Museum gets new artifacts
Staff writer
Ramona’s loss of a museum is a boon to the Marion Historical Museum.
Curator Peggy Blackman got a call in July that artifacts removed from the closed Ramona museum were available if she was interested.
Blackman said she hasn’t gotten everything on display yet, but she has got a display case full of class photos.
A pageant gown worn by Marion native Jeanette Russell Rupp, who as Miss Hillsboro was in the top 10 contestants for Miss Kansas in 1956, was donated by her daughter, Laura Baldwin. She also was named Phillips University Miss Venus.
The museum has purchased a computer for research purposes, but is still working to install needed software for digitized artifacts, Blackman said.
Visitors increased this summer, Blackman said. Over 200 people signed the guest book, and they range from elementary students to adults.
“I’ve got elementary children coming in and looking and bringing back their parents,” she said. “We’ve had two eighth grade classes and two high school history classes.”
One student came in to volunteer service to the museum.
A recent Oklahoma earthquake, felt throughout the county, caused cracking in the east wall of the museum and a roof leak, Blackman said. Those maintenance issues will be taken up at the next museum board meeting.
“We’re also working with Old Settlers’ Day,” she said.
The returning class with the largest percentage of members signing in at the museum will get a cash prize to donate to a cause of their choice, Blackman said.
With winter coming on, museum hours will change. Through Oct. 31, hours will remain 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
After Oct. 31, the museum will be available by appointment and Blackman will give programs on request.