1. sports
2. rodeo

WINTER 2011
Produced for the
members and friends of
Old Cowtown Museum
1865 West Museum
Boulevard
Wichita, Kansas
316.219.1871
VOL.13 / NO.4
LET’S MAKE MERRY:
A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS
www.oldcowtown.org
Hours & Admission
November 1st, 2011
to April 9th, 2012
10 am to 4 pm
Tuesday-Saturday
Closed
Sunday & Monday
Cowtown can accommodate
groups and school classes yearround by reservation.
ADMISSION
Adults (18-61) $7.75
Seniors (62+) $6.50
Youth (12-17) $6.00
Children (4-11) $5.50
No charge for children under 4
and Old Cowtown Members
Group Rates
(for groups of 15 or more paying
visitors)
Adults (18+) $6.00
Youth (12-17) $4.00
Children (4-11) $3.00
No charge for children under 4
For more information
call 316.350.3323
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
AT OLD COWTOWN
MUSEUM, OR FOLLOW
US ON TWITTER @
WICHITACOWTOWN
Carolers gather at the Dress Shop
The Visitors Center ready for
Christmas Dinner
A lamp-lit wagon ride
Join us at Old Cowtown Museum
for our annual Old Fashion
Christmas Celebration. Let’s Make
Merry: A Victorian Christmas
will be held December 2, 3, 9
and 10 from 6pm-9pm. Whether
Christmas at Cowtown is an
annual event for your family or a
brand new adventure, there will be
entertainment to evoke your sense
of nostalgia as well as new events
and actives to experience.
As the day light dwindles, the
town will come alive with music
and performances, traditional
Christmas crafts and activities,
cookies, cocoa, and unique
Christmas gifts. Have photos taken
with Santa Claus himself in prairie style.
Don’t forget to stop by our homes
to experience Christmas traditions
brought with settlers from their
ancestor’s homes to the prairie. See
how traditional ethnic customs merge
with an early American Christmas.
Nightly Highlights include: The
Night before Christmas Play, Dixie
Lee Dancers, Entre Nous Dancers,
The Notorious Roscoe, Blind
Dog Quilts, Handmade Santas by
Georganna Robinson, Social Club
cookies and crafts, and photos
with Santa at Heller Cabin, and
appearances by Wichita Choral
Society, Great Plains Dulcimer
Alliance and Acoustic Treasures.
Christmas Dinner will be served
in the Visitor Center December
9th and 10th at 6:00. Dinner
menu includes: roast turkey, Beef
Bourguignonne, twice baked potato
casserole, tossed salad, rolls/butter,
Vegetable Medley, assorted desserts
(cakes, pies, cheesecakes, sugarfree), coffee, tea,lemonade & water.
Dinner entertainment will be
provided by Flatland String Band.
The price for dinner and admission
to the grounds is: Adults $26.95,
Children $14.95, Members
$19.95, and $11.95 for children
of members. Reservations are
required by calling 350-3323.
THE HOLIDAYS AT S.G. BASTIAN & SONS BREAKFAST
Are you looking for that “perfect” Christmas gift? Do you have a little
WITH SANTA
“cowpoke” that needs some new cap guns or a new badge? How about a
gift that uniquely says Cowtown? Or one-of-a-kind handcrafted items from
local artisans?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, S.G. Bastian and Sons
Mercantile in the Visitor’s Center at Old Cowtown Museum is the place for
you to shop this season. The store currently has cap guns, bow and arrow
sets, stuffed animals, historic reproduction toys, and more for the little
ones. We have handcrafted bonnets, hand muffs, and jewelry for the ladies.
And for the guys on your list, we have handmade metal work from the
blacksmiths here at Cowtown, spurs, and hats. And for anyone who likes to
eat, we have locally-made jams, jellies, salsas, and peanut brittle.
Just in time for Christmas this year, the store will be receiving a new line
of merchandise. These items will include key chains, magnets, and even
sweatshirts. Currently in-stock is a large selection of mugs, shot glasses
and T-shirts---all with the Old Cowtown logo.
So no matter who you are shopping for this season, stop by and check out
the items at S.G. Bastian and Sons. You are sure to find something you like
and can’t get anywhere else in town.
