Larabee, Kansas Fish and Game Commissioner. On the Travelair 5000, the sister ship of the Woolaroc, were Walter Beech, President of Travel Air Company; Jack Turn-er, President of Wichita Flying Club; Mrs. Wilbur Neeley and six-year-old daughter; and the pilot, H.G. Hartnett.

Red Pryor, member of the Wichita Eagle club, flew a Swallow biplane; and S.C. Clinesmith, President of the Larned Chamber of Commerce, flew an American Eagle plane. Other well-known aviators flying the tour were Clyde Cessna, Lloyd Stearman and Charles

eight planes and a truck spread across albright airfield, proba-bly in 1928 when the all-kansas air tour came to town.(1987.164.31)

(See PLANES, page 10)

dated oct. 9, 1928, this “airway bulletin,” issued by the aeronautics branch of the u.s. dept. of commerce, contains a map and specifications of albright airfield.

(Continued from page 9)

airplanes camewith newspapers

when trainswere stalled

destination, on Saturday afternoon. On a more practical level the Albright Air-port provided an invalu-able service to the city of Hutchinson and Reno County in the wake of the 1929 flood. The Hutchinson News reported on July 15, 1929:

“That very night Cow Creek showed what it could do in the way of staging a real flood. Water covered the county north, south, east and west.

Albright Airfield was high and dry. Airplanes came with newspapers from out of town when the

trains could not get here. Airplanes rose from the Al-bright Airfield and circled the flood devastated district and brought back

reports of conditions. “Tonight Hutchinson is reading THE NEWS because an airplane could alight on Albright Airfield, pick up the material for pages of The News and fly them to Wichita to be run off the presses of the Wichita Eagle and fly the newspapers back to Hutchinson in time for you to read this story tonight. So the desire of a woman, a Hutchinson resident most of her life, to help to do something for her town, in putting it on the map in aviation circles, benefitted

a group of men,

including kansas

governor ben s.

paulen (3rd from

right), stand in

front of the “sta-

nolind” airplane.

the man with the

cap standing left

of paulen may be

emerson carey.

(photo courtesy

of phillip schulz.

630082)

Planes save the dayu

11

a large hutchin-son crowd greeted the renowned“woolaroc” when it stopped at the albright airfield on its final flightin 1929.

the whole population. The hats of everyone in town should be off to Mrs. W.E. Albright tonight.”

In the race to put Hutchinson “…on the map in aviation circles…,” the Cessna brothers were at the forefront, according to a quote from "Cessna, A Master's Expression" by Edward H. Phillips:

"…on September 1, 1916 Roy and Clyde Cessna were in Hutchinson pre-paring Cessna's Anzani-Powered aircraft for a race with the Jones Automo-bile to the Jones Auto Manufacturing Factory in Wichita from Hutchinson. Clyde Cessna departed exactly at 11:00 A.M. and arrived at the Wichita Jones Auto Factory 35 minutes later. The Jones automobile arrived at the factory 30 minutes later. Clyde Cessna was manu-facturing airplanes in one of the Jones Auto Factory Buildings at that time.”

No more details of this airplane-versus-automo-bile race have been found. Clyde and his airplane would have taken off from Albright Airfield during this time. The Albright Airfield

saw the landing wheels of several other aviation stars as well. The famous Woolaroc was a Travel Air 5000 built in Wichita in 1927 to compete in the Dole Race from California to Hawaii (2,437 miles) on August 16-17, 1927.

FAREWELL TO THE WOOLAROC On its farewell tour in 1929, the Woolaroc, flown by Colonel Art Goebel, the pilot on the 1927 Hawaii flight, visited Albright Airfield at 11:05 a.m. on August 5. A large Hutchinson crowd greeted

the Woolaroc and other flyers. Colonel Goebel gave a short address pro-moting general aviation during their 30 minutes on the airfield. The plane was then flown on to the Woolaroc Ranch Museum near Bartlesville, Okla. Accompanying the Woolaroc on its final tour was a Travel Air 4000 chase plane, flown by H.W. Parker, Chief Pilot for Phillips Petroleum Company. These two Phil-lips Oil Company aircraft covered some 5,000 miles on this final air tour of the illustrious Woolaroc.

this 1902 plat map shows the acreage that even-tually became albright

airfield. the land was purchased by emerson carey from fred walk-

er.

