Stafford County Museum announces its participation in the 2024 Kansas Tourism Sunflower Summer program. The museum is open 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead if possible. The museum library/office is located at 100 N. Main in Stafford, on the north east corner of Main & Broadway.
For 48 years museum staff and volunteers have worked hard to fulfill its mission to “collect, preserve, research and exhibit the history of Stafford County, Kan.” This includes Dillwyn, Hudson, Macksville, Radium, St. John, Seward, and Stafford, as well as the county’s rural areas and many “ghost towns,” such as Bedford, Milwaukee, and Cassoday.
There are four buildings filled with heirlooms and artifacts that tell the story of Stafford County and document the lifestyles of rural Kansans in decades gone by. Highlights of the museum are a 1902 Holsman, 1906 Maxwell, late 19th century horse-drawn hearse, farming, military, quilt and scouting exhibits, and a Civil War Ordnance Rifle (“cannon”). It also holds 30,800 glass plate negatives, cameras, and photography equipment from the W.R. Gray Studio that was in St. John 1905-1981. The museum library houses an extensive local history archive.
The Sunflower Summer Program is a benefit for Kansas families with school-aged children to encourage them to explore, and fall in love, with Kansas. The program is designed to give affordable access to tourism attractions across the state and support the Kansas tourism economy. Eligible Kansas families will download the Sunflower Summer App to claim tickets to participating venues. The 2024 Sunflower Summer season will run May 24 - Aug. 11.
“We are thrilled to be a venue for the 2024 Kansas Sunflower Summer program,” said board president Marceline Masten. “This opportunity allows us to welcome Kansas families to our attraction and provide them with an unforgettable experience.”
Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce, aims to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities.
“Kansas Tourism is excited to have Stafford County Museum as a part of the Sunflower Summer program,” said Kansas Tourism Director, Bridgette Jobe. “This program is an amazing benefit for the residents of Kansas, and we are looking forward to growing the program in the 2024 season. Stafford County Museum is an important part of making this the best season yet for the program.”
For more information about the museum, visit staffordcountymuseum.weebly.com/. To discover more about the Sunflower Summer program, visit SunflowerSummer.org.
