Emporia Chamber of Commerce

Museums, Memorials, and History

Emporia is a melting pot of cultures. Once predominantly Welsh, it is now home to a variety of cultures including Hispanic. Learn about the families who built Emporia and those who live here now at the Lyon County Historical Museum and the Howe House & Welsh Farmstead, built in 1867. The Lyon County Research Center and Archives houses one of the state’s largest genealogy collections. The Howe House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Our two historic Carnegie library buildings house the archives of Emporia State University and the Lyon County Historical Museum.

As home of the first teacher’s college west of the Mississippi, we are home of the National Teachers Hall of Fame. Each year, five of the most exceptional K-12 teachers in the United States are inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame.

Honoring all veterans of all military service and patriotism is important to the citizens of Emporia and Lyon County. Emporia is the official founding city of Veterans Day, approved by Congress in 2003. Established in 1953 by a local shoe cobbler, Alvin J. King and a local Congressman, Edward H. Rees, convinced Congress to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

In 1991, Emporia became the first city in the United States to establish an All Veterans Memorial park dedicated to veterans of all wars, conflicts and peace time service. In August of 2003, a national Purple Heart Monument was added to the Memorial, and in November of 2003, a monument was dedicated to recognize the latest wars, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Several memorials have also been erected throughout Emporia to honor veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and the Hispanic-American Veterans of World War II.

Red Rocks, the famous home of William Allen White and William Lindsay White, is one of the newest attractions in Emporia that opened in 2005. Memorials, schools and a park named for members of the White family can be found on a driving tour throughout Emporia.

Museums, Memorials & History

Clock Tower
Located at the corner of 12th Ave. and Kansas
Hwy. 99 (also known as Merchant St.).
A project to mark the new Millennium, the Clock Tower was installed with the Streetscape project in downtown Emporia that was completed in 2002. A plaque underneath the Clock Tower depicts the City limits. A Time Capsule was placed within the Clock Tower and is to be opened on Emporia’s 200th Anniversary in February of 2057.

Cookie Jar Heaven
121 Mechanic St. • 620-343-3317
By appointment only
A collection of over 2,050 cookie jars in an array of images. Including movie stars, vehicles, cartoon characters, etc. There is also a display of over 300 buttonhooks.

Howe House & Welsh Farmstead
315 E. Logan Ave. • 620-342-6691
information line
Tours by appointment, call 620-342-2667
www.lyoncountymuseum.org
The historic Richard Howe farmstead lets visitors experience a simpler age, before electricity, plumbing or air-conditioning. This unique house was built in 1867 by Richard Howe, a Welsh immigrant stonemason.

Johnston Geology Museum,
Emporia State University
Cram Hall • 620-341-5330
Weekdays and Saturdays during regular class hours.
www.emporia.edu/earthsci/museum
Over 50 geologic displays, predominantly from Kansas.

Lyon County Historical Museum
118 E. 6th Ave.
620-340-6310
TUE-SAT, 1-5 p.m.
www.lyoncountymuseum.org
This museum inspires appreciation and curiosity and preserves and protects the 150,000 artifacts that represent the rich history of Lyon County, Kansas from 1857 to the present.

Lyon County Research Center & Archives
225 E. 6th Ave. • 620-340-6317
TUE-FRI, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
www.osprey.net/~lycoarciv
The archives contain over 250,000 pieces of
archival material. From photographs, maps,
family histories, census data, newspapers,
yearbooks, phone books, vital records to the
Gilson Scrapbooks.

Mr. K’s Bike Museum
1929 Rd. 175
620-342-5136
Approximately 8.8 miles E. of Emporia on old
Hwy. 50.
A collection of sixty-plus bicycles, wheel toys and related items as well as one-room school memorabilia and guest house.

National Teachers Hall of Fame
1200 Commercial, Visser Hall
800-96-TEACH (8-3224) or 620-341-5660
MON-FRI,
8 a.m.-5 p.m.;SAT 9:00 a.m.-noon
www.nthf.org
Committed to honoring teachers with a museum and induction ceremony. The Hall of Fame annually recognizes five outstanding PreK-12 educators.