(See STUNTS, page 12)

12

(Continued from page 11)

one brave aviator lands

in the darkwithout lights

a group of men and boys, above, seek shade under the wings of a stinson mid-american college plane, while two men sit on the wings of an adjacent plane on albright field. (photo courtesy of phillip schulz.630081)

AIRFIELD HIGHLIGHTS Following is a short timeline of just a few of the highlights of the Albright Airfield’s excit-ing, swashbuckling, and sometimes dangerous, history: 1926: Air stunts, per-formed by Jack Har-wood, were presented for Hutchinson and Reno County teachers. Warren Anderson of the Interstate Airway Company of Sioux City, Iowa, had two large airplanes available for parachute drops for any-one wanting to jump from a plane.

November 1, 1926: A jumper's parachute failed to open, resulting in the loss of his life

October 3, 1927: Mr. Wolff dropped six Koyni

typewriters by parachute and used them after they landed.

October 27, 1927: Air-plane rides were given using three large five-pas-senger airplanes.

April 2, 1928: The first All-Kansas Air Tour lands and luncheon is served to Air Tour members.

May 1, 1928: Mr. Pieie soloed an airplane at the airfield.

June 4, 1928: Mr. Carey extended the airport boundary to the east

property line.

August 28, 1928: Glenn Brown, a local jeweler who was a student at the Hutchinson Avia-tion School, soloed. His instructor was George Harte.

June 1929: The second All-Kansas Air Tour vis-ited the airfield.

August 6, 1929: Clove Christopher, an aviator from Dodge City, landed at the airfield in the dark the night before without a single light to desig-nate the landing area. He barely missed the hangar.

August 1929: The Mid-American Air Col-lege, located on Avenue A, advertised that they had based four aircraft, including Spartan Biplane flight training aircraft and a large seven-seat Cabin

Stunts, ‘chutes & rides

u

(See ALBRIGHT, page 14)

although this

is not albright

airfield, a

white signal

like this

crushed rock

circle would

have designat-

ed the center

of the field.

Class Stinson Detroiter passenger aircraft, at the airfield. Flight instruction was given by the Mid-American Air College to many student pilots at the airfield.

January 12, 1929: A sis-ter airplane of the Spirit of St. Louis (Ryan Brougham type), piloted by S.L. Wil-lard of the Garland Air-craft Corporation, landed.

March 23, 1929: The city of Hutchinson was given the use of the Albright Air-field for one year while the new city airport was being constructed.

April 20, 1929: An 18-passenger airplane landed at the airfield.

June 1, 1929: Air race airplanes landed.

March 30, 1930: Charles Moore flew a Baby Avo Aircaft into Albright Air-field.

May 15, 1930: The Hutchinson Glider Club utilized the airfield, and Ralph Miller gave glider demonstrations.

August 3, 1930: Pilots from the Mid-American Air College performed aerial stunts and gave rides.

Maps dated 1918 show the northeast quarter of Section 23-5 (20) as being owned by Emerson Carey (later Carey Real Estate & Investment Co.), home of the Albright Airfield.

In lay terms, the airfield was located on the south side of "G" street and east of William Street. Fairlawn Cemetery is to the north-east of the former airfield

this headline in the august 31, 1929 article in the hutchinson news boasted of an expansion of the air college for “fledgling fliers.”

five unidentified men stand on albright airfield, circa 1928.

the man in the cen-ter could possibly be emerson carey. (1987.164.32)

(Continued from page 13)with Careyville to the northwest. Mr. Carey had a golf course and nearby Carey Lake, all located on the north side of “G” street between William Street on the east edge of Careyville and Fairlawn Cemetery. Emerson Carey also owned the land on which the current Hutchinson Municipal Airport is lo-cated. Opened in the fall

of 1930, the new airport consisted of a square grass landing area. Hard-surface run-ways were added many years later. My dad sur-vived an air-plane crash at the new Hutchin-son Municipal Air-port in January 1931 in a Spartan C3-120, perhaps

the first crash at the new airport. Aircraft from the Mid-

American Air Col-lege were moved from the Al-bright Airfield to the munici-pal airport in

