Do you know who this is? Boston Corbett. Do you recognize his famous name? I didn’t. But I learned in Concordia Kansas that he is the soldier who shot and killed John Wilkes Booth (the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln). And Mr. Corbett lived in Concordia. There is far more to his life story that this one incident. And it is quite interesting. I heard the narrative from Florence, the curator of the Cloud County Museum. I received a personal tour which makes me extra happy, because I could ask my non-stop questions. If you visit at a time when a museum is not busy, the docents are usually glad to give you a private tour, and it is delightfully insightful.
Cloud County Museum
The Cloud County Museum is enormous, and exhibits the region’s history in great depth and detail. If your family was from this area, you will get a full sense of what their lives were like in each era.
Florence introduced me to Vicki, the family genealogy researcher for the museum. Vicki showed me her treasure room. It is expansive. She will surely be able to find information on your local ancestors.
These file drawers contain indexes for photographs from the 1940’s to the 1990’s. They were donated by a local photography studio. The museum is reconnecting them with family members. So, please check and see if your family has a picture for you to claim! How wonderful is that?!
I never want to give away too much information on a museum, and deprive you of the discovery yourself. So I will stop here, even though I want to describe the displays of the one-time Maytag wash machine that was convertible into an ice cream/butter maker. I am not sure I would put cream into a basin that had just washed soiled clothing. You also need to hear the story about the Ma Barker gang robbing the town bank in 1932. Three women were taken hostage and went on a hair-raising ride. There was a POW camp in Concordia, which housed 4,000 soldiers captured in Africa (they were with Rommel’s German army). I was surprised to discover this map in the museum, showing all the POW camps in the US. I had no idea.
U.S. POW camps
There is so very much more in this museum. If you can’t visit it, please follow their Facebook page for all their fascinating tales of the region’s past.
Out on the main street area of town, I enjoyed browsing through the shops. They are in fabulous old buildings. I had all my meals at Jitter’s Coffee House while I was in town.
It is a healthy menu with good, clean, well-crafted dishes. So it was a treat for me to dine there, as well as enjoy their unique offerings of teas. I tried a different tea every time, and savored the flavor of each one. That is significant, because I am enthusiast of tea. A good tea heightens the pleasure of the meal. Down the road I noticed an inviting restaurant. Next time, I will give El Puerto Mexican Restaurant a try. It sure looks appealing.
I stepped inside the Citizen’s National Bank, and asked about the Ma Barker gang that robbed it 90 years ago. I was thrilled when a banker let me see the original vault!
I always stop at the Chamber of Commerce to see what is happening in a town. I had a fun, robust conversation with Annie Bergman, the executive director. She is perfect for her job. I felt like a friend when I left her office.
The main reason I went to Concordia was because of the National Orphan Train museum. I wrote about the poignant visit I experienced. It is truly the highlight of the town.
I finished my trip at the town library, where the librarian, Alice, helped me do some searches in their genealogical holdings. Never assume that all archives are only in one repository in a town. Here, both the library and the museum keep genealogical records. I often wonder if the townspeople explore their own families in these facilities. I bet they would be amazed at what they find!