To close out our tour of Wakarusa, I took everyone to the Wakarusa Historical Society. WHS was started by my Aunt Helen Klein, my Dad's sister, and a few others in 1975. I believe my Aunt is the only one of the original founders still alive today, so she considers it to be her enterprise.
When I walked in, she was standing in the office, about ready to give the Amish girl in the background a tour. I said, "Helen, do you recognize me?" She responded, "No, you are in the light and I can't see you very well, stand over here so I can get a good look at you." When I did, she still looked puzzled, so I said, "I am Kenny's boy." That is when she threw her arms around me and told the Amish girl that she would have to give her a tour some other time.
Aunt Helen took us through the main building with the old Citizen's Bank vault, the telephone exchange, and a bunch of collectibles that people have willed to the museum over the years. Based on her stories, it seems like people want to donate items only at "Ten O'Clock" at night.
Here she is holding the official City of Wakarusa flag that she created and paid $300 to have made by a local flag maker. Apparently, it was from funds that my grandfather donated in his will to the Historical Society, so she called it "Dad's flag."
Speaking of my Grandpa Eby, here he is getting his hair cut as the first customer of the US Male Barber Shop in 1974. Les Eads, who is pictured, was the head barber, and the other barber's name, I believe was Doug. I had a crush on Doug because he had long hair and dressed like he belonged on the Studio 54 disco dance floor. Les, as you can see from the picture was black.
When my Aunt was describing this section of the museum she said, "Keith, go up and look at that picture there. I think you might know the man with the colored barber." I turned around to see that all of my friends were looking at me with that "OMG" look. Then she said, "I was so happy when I found that colored mannequin because I could use it to represent the colored barber." I am pretty sure my Aunt is not racist, just not up to date on the preferred terminology.
This is Dick Smith, who was my 6th grade civics teacher and who is currently on Helen's board of directors (her words, not mine). When Helen got tired of showing us around, she asked Dick to take us to the other 6 buildings. He didn't recognize me at first, I had to remind him that he spanked me twice in middle school. He is pictured here searching through old Wakarusa Middle School year books to show my friends embarrassing photos of me. I wanted to paddle him.
I made the mistake of asking what these "hog scrapers" were used for back in the day. Believe me, you don't want to know.
When I walked into one the of buildings, this little blue dress and sign caught my eye. I stood stupified for a few seconds before I was able to turn to Tom and Marcia and say, "That is my Grandpa Eby's dress?" I was told that back then, all little boys wore dresses until they were potty trained because it was easier. Once they were trained, they were dressed in shorts. I guess I buy it, but it looks like I am not the only Eby male to wear a dress.
These two civil war reenactors were walking around while we were there. They came up to my Aunt and asked if they could fire their rifles, which I found odd. She said yes, as long as they owned up to it if the "marshal" came to investigate. After they fired a shot, I heard one of them say, "Oh, that felt really good. I have not fired a shot in uniform for a good six months."
Aunt Helen has done wonders for the town of Wakarusa, having grown the Historical Society from one building and this caboose, to seven buildings and thousands of items. She is showing signs of slowing down, (as she claimed that the reason she didn't recognize me was from her drug overdose in the hospital) but I have a feeling she will be running the museum for several more years if she has anything to do about it.
To close out our tour of Wakarusa, I took everyone to the Wakarusa Historical Society. WHS was started by my Aunt Helen Klein, my Dad's sister, and a few others in 1975. I believe my Aunt is the only one of the original founders still alive today, so she considers it to be her enterprise. 
When I walked in, she was standing in the office, about ready to give the Amish girl in the background a tour. I said, "Helen, do you recognize me?" She responded, "No, you are in the light and I can't see you very well, stand over here so I can get a good look at you." When I did, she still looked puzzled, so I said, "I am Kenny's boy." That is when she threw her arms around me and told the Amish girl that she would have to give her a tour some other time.
Aunt Helen took us through the main building with the old Citizen's Bank vault, the telephone exchange, and a bunch of collectibles that people have willed to the museum over the years. Based on her stories, it seems like people want to donate items only at "Ten O'Clock" at night. 
Here she is holding the official City of Wakarusa flag that she created and paid $300 to have made by a local flag maker. Apparently, it was from funds that my grandfather donated in his will to the Historical Society, so she called it "Dad's flag."
Speaking of my Grandpa Eby, here he is getting his hair cut as the first customer of the US Male Barber Shop in 1974. Les Eads, who is pictured, was the head barber, and the other barber's name, I believe was Doug. I had a crush on Doug because he had long hair and dressed like he belonged on the Studio 54 disco dance floor. Les, as you can see from the picture was black. 
When my Aunt was describing this section of the museum she said, "Keith, go up and look at that picture there. I think you might know the man with the colored barber." I turned around to see that all of my friends were looking at me with that "OMG" look. Then she said, "I was so happy when I found that colored mannequin because I could use it to represent the colored barber." I am pretty sure my Aunt is not racist, just not up to date on the preferred terminology. 
This is Dick Smith, who was my 6th grade civics teacher and who is currently on Helen's board of directors (her words, not mine). When Helen got tired of showing us around, she asked Dick to take us to the other 6 buildings. He didn't recognize me at first, I had to remind him that he spanked me twice in middle school. He is pictured here searching through old Wakarusa Middle School year books to show my friends embarrassing photos of me. I wanted to paddle him.
I made the mistake of asking what these "hog scrapers" were used for back in the day. Believe me, you don't want to know.
When I walked into one the of buildings, this little blue dress and sign caught my eye. I stood stupified for a few seconds before I was able to turn to Tom and Marcia and say, "That is my Grandpa Eby's dress?" I was told that back then, all little boys wore dresses until they were potty trained because it was easier. Once they were trained, they were dressed in shorts. I guess I buy it, but it looks like I am not the only Eby male to wear a dress.
These two civil war reenactors were walking around while we were there. They came up to my Aunt and asked if they could fire their rifles, which I found odd. She said yes, as long as they owned up to it if the "marshal" came to investigate. After they fired a shot, I heard one of them say, "Oh, that felt really good. I have not fired a shot in uniform for a good six months." 
Aunt Helen has done wonders for the town of Wakarusa, having grown the Historical Society from one building and this caboose, to seven buildings and thousands of items. She is showing signs of slowing down, (as she claimed that the reason she didn't recognize me was from her drug overdose in the hospital) but I have a feeling she will be running the museum for several more years if she has anything to do about it.