1930, then back to the Albright Air-

field when conflicts with the city arose.

airplanesshuffle back

and forthbetweenairports

Albright bows to progressu

15h

h

Phillip Schulz grew up on a farm north of St. John, Kan. As his father, Ben Schulz, was a flyer, Phillip was always inter-ested in aviation. The Schulzes had an airstrip on the farm that served the St. John area for some 20 years. The Santa Fe Depot from Isa-bel was eventually moved to the farm to be used as an airport office. Phillip’s uncle was a pilot for Krause Plow in the late 1940s and flew the company’s Cessna 195 airplane. The family always had “Flying” maga-zine around the house so

aviation became Phillip’s game. Phillip soloed in a Cessna 120 from the Stafford airport in Novem-ber, 1964, and operated an aviation business at the Russell, Kan., airport through 2006. He cur-rently is a flight instructor and airplane mechanic. Phillip has researched and collected material re-lated to the Kansas B-29 airfields (Walker, Great Bend, Pratt and Smoky Hill), and is always glad to visit with anyone about the WWII Army Air Force and Kansas aviation his-tory.

About the author With the completion of the Hutchinson Munici-pal Airport, the Albright Airfield was plowed up for crops on Thursday, November 13, 1930.

LAST TAKE-OFFON PLOWED FIELDS Dad mentioned that after the alfalfa runways had been plowed up at the Albright field, Ralph Heimer flew the Stinson Detroiter out of the Al-bright Airfield over to the city airport. Thus ended the Albright Airfield’s nearly 15 years of faithful service to the aviation industry and Reno County.

SPECIAL THANKS A special thanks goes out to the ladies of the Hutchinson Public Library

research depart-ment for their help with this project. Karen and the other research-ers really got into aviation history and helped me a lot. Also, Mr. Bran-nan at the Reno County Maps De-partment provided much help. Thank you to the Reno County Museum for its help and the op-portunity to share this research. h

although the albright airfield was destined to be plowed up only one year later, aviation activity was still on the rise as evidenced by this ad for the mid-american air college in the hutchinson news on august 31, 1929.

f

IF YOU HAVEALBRIGHT STORIES, LET US KNOW! My hope is that folks reading this story will recall stories they have heard about the Albright Airfield over the years. I hope this will add ma-terial and possible photos of activity at the airfield to the research library or collections at the Reno County Museum.

If you have information,call 620-662-1184.

16

a heavy baptismal font, left. was tricky to move as the top is not permanently secured to the base. fortunately, our movers were up to the task.

ABy Jamin Landavazo, RCHS Chief Curator

little more than four years ago on a hot day in late July, the staff of the Reno County Museum watched as many of the biggest, heaviest items in our artifact collection were carefully and painstak-ingly loaded into moving trucks.

TOO HEAVY! Only weeks before, we had recognized the need to remove weight from our second floor storage area sooner rather than later. We had begun the process of identifying those items that should be moved and finding a new home for them. The first part was rel-atively easy – 1950s-era refrigerators and stoves pack a lot of pounds as do some furniture items and pieces of farm equipment.

New homefor overflow

The second part – iden-tifying an off-site storage space – was much more difficult. We knew the collection needed to be in a secure area with envi-ronmental controls that allowed us to regulate the temperature and humid-ity. A small space wasn’t going to cut it. We needed about 1,200 square feet, which was a tall order.

Luckily, after weeks of looking, a generous dona-tion of space by Hutchin-son Regional Medical Center ensured that these artifacts would have a place to call home – tem-porarily. What began as a tempo-rary solution to an imme-diate problem became a four-year quest to find a permanent home for these items, and we are thrilled to announce that quest has now been fulfilled!

