Stafford County Museum

Stafford County Historical & Genealogical Society

• Home
• About Us
  • Donations & Membership
  • Genealogy Research
• Collections
  • Books, Videos, and CDs
  • Civil War Library
  • Glass Negatives
  • Windows To The Past
  • Newspapers
  • Photo Gallery
  • Public Records
  • School Records
  • Services
• History of Stafford County
  • Battle For County Seat
  • First Election
  • Issacs Victorian Court House
  • Just Bill
  • O, Pioneer!
  • Pelican Pete
  • St. John Native Was Navy's 'BRAVEST MAN'
  • The Exodusters
  • U.S. Guyer
  
  
• Contact Us

Welcome to the official site of the Stafford County Museum in Stafford, Kansas.

Our museum has four buildings of heirlooms, antiques and information about Stafford County, Kansas.

Collections

We have a large collection of Stafford County newspapers, rural school records, family files and obituaries. We also have a substantial Civil War library and a collection of books written by local authors and history books written about Stafford County.

One of our most famous collections includes an estimated 29,000 glass plate negatives from the W.R. Gray Studio of photography in St. John, Kansas. We provide research services to help patrons with local roots discover their Stafford County ancestors as far back as the late 1800s. Use the Collections link above to learn more.

Museum News

• Kristy Rupe, Golden Belt Community Foundation Program Officer (middle) and Christy Tustin, GBCF executive director (right) present a grant check to Stafford Co. Museum curator Michael Hathaway (left) for the Gray Studio glass negatives project.
  
  The Stafford Co. Museum was awarded a $265 grant from Golden Belt Community Foundation's Stafford County Field of Interest Fund. The grant will be used to purchase supplies to process about 300 Gray Studio glass ple negatives.
  
  The Golden Belt Community Foundation is a family of 128 charitable funds, each created by donors to serve the charitable causes of their choice. Grants from these funds serve organizations and affect people throughout Barton, Pawnee, Rush and Stafford counties. At nearly $9 million in total assets, the Golden Belt Community Foundation has been assisting donors with their charitable giving goals and working with area non-profit agencies in an effort to build better and stronger communities since 1996.
• We recently received grants for the glass negatives project from Midwest Energy, Inc. ($400) and Walmart Foundation ($250).
  
• Kansas Humanities Council produced five 5-minute films in celebration of its 40th Anniversary. One of the films was about the Gray Studio glass negatives project. The film may be viewed here: http://kansashumanities.org/2012/10/5-minute-films-part-tw
• W.R. Gray (1865-1947) was featured on "Hatteberg's People," on KAKE-TV News (Wichita) on Nov. 4. Mr. Hatteberg interviewed Stafford Co. Historical Society president Marion Hearn, museum curator Michael Hathaway and Carol Long, artist/potter from St. John who is restoring Mr. Gray's original studio building in St. John. The segment may be viewed here: http://kansaspeople.com. And more of the story may be viewed here: http://www.kake.com/news/hattebergpeople/headlines/Hattebergs-People---William-Gray-177184641.html.
• We were awarded $11,904 by Heritage Trust Fund to restore the south column and capital on the old bank. A donation from the Estate of Marilyn Rankin will help cover matching funds required from us.
• On Dec. 9, 2011, Metzker Restorations of Ness City replaced the restored south column and new capital on the old Farmers National Bank.
• In July, 2011, a new air conditioning/heating unit was installed on the first floor of the old Farmers National Bank. This was made possible by a grant from USDA Rural Development, proceeds from our June garden tour and the Ruth Stude cookbooks, and donations from IOOF #537 and three patrons.
• Ten windows were purchased to replace the remaining windows in the old Masonic Hall. A donation from the Estate of Marilyn Rankin will help to get them installed
• We hope you enjoy our brand new website! The site was designed and developed by the students at the University of Missouri - Kansas City Advanced Web Development class this last semester (Fall 2011).

   

  Links

  
  Stafford County, Kansas Genealogy Info
  Santa Fe Trail Research
  Kansas Humanities Council
  Stafford County Official Website

  In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation, and reprisal. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.