Our hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM (9 PM the nights of
Victorian Christmas), during regular Museum hours. We will be closed
Thursday and Friday, November 24th and 25th for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Don’t forget to reserve your
seat for Breakfast With Santa,
perfect for little ones and their
families. Held in the Visitors
Center on December 3rd or 10th at
8:30am, the event is a favorite with
grandparents and grandchildren.
While you wait for Santa to arrive
by stagecoach, you can send him
a personalized telegraph and
make some fun Christmas crafts.
Breakfast will include pancakes,
French toast, scrambled eggs,
bacon, sausage, biscuits and fruit
salad. Adults $12.95, Children
$7.95. Reservations are booking
quickly. Go to www.wichitatix.com
or call 350-3323.
WINTER 2011
HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS CARDS
Many of the Christmas traditions we celebrate were born during the
Victorian era, including Christmas cards.
Original Horsley Greeting Card
“On behalf of the Tesla & Lovecraft Mail Order Catalogue,
we would like to thank all of the ladies and gentlemen who
came out for our Exposition. We hope you will mark your
calendars for June 2, 2012, at which time we will once again
be presenting exciting entertainment and Unique Scientifically
Designed Objects For Everyday Use!”
VISITORS CENTER IMPROVEMENTS
The concrete goes down
The finished walk
The Visitor’s Center at Cowtown
got an update on its entrance this
season, with the addition of a
second sidewalk from the parking
lot to the building. One of the earth
berms that surround the building
was cut down to make room for the
new walk. The walk was completed
with the installation of removeable
metal bollards in the center of both
front walks.
Thanks to Bill Hogan and Tom
McQuillams of Cowtown Building
Services for coordinating this
project. Other City of Wichita
public Works employees that helped
complete the new walk include:
James Black, Steve Bennett,
Tracy Jordan, John May, Roger
Whitely, Dave Palmitier, James
Goodenough, Lee Brown, and
Robert Burgar.
The interior of the Visitors
Center also recently received some
upgrades thanks to a generous
contribution from Historic Wichita
Cowtown, Inc. Drapes and shades
were added to the main room along
with audio-visual equipment. These
additions make the Visitors Center
an attractive place for daytime
business meetings.
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!
Cowtown Museum staff met recently to set the 2012 event calendar. We
are already working on planning all of the 2012 events and are looking
forward to new and unique ways to stage some of your favorite events.
Victorian Ball
Civil War Day
Frozen in Time
Steampunk Day
Celebrate America
Age of the Gunfighter
Education Day
County Fair
Hay Hooves and Hallowe’en
Breakfast With Santa
Victorian Christmas
February 11, 2012
April 21, 2012
May 19, 2012
June 2, 2012
June 30, 2012
September 1, 2012
October 5, 2012
October 6, 2012
October 27, 2012
December 8 and 14, 2012
December 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2012
The Cowtown Chronicle is published by Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc., the
Advisory group for Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 West Museum Boulevard,
Wichita, KS, 67203. It is distributed to the members and donors of Old
Cowtown Museum.
© Copyright 2011 Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc. ISSN 1522-7375. All
rights reserved. Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc. disclaims responsibility for
statements of facts or opinion made by contributors.
It was customary when a person
paid a formal call, to leave a calling
card with the hostess. In addition,
at Christmas time visitors to left
written greetings on their visiting
cards. In 1843, this social obligation
created a problem for Sir Henry
Prang 1880 Christmas Card
Cole. The founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London had so
many Christmas greetings that handwriting them seemed impossible.
Cole also wanted to remind those he interacted with of the need to help
the destitute on that holiday. He commissioned John Calcott Horsley to
print and color a card about the size of a calling card. The text, “A Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year to You” was printed over a 3 panel
illustration. The center panel displayed a happy family embracing one
another, sipping wine and enjoying the festivities. The side panels showed
the feeding and clothing of the poor. Unfortunately his picture showed a
child enjoying a sip of wine and was considered by some “fostering the
moral corruption of children.” None the less, the custom became popular
anyway.
In the United States a similar card was made in 1851 by R.H. Pease,
an engraver, lithographer, and variety store owner in Albany, New York.
