Exhibits


EXPERIENCE HISTORY
Through Our Exhibits 

PLAN YOUR VISIT

 Learn inspirational stories
about incredible people
...



See the horns of a stampeding longhorn that got away from the herd and was pummeling women and children until the beast took a bullet from a gun in the steady hands of Wild Bill Hickok. View a replica of the six-shooter he used to keep order in the town when rowdy cowboys celebrated heartily after herding thousands of cattle from Texas to this city on the plains.


Witness the stories of A.B. Seelye, a young man who started making medicine in his mother's kitchen and developed one of the largest patent medicine companies in the world.


Walk next to C.W. Parker, who started building merry-go-rounds and shooting galleries after spending most of his last dollar meant for groceries on carousel rides for his daughter just to witness the delight in her eyes. He became known as the Amusement King and the Parker Amusement Company sent devices throughout the world..


Discover how T.C. Henry became the "Wheat King" by planting a patch of winter wheat in the area, changing the landscape forever.


Since the first settlers in 1855, Dickinson County has been populated with dreamers and visionaries. Great men and women helped shape the world in the wake of the industrialization period. Entrepreneurial legends and philanthropists would have a major impact on the county, and on the world.



The stories of these people bring life to history. 

Beyond the back door...


There's more outside to explore! 

Step inside the original one-room log cabin and see the porcelain basin used for washing dishes by hand, the kerosene lanterns that provided the only light, and the wood-fired stove on which meals were cooked. 


Watch chickens scratch in the ground near their coop, and walk into the big red barn to find an early-day artifacts.


Ring the school bell, then sit at a desk in the one-room schoolhouse and test your knowledge with the arithmetic problem on the blackboard.


See the forge and tools used by a blacksmith when horses were used for transportation.


Marvel at the unique items on the shelves inside the general store, and check out the old cars and farm equipment in the large building.


Ride the oldest operational C.W. Parker carousel known to exist, still delighting children as it did in the Gilded Age prior to World War I. Learn the rags to riches story of Charles Wallace Parker, who spent most of his last dollar to buy his daughter rides on a carousel instead of purchasing groceries; seeing the excitement on her face as she rode, he decided to get into the carousel business and later became known as the Amusement King.


The carousel features horses and chariots artistically hand carved by German immigrants. Hear the music of the 1904 Wurlitzer Band Organ, playing the tunes that kept children and adults thrilled and amused for decades as they rode the carousel at carnivals. During special events, the carousel is operated by a steam engine, just as it did a century ago.



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