2018 Spring Newsletter

TELLING OUR STORY As a part of sharing the history of our county and our museum, Jim Bouseman and Larry Lybarger have been busy recently at various events. On Jan. 17 they both participated in an evening at Louisburg City Hall enti tled “Tales & Treasures.” This was an event to share stories and artifacts about the early history of Louis burg. Founded in 1868, Louisburg is preparing to celebrate their 150th centennial. The Louisburg Historical Society under the leadership of Heather Wilson organized the event. Exhibitors shared early editions of the Louisburg Hearald, arti facts of an early sheriff, early businesses and founders of the community. Jim shared displays on early busi ness owners along the main street, copies of the first paper of Louisburg, history of the cannon in the ceme tery, copies of the name change of St. Louis, Kansas to Louisburg, Kansas. Larry shared information on the Wea Indians and their settlement near Louisburg. Artifacts from Christmas and Mary Ann Dagenette and pictures of the Wea/Da genette Indian Cemetery were shown.

On Feb. 13, Jim traveled to Raymore, Missouri to an swer questions about our museum and to share how we are organized and what we offer to our commu nity. The Raymore Historical Society plans to come to Paola soon to see what they might incorporate in their plans for a new museum at Raymore. Larry will share information on Feb. 22nd with the Paola Rotary Club. His topic will be facts about black history of Miami County, as there is a current display on exhibit in the museum. Early migration to what was to be Miami County, stories of George W. Carv er’s presence in Miami County and information on Ex odusters like the community of Nicodemus in West ern Kansas.

Do you remember Paola’s “Blue Lagoon”? For a half century, a doughnut-shaped pond sat just across south from the playground in Wallace Park where baseball fields now sit. An arched bridge led to a small island in the center. In the winter, as it iced over, it was the favored ice skating spot in Paola. It is unclear whether the “lagoon” as it was called was built for “looks” or for flood control. It was filled in during the 1960’s.

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