2016 Fall Newsletter

AND SO IT BEGAN………………… The Miami County Historical Society – 1965 A Tribute to Be e Ore One a ernoon in the summer of 1965, two ladies were spending a pleasant a ernoon visi ng. One, Bea Mount, a re red spinster who had lived in Miami County all her life and was best known as the Manager of the women’s clothing department at Coles Store on the west side of the square. The other was Be e Ore who was raised in Coffey County, Kansas. However they were in agreement on one thing: a love of an ques and history.

As their conversa on progressed they talked about the background and great history of Paola and Miami County and how it would be lost if nothing was done to preserve it. What to do about it? Create a histor ical society? People were contacted that might have an interest in it. A le er was wri en to the Kansas State Historical Society asking for informa on in or ganizing such a group. A representa ve arrived and a mee ng was held with eighteen persons in a en dance – from all areas of the county. From the be ginning it was to be a County Historical Society and ul mately a County museum. The second mee ng was held on December 2 – the official start of the Miami County Historical Society. Bob Carey was elected first President. The purpose of the organiza on was to preserve the history of Mi ami County. It was to have a governing body of not less than 7 or more than 9 persons serving two year terms. Annual dues were $2.00

At the third mee ng it was voted to increase the Board of Directors to thirteen in order to have a more com plete coverage of the county. It was decided it would be more favorable to have ar cles of incorpora on and by-laws. Sister Charles from Ursuline first came to the society mee ngs in 1966 and became one of the “spark plugs” in the organiza on. Few could tell Sister Charles “no” if she asked them for something. In March 1977, the Arnold Building on the north side of the square could be purchased for $12,500. This was approved and Sister Charles agreed and immediately set out to raise the funds – which she did. The museum needed a name so a contest was organized and the name chosen was Swan River Museum. AND SO IT BEGAN…………….. (Excerpts of this ar cle were taken from the memoirs as wri en by Be e Ore. Her compila on tells many more stories, trials and tribula ons in ge ng the museum started. It is available at the Museum.) Be e Ore

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