His card included a family scene—parents and three children with their
presents, in the small cards center. In the background a servant set the table
for Christmas dinner and the images on each of the card’s four corners
were pictures of a “small, rather elf-type Santa Claus with fur-trimmed cap,
sleigh and reindeer, a ball-room with dancers, the building marked Temple
of Fancy,’ and an array of Christmas presents and Christmas dishes and
drinks.” While the Horsley card wished good tidings for the season, Pease’
card added a self-promotional “Pease’s Great Varety (sic) Store in the
Temple of Fancy?”
While neither of these had the vision or inclination to exploit the market
and published another card, others took up the idea. In 1860, a British
publisher of visiting cards began mass producing cards designed especially
for visits at Christmas and New Year’s, though they still were about 3
inches by 2 inches.
Publishers in the United States did not create their own until 1874 when
German immigrant, Louis Prang, opened the first Christmas card factory
in Massachusetts. Unfortunately it was more profitable to export his
entire stock to England, but a year later he published the first line of U.S.
Christmas cards.
His initial creations followed Victorian conventions and symbolism
featured flowers and birds, unrelated to the Christmas time, along with
an elegantly scripted couplet or prose Christmas greeting. Through
experimentation Prang soon found that Christmas pictures and larger sized
cards brought even better returns than the small Victorian ones and offered
more opportunity for artistic endeavors. Prang was dedication to aesthetic
values art educations and held a standard of perfection. Prang saw his
cards as small works of art, affordable to nearly anyone and were a way to
introduce Americans to well-known works of art at reasonable prices.
He refused to follow the trend of his competitors to create some that were
shaped liked fans and crescents; others were cut into the shapes of bells,
birds, candles and even plum puddings. Some folded like maps or fitted
together as puzzles; other squealed or squeaked. Pop-up Cards revealed tiny
mangers or skaters with flying scarves gliding around a mirrored pond.
FROM THE PRESIDENT FROM THE DIRECTOR
What a year we have had at Cowtown. This will be my last column. A
new President comes aboard January 1st.
The staff has performed miracles this past year while dealing with a
terribly hot summer and lousy economy. Attendance is up from last year
because, I believe, the new events that have been held. Steampunk Day
was a huge success with lots of parents and children attending. The board
is planning two or three additional events for next year and will combine
with the very successful Cowtown Wine Mosey. Also, the board will be
providing bus scholarships for bringing children to Cowtown.
Christmas at Cowtown is always special. Tickets for breakfast with Santa
are now available. I hope each of you will be able to visit Cowtown during
the holidays, and bring friends and neighbors.
It has been a true pleasure to be the President this past year and made very
easy with the great staff here. And a special thank you to the volunteers as
they are very dedicated and a pleasure to work with at the events.
I hope to see you and your friends on the grounds in the future.
David Haglund, President
Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc.
LONG-TIME VOLUNTEER DIES
Long time volunteer Roslyn Hoch passed away September 23. Roslyn
was a charter member of the Social Club, a member of the original Dixie
Lee Dance and Varieties Troupe, as well as one of the founding members
of Entre Nous. She and her husband Phil had been fixtures at Old Cowtown
since they began volunteering in 1975. Due to health issues, Roslyn had
been unable to volunteer in recent years, but when she was able to be here
all who knew her were charmed by her warm personality and generous
nature. Survivors: husband, Phil; daughters, Cynthia “Candy” Wasser
(Scott) of Ottawa, Elaine K. Hoch of Lawrence; grandson Nicholas W.
Wasser (Brianna) of Seattle, WA; granddaughters Katie B. Wasser of
Ottawa, Emily R. Gibby (Seth) of Auburn, AL; sister Linda Hugg of Citrus
Heights, CA. Preceded in death by grandson L.Cpl. Christopher B.
Wasser, USMC.
COWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB
IS ACTIVE GROUP
The Cowtown Social Club was
begun in 1976 and is a volunteer
auxiliary of Old Cowtown Museum.
The purpose of the group is to
support the mission and programs
of the museum with special projects
and recruiting new volunteers.
Each year, Club members donate
hundreds of hours and dollars to
support the museum.