LOOKING AHEAD The museum board and staff wanted to make sure that we did our due dili-gence and came up with the best possible solu-tion – both for the off-site items and any we might add to the collection in the future. The truth was that the museum’s storage was very nearly full, and, if we wanted to continue to collect items to represent the history and culture of

a wide variety of

items, everything

from intricately

carved dressers

to broom-making

equipment, safely

made the move to

the annex.

17

h

Reno County, we would need space with the po-tential for expansion. We looked at a number of options: established buildings for sale and rent, building something new on the muse-um grounds, or elsewhere. Yes, we even looked into storing the items underground at our sister museum, Strataca, which was not right for a variety of reasons. Board members and members of the commu-nity all offered ideas, and we dutifully followed up, made phone calls, toured options, and weighed pros and cons. In the mean-time, our original one-year lease was extended by the hospital – not once, not twice, but three times. Finally, they let us know that the space that we were occupying was slated for renovation, and they gave us until the beginning of September to find a new home for the artifacts. At this news, our search kicked into high gear. Numbers were crunched, and no stone was left unturned. We needed a space that we could sus-tain, and we needed it now! Luckily, at just about that time we were notified of a space that sound-ed promising. When we checked it out, we were

pleased to find that it met nearly all of our needs without much retrofitting! The wheels were set in motion, and on August

21, just 10 days short of our deadline, we

watched again as the careful movers gently transferred the items that tell the stories of

Reno County and its people into our

new space. The day was just as hot as the one in July of 2009, but our elated smiles at the prospect of having a

new permanent place of residence for these items – and those in the future – made this day a victory celebration at the end of a four-year journey. We cannot thank enough our staff, board members and everyone who worked to make this day possible. We look forward to this new chap-ter for the Reno County Museum!

new homefound justahead ofdeadline

bulky, heavy farm equipment seems right at home in its newundisclosed storage space. before the move, the floor was covered in neutral plastic to protect the artifacts during storage.

u

Y

18

star bondshelp pay for

tourism-relatedprojects

h

Linda SchmittExecutive Director,

Reno County Historical

Society

lindas@underkansas.org

es, it’s true! The $4.8 million provid-ed by STAR bonds have paid off a year early and Strataca-Kansas Under-ground Salt Museum now officially belongs to the Reno County Historical Society rather than the City of Hutchinson. Due to sunset in 2014, the bonds were retired early on September 1. Without the granting of the bonds in the summer of 2006, Strataca might not exist today. What are STAR bonds anyway? Well, here goes: First, Sales Tax Revenue (STAR) bonds originated in Kansas in the 1990s as a way to pay for tour-ism-related devel-opments by bonding against projected sales tax revenue. Since then, the concept has spread to Idaho, Illinois and Nevada.

TOURISTS HELPED The bonds are consid-ered valuable because they’re paid off with sales tax revenues generated within a district surround-ing each project. In the case of the Underground Salt Museum, the redevel-opment district has been in the area of 17th Avenue and Lorraine and includes many restaurants and hotels. To pay off early, the redevelopment district had to attract more rev-enue and more quickly

than expected when the bonds were assigned. We believe that this is due to the more than 350,000 visitors from all over the world who have visited the salt museum since it opened May 1, 2007.

NEW FACILITIES BUILT The $4.8 million re-ceived through STAR bonds was used to provide infrastructure topside and underground, and equaled about 46 per-cent of the $10.5 million total cost. The last of the bond funds was actually

spent in 2008 on the topside Visitors’ Center. The bonds were received at a time in 2006 when the

project was floun-dering. Due to the

efforts of Dave Kerr, John Deardoff, RCHS board president Cynda Wright and others, the effort was successful. Frank Alexan-der oversaw the actual in-frastructure construction of the project and worked with many state and local officials to make sure that everything regarding the management of the bonds was carried out properly and efficiently. “Today about $520 mil-lion in STAR bonds have been issued in Kansas,” said Bob North, the gener-al counsel for the Kansas Department of Commerce, which approves the bonds. The bottom line is this

– STAR bond initiatives have played a huge role in helping the state of Kansas become a national tourism contender. We are thrilled that seven years ago the state realized that the Kansas Underground Salt Mu-seum would become a major tourist attraction, and that today it can be known as a successful STAR bond project.

