Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum

Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum 100 Years of History on 10 Acres! The rich history of Butler County and El Dorado come alive at the Butler County History Center and Kansas Oil Museum.

Visit the museum today for inspiring exhibits on the Flint Hills, the history of Kansas oil discovery, and much more. An outdoor Oil Boom Town represents the height of 1920s oil towns that sprang up overnight to provide housing for the droves of people that came to Butler County to find their fortunes in black gold. Working antique oil equipment is featured on the ten-acre grounds as well as the o

ldest log cabin in the county, a garage full of early 20th century automobiles, and stately representations of our beautiful state tree, the Cottonwood. Indoors, our main gallery boasts a stunning exhibition on the Flint Hills, Butler County history, and oil development. The Rolla A. Clymer Research Library serves as a valuable research tool for anyone looking for more information about family, local, or state history. A small admission is charged to see the museum. Our museum is wheelchair accessible, although some outdoor buildings are not.

📬 Our June Newsletter Has Been Sent!The June edition of the Kansas Oil Museum Newsletter is officially on its way to sub...
06/01/2026

📬 Our June Newsletter Has Been Sent!

The June edition of the Kansas Oil Museum Newsletter is officially on its way to subscribers' inboxes.

This month's issue explores one of Butler County's most fascinating chapters with a feature on the origins of the Anti-Horse Thief movement, highlights the growing collection of unique gifts and historical reproductions now available in the museum gift shop, and shares updates on upcoming programs, events, and volunteer opportunities.

Inside you'll also find:
âś… HF Sinclair Kids STEM Day
âś… A farewell and thank you to Facilities Director Tyler Melugin
âś… Updates from our growing Speaker Series program
âś… Information about the 2026 Jessie Perry Stratford Writing Contest
âś… Photos and museum news from around the grounds

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Thank you for helping us preserve, share, and celebrate the stories of Butler County.

Looking for something to do this week? Join us for Oil Patch Volunteer Days this Friday and Saturday from 9 AM to 3 PM. ...
06/01/2026

Looking for something to do this week? Join us for Oil Patch Volunteer Days this Friday and Saturday from 9 AM to 3 PM. We’ll be rolling up our sleeves to clean historic buildings, spruce up museum vehicles, move scrap piles, and tackle projects that help preserve Butler County history for future generations.

The Research Library is also open during museum hours for genealogy and local history research, and don’t forget our Saturday Maker Space activity for families and young creators.

Whether you're volunteering, researching, creating, or exploring, there's plenty happening at the museum this week!

05/31/2026

🎤 Story Time Sunday | Voices of Butler County

This week’s featured clip highlights Addison Thorne, the youngest performer at our Voices of Butler County Poetry Café.

Addison shared her poem “An Event as Such,” a thoughtful reflection on community gatherings and the simple joy of people coming together. Through her words, she captured what we hoped this evening would be all along; a place where everyone, no matter their age, can find something to connect with.

From children painting rocks to adults sharing conversation and stories, her poem reminds us that community events like this belong to everyone.

The Voices of Butler County Poetry Café was created to celebrate local storytelling and creative expression, and we’re proud to continue sharing highlights from the event each Sunday as part of our Story Time series.

Our next Voices of Butler County program will return later this summer, and we can’t wait to keep building space for more voices from across Butler County.

Watch more performances from the May event on our YouTube channel, and stay tuned each week for new Story Time Sunday features. 🎤✨

05/30/2026

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming the El Dorado Springs, Missouri FFA chapter to the Kansas Oil Museum as part of their trip through the region.

A special thank you to Warren Martin with Kansas Strong for volunteering his time to lead the tour and share the story of Kansas energy, geology, and the people who helped shape our state’s history. Warren’s passion for education and his years of experience working with students made for a great visit.

Thank you to the students and advisors from El Dorado Springs for spending part of your day with us. We enjoyed having you at the museum and wish you safe travels on the rest of your trip!

Check out the video below of Warren sharing the story behind one of our exhibits.

A big thank you to Sutherland’s in El Dorado for their generous donation of mulch to help us complete the landscaping be...
05/28/2026

A big thank you to Sutherland’s in El Dorado for their generous donation of mulch to help us complete the landscaping beds at the museum.

We are so appreciative of the Butler County Master Gardeners for the time, care, and expertise they continue to bring to our grounds. They used the mulch for the garden beds around the campus. Their ongoing work helps keep the museum landscape healthy, welcoming, and beautiful for all who visit.

Support like this makes a visible difference on our grounds and reflects the strong community partnerships that help the museum grow and improve year after year. We’re grateful for everyone who plays a part in preserving both our history and our spaces.

Throwback Thursday 🏛️This week’s look into El Dorado’s past focuses on the historic Post Office building through a then-...
05/28/2026

Throwback Thursday 🏛️

This week’s look into El Dorado’s past focuses on the historic Post Office building through a then-and-now comparison using photos collected or taken by museum volunteer Randy Wentling.

Buildings like this help tell the story of how El Dorado grew and changed through the decades while still preserving pieces of its architectural history. The post office has long been a familiar landmark tied to communication, community, and everyday life in Butler County.

A special thank you to Randy for helping document and preserve these visual connections to our past.

Want to learn more about the history of El Dorado’s post office locations? Check out the article from the City of El Dorado linked in the comments.

Our volunteers continue to amaze us every single day.So far in 2026, they have already logged over 620 hours of service ...
05/27/2026

Our volunteers continue to amaze us every single day.

So far in 2026, they have already logged over 620 hours of service at the museum: helping with research, tours, events, collections care, grounds work, education programs, and so much more. That time represents thousands of small moments of effort that keep history alive and our museum running strong.

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now is a great time to join the momentum that’s building here. Stop by for a conversation, give us a call, or visit our website to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

And don’t forget—our Oil Patch Volunteer Days are coming up next weekend! We’ll be cleaning buildings, hauling scraps, painting, and tackling a variety of projects that help us care for the museum grounds and exhibits.

There’s a place for everyone here, and we’d love to have you be part of it.

Something exciting is coming to the Kansas Oil Museum! ✍️📚We are excited to announce the reimagined:Jessie Perry Stratfo...
05/27/2026

Something exciting is coming to the Kansas Oil Museum! ✍️📚

We are excited to announce the reimagined:

Jessie Perry Stratford Writing Contest:
A Celebration of Stories, Writing, and Community

Inspired by Butler County writer and journalist Jessie Perry Stratford, this expanded contest will welcome writers of ALL ages including students, homeschool writers, teachers, and community members.

The updated contest will feature multiple writing categories including:
• Poetry
• Short Stories
• Personal Narratives
• Journalism & Community Storytelling
• Historical Research
• Comics
• Flash Fiction
…and more!

Winning entries will be published in a special anthology, and writers will be recognized at a spring writing celebration hosted by the Kansas Oil Museum.

We are still finalizing submission guidelines, categories, and deadlines, but entries will be due near the end of the first semester of the 2026–2027 school year.

More information and updated contest details coming soon — so start brainstorming, writing, and telling your stories now!

Huge thank you to the Butler County Master Gardeners for sharing their time and talents with us!
05/27/2026

Huge thank you to the Butler County Master Gardeners for sharing their time and talents with us!

Address

383 E Central Avenue
El Dorado, KS
67042

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+13163219333

Website

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