Medium: PhysicalObject
Pin
Date: between 1980 and 1990
Small silver-plated aluminum decorative pin. Design consists of a knife and a fork laid together with their handles crossed. Utensils have decorative handles. Bar pin with rolling clasp on back…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Tortilla warmer
Date: between 1960 and 1990
Small, square-shaped bag made of off-white cotton fabric. Shallow flap across top edge of bag. Green and white striped trim sewn around edges. Brightly colored embroidered image of a person…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Bean pot
Date: between 1950 and 1990
Rafael and Concepcion (Connie) Rocha Lopez owned this large, glazed terra cotta pot. Both Rafael and Connie were born in Mexico. They frequently returned there and brought things back with…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Centron camera
Date: between 1935 and 1940
Black metal 16mm movie camera mounted on a wheeled wooden tripod. Centron Corporation, in Lawrence, Kansas, used this motion-picture camera to produce educational and industrial films. When Centron was founded…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Christmas card
Date: 1969
Christmas card with scene of “Old Fairgrounds,” 1969. Louis Glynn was a stenographer for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was also a self-trained artist, and beginning in the 1940s, he…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Christmas card
Date: 1970
Christmas card with scene of “Cedar Crest,” 1970. Louis Glynn was a stenographer for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was also a self-trained artist, and beginning in the 1940s, he…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Evil Eye necklace
Date: between 1960 and 1969
Glass bead necklace strung on cotton twine. William Lindsay and Kathrine White purchased this Evil Eye beaded necklace during a trip to Istanbul, Turkey, in 1964.
Medium: PhysicalObject
Woodcut pin
Date: between 1940 and 1959
Small rectangular walnut woodcut pin depicting morning glory flowers. Marlow Woodcuts, a company founded by Margaret Lowe in Americus, Kansas, in 1932 made this pin.
Medium: PhysicalObject
Rodeo chaps
Date: 1963
Rodeo chaps made of green- and cream-colored naugahyde and decorated with metal conchos. The appliqued letters “FHR” stand for “Flint Hills Rodeo.” The legs are padded with foam rubber. Gerald…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Topeka Aces uniform
Date: between 1920 and 1930
Woman’s wool basketball jersey and shorts worn by Doris Eva Ransdell Nelson while playing for the Topeka Aces from 1922 to 1931. She and other Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Betty Wollman portrait
Date: 1932
Oil painting of Betty Kohn Wollman (1836-1927) done by artist, Boris Barnhard Gordon (1890-1976). Jonas and Betty Wollman were early settlers in Leavenworth, Kansas, known for their anti-slavery views. The…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Baseball trophy
Date: 1867
Silver baseball trophy awarded to the Kaw Valley baseball club of Lawrence, Kansas, during a baseball tournament held at the Third Annual Kansas State Fair in Lawrence in 1867. The…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Brooch
Date: between 1860 and 1880
This oval-shaped, black celluloid cameo brooch depicts the bust of a Classical-style woman. The donor, Clara May Hesse, was born in 1884. Her parents, William and Rebecca Hesse, were among…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Zulu necklace
Date: between 1921 and 1936
This necklace is called “Kay of the Heart.” Beads like these were often worn by Zulu men and women as decoration and functioned as a form of communication. These particular…
Medium: PhysicalObject
William Antes rifle
Date: between 1770 and 1789
This “William Antes” rifle is 56″ long, with octagonal barrels 40″ in length, and appears to be .50 caliber. It has a flintlock firing mechanism. The walnut stock is carved…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Cafe clock
Date: between 1865 and 1897
Large pendulum clock with time and calendar faces. Casing is made of pine with rosewood veneer, and the faces are covered with glass. The clock was used in a café…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Missouri Street, Alma, Kansas, 1907 Zercher Photo
Date: 1907
This is a 1907 Zercher Photography view which shows both sides of Missouri Street, looking north. The museum building is on the left; however, the old Meyer store next door…
Medium: PhysicalObject
August Utermann’s Central Livery and Feed Stable, 316 Missouri, Alma, Ks
Date: 1890
This is a photograph of August Utermann’s Central Livery Stable at 316 Missouri, Alma, Kansas. It was built in 1884 and this view is from 1890. Around 1900, Utermann built…
Medium: PhysicalObject
World War I recruiting poster
Date: between 1917 and 1918
This rectangular paper poster features a large color illustration of Uncle Sam gesturing at the viewer, with the text “I Want You.” This World War I Army recruiting poster was…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Memorial card
Date: 1918
World War I-era memorial card in the German language, honoring the life of Corporal Paul C. Knoblauch of rural Reno County, Kansas. Paper mourning card with central fold and images…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Quantrill’s Flag
Date: 1862
Small cotton and wool flag measuring 7 inches x 13 inches. The pattern is similar to the Confederate First National Flag, popularly known as the “Stars and Bars.” Instead of…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Boxing gloves
Date: between 1911 and 1923
Boxing gloves from heavyweight champion Jess Willard. Born in Pottawatomie County in 1881, Willard was crowned world champion in 1915, defeating Jack Johnson in a controversial boxing match. Willard held…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Jess Willard’s boxing shorts
Date: between 1911 and 1923
Heavyweight boxing champion Jess Willard wore these silk shorts between 1911 and 1923. Born in Pottawatomi County, Kansas in 1881, Willard was crowned world champion in 1915, defeating Jack Johnson…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Paving brick
Date: between 1904 and 1924
Clay brick with imprint, “Don’t Spit on Sidewalk.” These bricks were the brainchild of Dr. Samuel Crumbine of Dodge City, Kansas, who served as Secretary of the Kansas State Board…
Medium: PhysicalObject
Bender knife
Date: between 1870 and 1879
Bone handled steel table knife made by Marsh Brothers & Company between 1870 and 1879. It was owned by the Bender family who were known for killing travelers at their…