LARNED — The preparations for Sunday’s come-and-go reception marking the Santa Fe Trail Center’s 50th anniversary began early, as the treats table in the West gallery with its cake bearing a large gold “50” was set out for guests.
As folks began to arrive for the 2 p.m. informal event, one thing soon became apparent — more chairs were needed.
With board members, support organization representatives, invited guests and some who were just fans of Larned’s museum and archive dedicated to the pioneers who traveled — and then stayed — near the heart of the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas, the turnout was indeed better than expected.
Seth McFarland’s welcome
“As you know, this is our 50th anniversary, and we are excited about this event,” noted Seth McFarland, SFTC director. “We have several honored guests here and you all as well, our members of our current board, members of Fort Larned Old Guard and Fort Larned.”
Also attending was Martha Ruiz-Mendoza from Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann’s Dodge City office.
Last Saturday, the SFTC hosted an oral history presentation of the Santa Fe Trail with photographs that will be available later in the week. On display Sunday were documents from the original Pawnee County Historical Society founded in 1923.
“History has been part of Pawnee County from the very get-go, as Capt. Henry Booth recognized in 1872 the importance of the history of the Santa Fe Trail,” McFarland said.
“Some of you folks are actually descendants of the people who came and stayed, so thank you for sticking around.”
McFarland then turned the program over to Ruth Olson Peters, who began as an archivist and then served 28 years as director of the museum after it was built in 1974, for a total 33 years.
Peters looks back
“Seth actually told me to say a few words a couple of minutes ago, so I don’t have anything prepared,” Peters noted. “But, the Trail Center was a huge part of my life.
“During that time I worked with a number of people on our board of directors, we have had some really great board members.
“I also had some wonderful staff members and we worked as a team,” she said. “We were also great friends of Fort Larned National Historic Site and the Santa Fe Trail Association, and together, I thought we did a pretty good job of telling the story of the Santa Fe Trail.
“I should also say something about the fabulous volunteers that we’ve had over the years. You can’t run a facility this large, with limited funds, without some fabulous volunteers.
“I was just thinking, I graduated from high school in 1974 and we’re having our 50th anniversary this year,” she noted. “It is a real milestone, and so congratulations to all of you who have been supportive of the Santa Fe Trail Center all these years. Thank you for your support and coming out here today.”
