Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum

Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum History of the Wakarusa Valley, Bleeding Kansas and the Underground Railroad in SW Douglas Co, Ks

Making autograph books and "Cursive with Quills" are great activities for a rainy day.
06/06/2026

Making autograph books and "Cursive with Quills" are great activities for a rainy day.

The Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum will be open extended hours next Saturday for a Hands-On History Day, 10am-5pm...
05/30/2026

The Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum will be open extended hours next Saturday for a Hands-On History Day, 10am-5pm.

We think it is important for everyone to be able to read our country's founding documents in their original form. So, we are putting chalk, quills, and pens into your hands so you can practice the lost art of cursive writing. Make an autograph book to gather your friend's signatures. There will be examples of autograph books from our collection to see. We will have family friendly activities covering learning to read & write cursive and why it is so important.

Memorial Day - Remembering and honoring those that have died while serving in the military. Photo shows Memorial Day Fla...
05/25/2026

Memorial Day - Remembering and honoring those that have died while serving in the military.
Photo shows Memorial Day Flags at Clinton Cemetery in 2021.

We are excited to announce the film screening of "Flooding Kaw Nation", a collaborative project led by Claire Cox, histo...
05/07/2026

We are excited to announce the film screening of "Flooding Kaw Nation", a collaborative project led by Claire Cox, historian and former museum staff. This is part of a larger exhibit that is in the works, Voices of the Valleys, which examines the parallel history of Clinton and Kaw Lake.
A panel discussion will follow with the film makers, historians, and those displaced by the lake.

THANK YOU to all the volunteers who showed up at the museum on a chilly Saturday morning to do the same work they probab...
04/21/2026

THANK YOU to all the volunteers who showed up at the museum on a chilly Saturday morning to do the same work they probably needed to do in their own yards.

Sticks and limbs were cleared, a small field was burned (& volunteer trees cut), the courtyard was cleaned and edged, cobwebs and wasp nests cleared from the eaves, and large quartzite rocks moved to build up a garden slope.

Whew..... it looks beautiful!

The museum's opening weekend is just around the corner - May 2 & 3.

The 2026 Clinton Lake Historical Society Annual Meeting is in the books! We had a lovely crowd and a delicious potluck. ...
04/16/2026

The 2026 Clinton Lake Historical Society Annual Meeting is in the books! We had a lovely crowd and a delicious potluck. Our guest speaker, Jan Elder, presented very compelling research of how the Underground Railroad might have used her farm in Willow Springs Township.
Below is one of the Annual Meeting hand-outs featuring our stats for last year.

I don't want to jinx it, but Saturday looks clear of rain. Join us for our Museum & Grounds Clean Up Day from 9:30am - 1...
04/16/2026

I don't want to jinx it, but Saturday looks clear of rain.
Join us for our Museum & Grounds Clean Up Day from 9:30am - 1pm. We need volunteers to help us get the museum grounds into shape for the summer season - working in the butterfly garden, mulching, cleaning the courtyard, maintaining the purple martin houses, etc.

Need some evening entertainment?Do you have any dinner plans?Join us tonight for a Potluck & Presentation!
04/11/2026

Need some evening entertainment?
Do you have any dinner plans?
Join us tonight for a Potluck & Presentation!

Please join us this Saturday, April 11th, for our Annual Meeting & Community Potluck. Our guest speaker, Jan Elder, is s...
04/05/2026

Please join us this Saturday, April 11th, for our Annual Meeting & Community Potluck. Our guest speaker, Jan Elder, is someone we have enjoyed working with during her Underground Railroad research. We look forward to her presentation.

All are welcome. Bring a friend, a dish to share, and your support for local history!

Our 2nd annual Clinton Afternoon Tea today was a lovey affair with a group of ladies who really understood the assignmen...
03/28/2026

Our 2nd annual Clinton Afternoon Tea today was a lovey affair with a group of ladies who really understood the assignment - matching hats, a string of pearls, and white gloves.

A big THANK YOU goes out to all that have made this event a success: the Ladies of Clinton Presbyterian Church for their generous help, Thrivent Financial Community Grant, Trina Williams of Old Belvoir for the flower centerpieces, and Reclaimed by Michele (resale shop in N.Law) for loaning us your vintage hats.

Address

716 N 1190 Road
Lawrence, KS
66047

Telephone

(785) 783-4420

Website

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