(For more information about STAR bonds, go to: http://www.kansascom-merce.com/index.aspx-?NID=145)

STAR BONDS...paid off early

DEDICATED COM-

MUNITY LEADERS

STEPPED UP TO

HELP SECURE THE

BONDS JUST IN

TIME IN 2006 …

FOR THE SALT

MUSEUM WAS

FLOUNDERING.

19h

Be sure to see this new-est installment, above, in the Strataca exhibit, “A Miner’s Life!” (See pg 22.) This new addition, “Min-ers’ Gear: Top Equipment for Underground Work,” is a case displaying clothing and gear worn by Myron Marcotte while working for the Hutchinson Salt Com-pany. It is typical of that worn by a salt miner. The new case features Myron’s Hutchinson Salt Rescue Team jacket, pre-scription safety glasses, steel-toed tennis shoes, hard hat, and personal-ized utility belt complete with name plate and the number ‘22’ round brass safety chip that could identify Myron in case of disaster.

Miners’gear

Thanks for the memories… Jamin bids adieu

here’s no doubt that I am a good, sound sleeper – always have been. Perhaps too sound! And yet, a few nights in the past four-and-a-half years have found me wide awake as the wind howls and the rain pours down. I’ve worried: Is there wa-ter in the basement at the county museum … a leak in the roof over collections storage … did a tree crash into the building leaving untold damage? Most of the time, I would eventually fall asleep, and the next morning all would be right with the world (well, perhaps barring a little water in the basement). But these sleepless nights taught

By Jamin Landavazo, RCHS Chief Curator

me a valuable lesson: When you are invested in a place, when you love it – you worry about it.

TRADING JOBS Now the time has come for me to trade one type of sleepless night for anoth-er. I will be leaving my job as Chief Curator for the Reno County Historical Society to embark on the adventure of raising my

first child. It was not a de-cision my husband Matt and I entered into lightly, and there will be many things I will miss: At the Reno County Museum, it will be watch-ing the seasons change outside my office window in our courtyard and Pyle Park … the satisfaction of a research request an-swered and a collections mystery cleared up …

Tjamin, above,

helps direct the ex-

traction of the 1911

time capsule from

the cornerstone of

convention/memorial

hall in 2011.

… and, lower right,

being chief curator

sometimes requires

a little elbow

grease.

20

800-760-5315 620-662-5315

the thrill of speaking with donors about a fabulous artifact with great prove-nance they want to donate … and the look in the eyes of the kids as they bound up the stairs toward the Oodleplex or play with the whirlygigs and gee-haw whimmydiddles in our toys and games program.

MUCH TO MISS At Strataca, I will miss the thrill of the hunt … climbing aboard a tram or a gator … heading to an unexplored part of the mine and bringing back treasures that miners left behind … listening to visitors reminisce about their trips underground as schoolchildren in the 1950s … and talk of plans for future projects. Mostly, however, I will miss the people: the staff, board and volunteers who put so much of them-selves into these muse-ums every day.

TREASURING THECONNECTIONS I will miss the mem-bers who support us with their time and donations, and all the people in the community – and beyond – who make our museums a part of their lives. I will treasure the con-nections we’ve made and the stories and laughs we’ve shared, and how each of you has contribut-ed to the rich, full history of Reno County, which will continue to be shared for generations.

As I’ve told the staff, these things make it both easier and harder to leave – easier because I know I won’t have to lie awake at night and worry about the museums that are in good, very capable hands, but harder because of the bonds we have forged, and the way that all of you have welcomed me into the community from the very beginning. Thank you for the mem-ories, and for continuing to support our great mu-seums!

h

the huge chandelier from the old historic bisonte hotel requires hands-on attention from jamin in preparation for an exhibit.

jamin packs

up boxes of

memories from

her years at

the historical

society.

21

22

The ShaftSee this engineering mar-vel that houses the six-ton double-decker hoist that transports visitors 650’ below ground.

StratadomeIntriguing and palatial, experience the grandeur of this vaulted salt room. Play in the Permian Playground filled with a variety of hands-on salt.Salt secrets exposed!

