by Murrel Bland
The Kansas Room at the Kansas City, Kansas, Main Library has evolved as it has taken on more historical documents and artifacts. That was the message of Anne Lacey, the librarian who takes care of the Kansas Room.
Lacey was the speaker at a quarterly membership meeting of the Wyandotte County Historical Society Sunday afternoon, April 7, at the Wyandotte County Museum. About 30 persons attended.
Lacey said that the Kansas Room was opened on the first floor of the library at 625 Minnesota Ave. after the construction of the building in 1966. It was moved to the second floor of the library in 2016 when the administrative offices of the school district moved to 2010 N. 59th St. The library system is part of the Kansas City, Kansas, School District.
The Kansas Room has extensive original materials of the William E. Connelley Collection including information about the Wyandot Indians dating back to before 1844 when the tribe moved from Upper Sandusky, Ohio to here. Connelley served as Wyandotte County Clerk for two terms after being elected in 1883. He served as president of the Kansas State Historical Society in 1912 and later was the society’s long-time secretary.
The Kansas Room also has extensive newspaper clippings and photos concerning Kansas City, Kansas, schools. Lacey said it is collecting and digitizing high school yearbooks from Wyandotte County.
Lacey said there is discussion of building a new main library building. If so, she said this could be an opportunity to plan for an expanded Kansas Room.
Rebecca Barber Meditz, the Society president, presented the organization’s annual awards. The Margaret Landis Award went to the Bonner Springs Library for its Kansas Room. The Kansas Room at the Kansas City, Kansas, Library received the V.J. Lane Award. Steve Zuk, who has produced an extensive slide show about the history of Wyandotte County, was named “Historian of the Year.” Quindaro Nancy Brown Guthrie was honored with the Dr. Virginia Smith Glandon Award; Guthrie was a Wyandot Indian who came here in 1844 and was the first woman to be married in Wyandotte County.
Honored as Volunteers of the Year were Debbie Felix and Mendy Smith. Lifetime Meritorious awards went to the late Gene Ashley and the late John J. Jurcyk. Craig Delich received the Historical Educator Award for his book on Wyandotte High School. Special Presidential awards went to Clarissa Haynes, Kevin Willmott, Sharon Grace O’Neal and Hoie Kuam.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is a member of the board of directors of the Wyandotte County Historical Society.