Permanent exhibit

Information pertaining to early Lane County history begins at the museum entrance on the right wall with a picture-artifact display showing the five remaining cities in Lane County. Lining the left entrance wall is information, explaining what Lane County produces for the world: grain, cattle and oil.

This case shows the lovely display of the Indian Artifact collection of Arle and Josephine Boltz.  Many of these artifacts were found in Lane County, many in Kansas and also other states. The museum board, committee, and directors are grateful to the Boltz family for giving their collection to the museum.

Opposite the country store is the Harness Shop. Horses were very popular then as a means of pulling transportation and also as a work animal. This shop shows some of the articles which might have been found and used in a harness shop.

The interior of this exhibit was copied from pictures of two early Lane County cafes.  The light fixture, ash tray, small oval dish, and menu came from the original Neeley Café.  Notice the price of steak in 1931 - $.40.

This ladies clothing store is based on a store that was originally located on the corner of Main and Long Streets, in the early 1900’s. A nice assortment of goods displays the fashions of the time. The original store owners were the Uppendahl's.

As you leave the dress shop, you will notice a street scene on the north wall. This scene depicts the Main Street of Dighton in the early 1920’s.

Do you recognize the models of the automobiles?

Another attraction on the north wall is a United States flag with 44 stars representing the first 44 states. This flag was owned by H. B. Niles of Dighton.

A display of a typical country store and post office takes you back to about 1920. The post office is from the old Shields post office and the store counter came from the Herndon store in Amy.  The store has an old telephone and shows how many of the supplies were sold in those days. Pickle barrels, cracker tins, fabric, staple supplies and many other items sit upon the counter as well as line the back shelves.

The hardware store was built in 1886 as VanKuren’s Hardware.  It later housed a John Deere implement dealership from 1935-42, a bowling alley in the 1940’s, a grocery store, a clothing store, a pool hall and a bakery before it was destroyed. Talk about a VARIETY of businesses!

The wall boards in the hardware store exhibit came from the old Sutton church which was destroyed in 1985.

The chair in the shop is an old dentist chair from Dr. Ryan’s office which was housed in the floor above.  The marble slab is from the Old Exchange State Bank of 1923, which is now the city building.  The barber shop’s tin ceiling came from an early Healy building which was later destroyed by fire.

On the east wall of the permanent display room is a typical one room school. Materials for the school house exhibit came from various Lane County locations. The facer board on the front of the building came from an old barn. The lap siding for both the school and the home were salvaged from the John McLeish farm dating to 1886. The wainscot and the slate board in the school house came from the Enterprise School, dating 1951. The flooring for the school is from an early home dating 1920.

As you turn toward the east wall, you will be greeted by a horse drawn top buggy which dates to 1900. It was owned by Thomas J. Hahn and was purchased at Holton’s Hardware Store.

The family of Roy Atterberry wanted to do a memorial for him so they had the buggy restored in honor of him.

The theatre marquee displays advertising copies of actual movies shown there. The first movie theatre opened in 1929.