Site Content

In the 1940s a Lane County Historical Society was organized but lasted only a short time. An organizational meeting was held July 16, 1954. A constitution and by-laws were adopted August 23, 1954.
The Sod House was dedicated in 1960. It was constructed under the supervision of George Lawrence and Art Bentley. Other members of the committee were George Cochran, Bill Pike, Robert H. Jennison, L. I. Richardson, Gertrude McKelvy, W. Walter Herndon, and R. J. Tillotson, Chairman. During the first years, it was open only on Sunday afternoons.
The first meeting with Don J. Starkey, State Museum Consultant for the Kansas State Historical Society, to plan a new museum was July 9, 1973.
The Lane County Historical Society was incorporated September 5, 1973.
Open house for the new museum was held on May 23, 1976. The open house was to show the public what has been done and explain further plans.
Official opening date of the museum was May 22, 1977.
Fall 2014 construction began on the expansion of the museum.
At present we have raised enough funds for the Primary Construction of the building shell and later the addition of a climate control system for the new addition.
We have recently completed Phase Two in 2017
We are currently working on raising funds to complete final Phase of the new addition.