From its inception, Social Club
members have served a variety of
volunteer roles. and originated the
popular Old-Fashioned Christmas
event, an event they still support.
Throughout the year, the Social
Club creates and sells homemade
goodies and crafts that are sold to
support special projects of their
choosing at Cowtown. In the past, these projects have
included:
—Sponsoring the redecoration of
the Southern Hotel
—Sponsoring the creation and
maintenance of the Dress Shop
—Funding the construction of the
bandstand
—Creating fresh evergreen wreaths
used at Cowtown during the holiday
season The Cowtown Social Club
meets at the Southern Hotel on
the grounds of Old Cowtown
Museum. Meetings occur the last
Monday of every month at 9:30am
and generally include a business
meeting, refreshments and programs
on various topics. Anyone interested
in joining this active group is
encouraged to contact Jacky
Goerzen, Volunteer Coordinator
at 350-3317 or HYPERLINK
“mailto:[email protected]”
[email protected] .
It’s difficult living in the 19th and 21st centuries simultaneously. Cowtown
is all about the 19th century. Our buildings, collections, interpretations and
many of our events focus on the settlement era from 1865-1885. It’s our
reason for being. It’s what we do, and—if I do say—we do it well.
But we also have to have a firm footing in the 21st century. Marketing,
Development, Finance, Human Resources and Management very definitely
operate in 2011. So we are required to balance what we do with the
environment we are required to do it in.
One 21st century phenomenon that is benefitting this 19th century
establishment is the rise of social media. Facebook, Twitter and Youtube are
major parts of our efforts to interest modern people in historic Cowtown.
We operate on each of these sites, and you should check us out on all three.
Take Facebook as an example. If you go to the official Old Cowtown
Museum site, you can get the latest Cowtown news, see hundreds of photos
from past events, tell us your likes and dislikes and see what events are
coming up. Read the “Recommendations” from visitors, find out what our
hours are and see who you know among the 1800+ people who “Like” the
site. If you’ve been on the site, you would have seen the videos advertising
Steampunk Day (they are really cool!) and other not-to-be-missed things.
While I admit that I am beyond the age where I could ever be considered
a “techie” (and I still just don’t get Twitter), the advent and rise of social
media is helping us connect with a whole new audience. So if you’re
computer literate, check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. You’ll be
surprised how much noise this group of 19th century aficionados can make
in cyberspace!
David Flask, Executive Director
Old Cowtown Museum
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED
We are always interested in new
volunteers to fill a variety of roles
at Cowtown. Currently, specific
needs include:
CARPENTER We are looking
for someone to teach carpentry to
interested volunteers. If you have
this skill, or you know someone who
does, let us know so that we can bring
the carpenter shop back to life.
DANCERS Dixie Lee, our
saloon girls, and Entre Nous, our
proper Victorian dancers, are both
in need of new dancers. Dixie Lee
girls rehearse every Monday. Entre
Nous rehearses the first and third
Mondays of the month.
CLEANING HELP We are
always looking for volunteers
to help clean the exhibits and
buildings. Right now, Shermie
Robinson, an extremely dedicated
and hard-working volunteer, comes
out by herself on Tuesdays to clean
the buildings. It would be great if
we could get someone that could
assist her. It doesn’t have to be
on Tuesdays, we can work with
your schedule!
If you are interested in these
volunteer positions, or have
other ideas, please contact Jacky
Goerzen, Volunteer Coordinator,
at 350-3317 or HYPERLINK
“mailto:[email protected]”
[email protected] . Come join
the Cowtown family!!
VOLUNTEER PROFILED
IN LOCAL PAPER
Shermie Robinson, a long time
Cowtown volunteer, was recently
featured in the East Wichita News.
Robinson loves history and history
is what Cowtown is all about.
She believes that a person’s status
today is affected by their past.
Knowing and remembering that
past is important.
Robinson began volunteering at
Cowtown in 2003, after retiring
from USD 259 where she was a
school psychologist. She spends
four hours a week under the
direction of Cowtown Curator Amy
Loch cleaning and maintaining
exhibits. She also dons a period
costume on special event days and
can be found interpreting either the
Munger House or the Drugstore.
