Stormy Bates County

A chance exploration of the Bates County Museum

Heading south one morning, an unexpected battle in local weather patterns, over an already saturated part of Missouri, forced a change in plans.  Exiting at Butler, a sign indicating the direction of the Bates County Museum prompted a memory that ancestors had roamed the area. A quick side trip seemed in order, before returning to the city.

A pleasant surprise lurked in the second floor of the old 1915 Bates County Poor Farm, which houses the museum. Artifacts of all manner document the history of the county, beginning with the Osage people to recent times.

Well-curated exhibits showcase the simplicity of pioneer life, hardships of the Civil War, and turn of the century prosperity.

Several themed rooms display a variety of artifacts from local life and culture, including some from native and Science Fiction author and Robert Heinlein.

Two buildings additional building outside provide a picture of rural school life in the early 1900s. Both were rescued and moved to the location by the Bates County Historical Society. The Wilcox School is the process of restoration, but 1901 Nyhart School is restored, furnished, and open to the public.

George Caleb Bingham painting of General Order No. 11

The staff was helpful in locating documentation on ancestry. They also gave us a overview of the history of the county. Folks suffered hard times here indeed, but enjoyed good times in more recent history. 

We could have lingered much longer, but storms began to unleash their fury. Creeks and other drainage ditches all around were rising.  A photo the main building, and more stories of the history of the county would have to wait for another time.

...

Further Reading

Bates County Historical Society and Museum

General Order No. 11 - Civil War on the Western Border
Kansas City Public Library