Mining GallerySee the Myron-mobile, a post-apocalyptic look-ing car driven by Mike Rowe, the host of the TV show “Dirty Jobs.” Dis-cover modern day mining practices versus mining in the past. Find out what a day in the life of a miner is really like.

Harry’s Habitat(Dr. Vreeland’s Fluid In-clusion Exhibit)

The world’s oldest living organism, nearly 250 million years old and once encapsulated inside a salt crystal, is a resident of Strataca. Learn about its discoverers, Dr. Russell Vreeland and his team.

Salt Mine ExpressThis 15-minute train ride is a narrated, guided tour through a part of the mine that was active in the 1940s and ‘50s.

STRATACAHOURS

9 am–5 pm Tues–Sat1–5 pm Sunday

closed Mondays

last tour departs at 3 pm

advance reservations strongly recommended

allow about two hours for your adventure.

HOLIDAY HOURSnov. 28: closed

nov. 29: 9 am–6 pmdec. 23: 9 am–6 pmdec. 24-25: closed

dec. 26-28: 9 am–6 pmdec. 29: 1–6 pm

dec. 31-Jan. 1: closed

SALT BLAST PASSour best deal

includes gallery tour,dark ride (both handi-

capped-accessible) and train ride.

adults: $19seniors (60+) and aaa: $17

children (4-12) & members: $12.50

reno county residents: $14

children under 4 not admitted

due to mine safetyregulations.

pricing availableto add only dark ride

or train ride togallery admission.

all prices include sales tax.

special pricing forgroups over 28 and school groups witharrangements made

one week in advance.

3650 e. avenue g (at airport road)

hutchinson, ks 67501

620-662-1425toll-free 866-755-3450

underkansas.org

Spooktacular!Doors open at 1 p.m.Sunday, October 27Must be 18 years of age or olderWear a costume to Strataca and get free admission (rides not included). Hard hat required and provided, so plan masks and wigs accordingly.

Shopping in the Mine!5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, December 5Christmas shoppers can go under-ground and purchase gifts in our store without paying an admission fee. The galleries and rides will not be open but shoppers will be able to see movie cos-tumes and memorabilia on display.

Murder in the Mineinteractive MyStery dinner theatre

“It’s a Wonderful Knife”6:30 p.m. Friday, December 13$55 per person / $400 for table of 8Doors open at 5 p.m.Last trip underground: 6:15 p.m.Must be 18 years old due to adult humor

Join George, Mary and Clarence in this wonderful Christmas classic with a murderous twist!

Coming “Murder” event: Feb. 22, 2014

Scout overnightS

• November 2: Boy Scout Merit 22 spaces available• November 9: Boy Scout Merit 40 spaces available• November 16: Girl Scouts 100 spaces available • December 7: Boy Scouts 10 spaces available 2014• January 11: Boy Scout Merit 78 spaces available• January 18: Boy Scouts 82 spaces available• January 25: Boy Scouts 100 spaces available• February 1: Boy Scout Merit 80 spaces available• February 8: Boy Scouts 9 spaces available• February 15: Boy Scouts SOLD OUT• March 1: Girl Scouts 100 spaces available

For details and reservations for all events listed above, call: 620-662-1425 • 866-755-3450

STRATACA ATTRACTIONS

23

h

NOW OPEN RCM ON thE ROad…COMEs hOME

From 2011 to 2012, RCM travelled to 14 Reno County communities to display artifacts from those towns. The exhibits stayed up for six months. Now we are bringing this exhibit back to Hutchin-son for all to see. Also we are accepting photographs of current and historical items relating to any of the Reno County cities. We’ll display them along with this exhibit.

tOugh, ROugh & REady: RENO COuNty tOOls a-ZThis tool-tally awesome exhibit displays an amaz-ing variety of tools that built Reno Countyfrom the ground up.

a PEEk INsIdE RENO COuNty’s JEWElRy BOx

From rhinestones to fine gold, see what adornment

RENO COUNTY MUSEUM

EXHIBITS & EVENTS

RENO COUNTYMUSEUM HOURS

9 am–5 pm tues-Fri

11-5 saturday

closed sunday

and monday

HOLIDAY HOURS

nov. 28: closed

dec. 24-25: closed

dec. 31: close at 3

jan. 1: closed

free admission

unless

otherwise

noted

100 S. Walnut

620-662-1184

Reno Countians have been wearing from themid-1880s through the 1960s.