One-Room Schoolhouse,
Emporia State University
18th Ave. & Merchant St. • 620-341-1200
By appointment only
www.emporia.edu
Authentic 1800’s one-room rural schoolhouse with inside furnishings depicting a 1895 setting.

Peterson Planetarium,
Emporia State University
Cram Hall • 620-341-5330
By appointment only
www.emporia.edu/physci/planet/planet
Night sky simulation combined with multimedia programs present a window on the universe and the wonders of space.

Richard H. Schmidt Museum of Natural History, Emporia State University
Breukelman Science Hall • 620-341-5311
MON-FRI 8 a.m.-5p.m., SAT 8 a.m.-noon
www.emporia.edu/smnh
Collection of Kansas wildlife specimens on display with emphasis on birds and mammals.

Veterans Memorials

All Veterans Memorial
933 S. Commercial St.
620-342-1803 or 800-279-3730
Daylight to 11 p.m.
Dedicated on May 26, 1991, the first Memorial in the nation to honor all Veterans from all Wars. Features a World War II Sherman Army Tank, Memorial to Emporian Sgt. Grant Timmerman, Vietnam Veterans Memorial with a Huey Helicopter, Purple Heart Memorial and the ships bell from the USS Emporia.

Civil War Veterans Monument
Fremont Park, 4th Ave. and Union St.
620-341-4365
Daylight to 11 p.m.
The Memorial is located on Union Street just north of the railroad tracks. Wording on the monument includes, “Lest We Forget”, “Erected by W.R.G. No. 70 and Citizens of Emporia”, “To Our Silent Victors”, and ‘In Memory Of Our Nation’s Heroes”.

Civil War Veterans Monument
Maplewood & Memorial Lawn Cemeteries
2000 Prairie St.
This memorial featuring two cannons on each side of a flagstaff was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1918 by the Grand Army of the Republic.

Hispanic American World War II Veterans Memorial
St. Catherine’s Church, 205 S. Lawrence St.
620-342-1368
Daylight hours
This memorial rededicated in 2005 for the
Mexican American Veterans who fought and
died in World War II. Plans are underway
for landscaping, flags and an additional
monument with the names of the veterans.

Spanish-American War Memorial
Peter Pan Park, S. Neosho St. and Kansas Ave.
620-341-4365
Daylight to 11 p.m.
This Memorial is located west of the Flint Hills Optimist’s ball diamond parking lot at S. Congress St., and Aspen Dr. The wording on the monument is “In Memory of the United Spanish War Veterans” The Memorial is nestled among
the trees and flanked by two rock benches.

Veterans Hall of Honor,
Emporia State University
Memorial Student Union • 620-341-5291
MON-FRI 8 a.m.-8 p.m.;
SAT & SUN noon-6 p.m.
www.emporia.edu/memunion
The ESU Memorial Union stands in tribute to students and alumni who fought and/or died in armed conflicts throughout the world. The Veterans Hall of Honor, on the second floor, serves to honor and respect the various branches of the service.

William Allen White & William Lindsay White

The Emporia Gazette & Museum
517 Merchant St. • 620-342-4800
Purchased in 1895 by William Allen White, and operated by the fourth generation of the White family. A small museum houses old newspaper equipment.

William Allen White Bust & Memorial
Peter Pan Park, S.E. of the lake at S. Rural St. and Randolph Ave.
Bust of William Allen White (1868-1944)
was dedicated July 11, 1950, by President Herbert Hoover. It is flanked by his editorial “Mary White” in remembrance of his daughter.

William Allen White House
State Historic Site
927 Exchange St.
620-342-2800
www.kshs.org/places/white/
William Allen White influenced state and national politics from the heartland town of Emporia through his writings and colorful politics, debating the Populists of the 1890s and battling against the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. His house and gardens, with its furnishings and memorabilia, allows us to experience this man and his descendents.

William Lindsay White Memorial Park
6th Ave. & Merchant St, next to The Emporia
Gazette commemorates William Allen White and his son, William Lindsay White. Features a bust of W.L. White (1900-1973), and several selections of writings by the two men.