Thank you, Shermie, for all you
do at Cowtown! You are a joy to
have around!
THANK YOU to the following
for their recent donations to the
museum’s collections.
--Charles Edens for donating
12 blacksmith tongs from Leo
McKenzie’s shop
--Sandra McCean and Jean A Walden
for donation period and reproduction
clothing
--Phyllis MacKay for donating a
sewing machine, box, and saddle
bags
--Francene Sharp for donation
miscellaneous household goods
--Frank Ruff for knitting mitts for
the costume closet
--Shermie Robinson for donating a
rug for the Munger house
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Wichita, Kansas
Permit No. 585
HISTORIC WICHITA COWTOWN, INC.
1865 WEST MUSEUM BOULEVARD
WICHITA, KANSAS 67203
DATED MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE DELIVERY
WINTER 2011
COWTOWN FANS
“I was extremely impressed with Education Day at Old Cowtown
Museum last week. Hats off to the volunteers who brought history alive,
creating an educational, fun and memorable experience for young and old
alike. I want to express sincere appreciation for the efforts of the Cowtown
staff and all those who made the event possible. My third-grade son though
tit was the best field trip ever. It made me proud of Wichita. Thanks to all
for a job well done.” –Michelle H.
“A must see if you’re ever in Wichita. Plan on being delightfully
surprised at the authenticity this museum presents to visitors. They truly
love what they are doing, and it shows! Great educational experiences for
the whole family.” –Linda K.
ATTENTION COWTOWN MEMBERS
The Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc. Board of Trustees is continuing to
build the Cowtown Members email contact list. If you have not as yet
provided the board with your email contact information please do the
following:
Send an email to the Board Secretary, Bob Garrett at the following email
address: HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected].
requesting to be added.
It is the board’s intention to use the list to keep you informed of board
activities and events as well as information and events at Old Cowtown
Museum.
“LOVE this local gem! We head over at least one time every month!” –
Jeramie R.
“Second-graders from St. Patrick Catholic School in Wichita would
like to thank Anthony Horsch for the fabulous tour he provided us a Old
Cowtown Museum. He treated my students to hands-on experiences of what
life was like of the 1870s.” –Sharon H.
MEMBERSHIP FORM
Name ____________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address _____________________________________________________________________________
City/ State/ Zip ____________________________________________________________________________
E-mail _____________________________________________ Phone ________________________________
THIS IS A NEW MEMBERSHIP
RENEWAL
Patricia and Susanne’s Melodramatic Society
wrapped up their first production at Cowtown in
October. “Trapped in a Villain’s Web…or Weave Me
a Loan” was staged for two consecutive weekends
at the Empire House Theater. The audiences enjoyed the return of oldfashioned melodrama to Cowtown after a long hiatus.
A note from the Melodramatic Society reads, in part, “Thank you for
giving us this wonderful chance to perform in the Empire House Theater in
Cowtown. We had a great time putting this show together, and really look
forward to many more to come!” Plans are underway for Patricia and Susanne’s Melodramatic Society to
return in 2012 with more of their traditional old-fashioned melodrama fun.
2011
COUNTY FAIR
AWARD WINNERS FOR ARTWORK
GIFT MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS




Free admission, including special events, for one year
Four issues of the Cowtown Chronicle
10% discount in the S.G. Bastian & Sons Mercantile
10% discount to Diamond W. Chuckwagon Supper
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP LEVELS
$30 Basic — includes free admission for one
$45 Companion — free admission for member plus a guest
$ 55 Family/Grandparent — free admission for two adults and up to five children under 18
$100- $5,000 Pioneer Society — various levels and benefits, please call for more information
MEMBERSHIP LEVEL ________________________________ AMOUNT ENCLOSED ____________
RETURN WITH CHECK TO:
HISTORIC WICHITA COWTOWN, INC.
1865 W. MUSEUM BLVD., WICHITA, KS 67203
OR JOIN ONLINE AT WWW.OLDCOWTOWN.ORG
SEE WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON PIONEER SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP.
Grand Prize Champion William
McCabe – Park Hill Elementary. –
Ms Simon teacher
Reserve Champion Levi Nice – Nice
Homeschool – Ms. Nice teacher