haIl tO thE hall: 100 yEaRs Of CONvENtION hall This exhibit traces the history of Hutchinson’s historic Convention Hall and officially displays the items from the Conven-tion/Memorial Hall 1911 time capsule box.

tRaNsPORtatION gallERy See the Schuttler wag-on, an Amish buggy, the Indian motorcycle, sidecar and much more.

see these stickpins in reno county’s “jewelry box.”

The Dark RideYour personal guide de-livers fascinating informa-tion on a 30-minute tram ride where you experience true “mining dark” and collect your souvenir piece of salt.

GE Engine No. 2One of only three such engines ever built, it is now on display outside of Strataca. Built in 1919,

the train ran along a short railway line from 1928 to 1963 that provided switching services for the Carey plant and mine.

The Iodine Deficiency and Disorder StoryExplore the efforts of Kiwanis International and UNICEF in using salt to combat the devastating effects of iodine deficiency.

The Story of Under-ground Vaults & StorageThis exhibit focuses on the one-of-a-kind storage business found 650 feet below ground where you can view costumes and props from your favorite movies.

Watch for details on our upcoming Salt Safari

Mine Adventure onunderkansas.org

STRATACA ATTRACTIONS (cont.)

Don’t miss holiday eventsOld Fashioned ChristmasSaturday, December 14 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Our traditional winter crafts program for ages 4-12. ($1.50 for supplies)

Cookie DecoratingThursday, December 19 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. … or until the cookies run out! Make ‘em & eat ‘em! A sugary fun holiday time!

see this cool lang-

don 1920 baseball

uniform, left, in

the “rcm on the

road” exhibit.

email us snapshots

of your community

and we will post

them along with

the “on the road”

exhibit. send to:

tina@renocomuse-

um.org.

f

a variety of archival mate-rials and tools are needed for the collections care fund to preserve and prolong the life of all artifacts.

24

We’re proud to share our hometown with you.How fortunate we are to live in a community with such diverse and high quality amenities -- including the Reno County Museum and Kansas Underground Salt Museum!

4 Hutchinson locations to serve you

We’re lucky

The Reno County Muse-um is lucky to have such wonderful members who provide their continuing support for all our en-deavors. Our whole-heart-ed thanks goes out to you! The following joined or renewed between June 26 and September 20:

FriendsMary Alice DitgenLloyd & Ticky McAdamsJudith MielkeMr. & Mrs. J.B. Stuckey

SupportersBob & Sharon DeVaultGreg HoeferDan & Georgia MaxwellJack & Jeanette MullDavid & Nancy Richman

BackersBill & Kris DavisJack & Ginger KoellingVirginia Rayl

PreserversMerl Sellers

Donors’ CircleBridgman Oil*JNB Trucking, LLC

* New member

hearty thanks to all these generous support-ers of the Reno County Historical Society. We couldn’t do it without you!

Ice Cream Social Donations:Dillons: $25 gift cardWalmart: $25 gift cardBogey's: ToppingsLinda Schmitt

In-kind Donations:Karen Fager: Magnifying lightNancy Webster: Toys for OodleplexMae Boggs: Sewing

Collections Care Fund Caring for collections in the proper manner re-quires specialized housing materials, inks, gels and “white-glove” care! All that means it costs quite a bit

more than your average photo album or file folder. Our new Collections Care Fund has really taken off thanks to the following donors:

John W. and Edith CrutcherBill & Linda PfenningerJune & Kurt SiegristMembers of the Siegrist familyJim Fouts

Please contact the museum if you would like

to contribute to the Collections Care Fund.

620-662-1184

We couldn’t do it without you

h h

A

reno county historical societyp.o. box 664hutchinson, kansas 67504-0664

return service requested

THOSE MEN AND THEIR FLYING MACHINES

PAGE 4

If your address changes, please call us at 620-662-1184.